Ball python won’t eat

[Stewart_Reptiles]

What you were offering before what the animal was eating before is IRRELEVANT we are talking about a total reset for an animal that needs to be back on track ASAP not an animal that is doing well and skipped a meal so it not about let's try to thaw this way or that way.

This animal needs a live HOPPER to get back on track in addition to what husbandry changes needed to be done, remember to a T means to a T

You are basically starting again from square one just like if you had an hatchling straight out of the egg that need to be stimulated to get started.

So again this https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101 to a T and sooner than later as I mentionned at some point thebvisious circle will be impossible to break

[Cassidyalayna]

I have found and some others on here that using hot water to thaw out feeders can often lead to over heating, even cooking it. I have seen belly's burst open in a sticky mush. No wonder a snake didn't want to eat it. If using water it is best to do as Bogertophis advises and that is use cool, room temp water. You can even put the rat right in the water and let it thaw like that (which is what I do.)

When it is thawed and soft bellied then you can heat it with a hair dryer. I have used a heat lamp light to heat it (belly down) but there again it is very easy to cook it using a heat lamp. So I really recommend the hair dry mostly on low from a little ways away. Slow heat it and dry the fur which is important to keep the substrate from sticking to the feeder.

You can air thaw it like Zincubus says too IMO but if you are worried about germs building up (as Bogertophis does) you can do as I do and combine both methods. I put my feeder above the enclosure for a half hour or until the snake comes out smelling (which ever happens first,) then I thaw it in cool water till it is very loose and soft bellied, and then I use the hair dryer to get the fur dry and fluffy and the feeder up to around a 100 or in the 90's at the very least. ( even above 100 sometimes but I let it cool down before sticking it in the enclosure)

A infrared thermometer comes in sooooo handy including measuring feeder temps. In fact I use it to measure the temp of the warmed up sweet oil I stick in my ears. And of course snake enclosure temps.
PS get one that has the light on it to read temps at night in the dark.

Thank you! I did not know this haha I guess I wouldn’t want to eat food that is like that either! I’ll try to feed her either tomorrow or the next day using this thawing message and I’ll update if it works. She’s been pretty stressed out the last two days. And she’s been acting unusual. She usually just hides all day but she’s been pacing the cage and climbing the glass. So maybe she is hungry enough to finally eat. Let’s hope so anyways

[Cassidyalayna]

What you were offering before what the animal was eating before is IRRELEVANT we are talking about a total reset for an animal that needs to be back on track ASAP not an animal that is doing well and skipped a meal so it not about let's try to thaw this way or that way.

This animal needs a live HOPPER to get back on track in addition to what husbandry changes needed to be done, remember to a T means to a T

You are basically starting again from square one just like if you had an hatchling straight out of the egg that need to be stimulated to get started.

So again this https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101 to a T and sooner than later as I mentionned at some point thebvisious circle will be impossible to break

I read your thread that you linked and I have been debating putting her in a tub for a week or so. I’m just worried that another environment change will stress her out even more? Do you think it NEEDS a to be done or do you think I should just recheck all the husbandry in my tank?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I read your thread that you linked and I have been debating putting her in a tub for a week or so. I’m just worried that another environment change will stress her out even more? Do you think it NEEDS a to be done or do you think I should just recheck all the husbandry in my tank?

I have troubleshooted hundreds of new owner's snakes with the same issue over the last decade, yes it has to be done, should have been done last week already and again to a T, the situation is VERY serious, but ultimately it's YOUR choice and if you keep wasting time your BP will reach the point of no return.

[Cassidyalayna]

Just an update: I just offered her food using the cold water method and she tackled that rat so hard!! I can’t believe after weeks of not eating all it took was a different thawing method. Thank you everyone for your help with this! I am beyond happy now

[Bogertophis]

Just an update: I just offered her food using the cold water method and she tackled that rat so hard!! I can’t believe after weeks of not eating all it took was a different thawing method. Thank you everyone for your help with this! I am beyond happy now

Me too! Congratulations! No more spoiled rats, bleah!