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  1. #11
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Quote Originally Posted by Stewart_Reptiles View Post
    You want something that is equal the girth size (widest part of your BP's body), if previously on rats do rats if previously on mice do mice (if it was a back an forth on that too I would suggest mice since they are more enticing), the key with BP who are finicky eaters is consistency and not go back and forth.
    I dont want to bother him anymore, but based on his pics i think a small mouse would do.. but i still have the frozen hoppers, do i not offer those anymore and buy live mice for next friday? I think His breeder has also been feeding him hoppers all up until his 4th month and I’m telling you, his back is pretty triangular and I’m worried about his health.
    Last edited by Jörmun; 12-28-2019 at 05:16 PM.

  2. #12
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Quote Originally Posted by Jörmun View Post
    ...if I were to offer a hopper next friday, and he refuses, do i try live the same day or the next few days? I called the local pet shop and they said they have live rat fuzzies but I don’t know if that’s enough for him. (No live hoppers$
    In general, when a snake refuses food, don't offer again for 5-7 days, because offering too often may just stress them into more refusals. This is why it's really important to offer the right way & at the right time.

    BUT...in this case (where the refusal may be due to not accepting f/t prey reliably) (& especially if your snake is underweight) I would go ahead & try a live rat fuzzy...just one, don't over-do it. If he doesn't eat it,
    you can kill & freeze it to re-offer when he's taking f/t, & if he doesn't eat this time, I would wait at least 5 days so he's not overly stressed before offering again.

    You're asking about feeding next Friday...do bear in mind that a pet store that has live rat fuzzies now may not have them in a week...they grow pretty fast. Unless they have multiple colonies of rats & mice, there
    won't be a steady stream of the right size at the moment you want to feed your snake. Which is one reason that f/t is SO much preferred. Keep in mind that young rats or mice do not pose a risk to your snake if
    offered live as long as their eyes are still closed; once their eyes open, they bite back, & get better at it the more days that go by. The last thing you want is an injured snake, so pay attention if using live prey.

    Another suggestion: IF your snake is hungry but the rat fuzzy is fairly active & you can see that your snake hesitates to grab it, one thing I've done with some success is to put a flat-bottomed bowl in the cage, one
    that's deep enough so the rodent cannot crawl out. The bowl should also be heavy enough so it won't tip over (with your snake hanging over the side). Remembering when BPs prefer to hunt...leave the live fuzzy
    in the bowl overnight (in the dark) & hope that by morning, your BP will have summoned up the courage to eat it. In my experience, BPs feel braver when they can grab prey that is slightly below them...they feel
    they have the "upper hand" -so to speak.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  3. #13
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    In general, when a snake refuses food, don't offer again for 5-7 days, because offering too often may just stress them into more refusals. This is why it's really important to offer the right way & at the right time.

    BUT...in this case (where the refusal may be due to not accepting f/t prey reliably) (& especially if your snake is underweight) I would go ahead & try a live rat fuzzy...just one, don't over-do it. If he doesn't eat it,
    you can kill & freeze it to re-offer when he's taking f/t, & if he doesn't eat this time, I would wait at least 5 days so he's not overly stressed before offering again.

    You're asking about feeding next Friday...do bear in mind that a pet store that has live rat fuzzies now may not have them in a week...they grow pretty fast. Unless they have multiple colonies of rats & mice, there
    won't be a steady stream of the right size at the moment you want to feed your snake. Which is one reason that f/t is SO much preferred. Keep in mind that young rats or mice do not pose a risk to your snake if
    offered live as long as their eyes are still closed; once their eyes open, they bite back, & get better at it the more days that go by. The last thing you want is an injured snake, so pay attention if using live prey.

    Another suggestion: IF your snake is hungry but the rat fuzzy is fairly active & you can see that your snake hesitates to grab it, one thing I've done with some success is to put a flat-bottomed bowl in the cage, one
    that's deep enough so the rodent cannot crawl out. The bowl should also be heavy enough so it won't tip over (with your snake hanging over the side). Remembering when BPs prefer to hunt...leave the live fuzzy
    in the bowl overnight (in the dark) & hope that by morning, your BP will have summoned up the courage to eat it. In my experience, BPs feel braver when they can grab prey that is slightly below them...they feel
    they have the "upper hand" -so to speak.
    ..Im not entirely sure about a rat fuzzy. It does seem pretty small for him and I’d rather go with a rat pup if i were to use a rat. I also thought, wouldn’t he refuse it since he was on mice before? I cant decide whether to buy small live mice or rat pups. I’m extremely worried about my boy passing(i think im just overreacting). Hes not super super skinny but his back is triangular.

    I’m pretty worried about friday. It could either go good and he’ll accept the f/t hopper(i know its too small for him but i really want something in his belly). OR he’ll refuse and I’ll put a live pup in there overnight(correct...?). What if he refuses that too.

    But at the same time I’m still wondering on whether to buy small mice or just go with the rat pups. Most likely small mice because that’s what he’s been eating before i received him.
    Last edited by Jörmun; 12-28-2019 at 07:42 PM.

  4. #14
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Quote Originally Posted by Jörmun View Post
    ..Im not entirely sure about a rat fuzzy. It does seem pretty small for him and I’d rather go with a rat pup if i were to use a rat. I also thought, wouldn’t he refuse it since he was on mice before? I cant decide whether to buy small live mice or rat pups. I’m extremely worried about my boy passing(i think im just overreacting). Hes not super super skinny but his back is triangular.

    I’m pretty worried about friday. It could either go good and he’ll accept the f/t hopper(i know its too small for him but i really want something in his belly). OR he’ll refuse and I’ll put a live pup in there overnight(correct...?). What if he refuses that too.

    But at the same time I’m still wondering on whether to buy small mice or just go with the rat pups. Most likely small mice because that’s what he’s been eating before i received him.
    For best results, you generally want to offer the same kind of rodent that a snake ate previously, since mice & rats smell (& presumably taste) different. Some snakes won't care, but BPs do tend to be "opinionated".

    It's also hard for me to advise, since seller descriptions regarding size of rodents ("fuzzy", "pup" etc) are often not the same everywhere, & I generally feed according to a snake's mid-body size (nothing larger than
    the snake's widest mid-body area...preferably less than that) so use your best judgement, since it's your snake & you'll be able to see the rodents. One thing though, a snake that hasn't been eating much may have
    a harder time digesting a rodent that's on the large side...also, if you go with rats, a pup has eyes open I believe, so it may be far too active for your snake to want until he gains some confidence & skills. He may not
    want a rat at all, if he was on mice before, but what you can do (if a rat fuzzy is your only option) is ask the pet store for some soiled mouse bedding to use for scenting the rat. That might do the trick.

    He does need to get some food into him, but don't get ahead of things with "what ifs?"...believe me I understand the stress of a snake that's difficult to feed. Just keep trying, think positive.

    You are more likely to have success if you offer mice, if that's all he ate previously; was he fed live mice or f/t? When feeding f/t, I can't stress enough that you need to thaw properly (so it doesn't spoil, since your snake
    will smell that before you do, & refuse to eat it), and you also need to make sure it's warm when offered (ie. lifelike). How you offer food to a BP is as important as what you offer...again, evening & when snake is looking out of his hide is generally best. Dim the room lights a little too, so you are not a distraction: stay as still as possible- if you move, many snakes will quickly drop the prey they just grabbed & may not take it up again.
    (who knew snakes could be such picky eaters, eh? LOL)
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 12-28-2019 at 09:09 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  5. #15
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Correct me if I'm mistaken. He's 3 months old. He last ate about 3-4 weeks ago. You've had him for 8 days with 4 attempted feedings including an assisted feeding attempt. His temps and husbandry are definitely dialed in. If all those things check out then take a step back, relax, and leave your critter alone. As in completely alone, besides water changes. I know some keepers offer food every 7 days but I advise waiting every 10-14 days after a refused meal. If they refuse 2 meals I increase the waiting time for their next meal opportunity. I've had a few snakes that were hard to get started, difficult to transition to rats, or gone on long food breaks. BPs were the most stubborn which is one reason I don't keep them anymore . I've learned that the hunger ALWAYS wins and they ALL eat eventually. I've fallen into the tough love camp and believe that any animal would rather eat than starve, especially if it has access to food, and if it doesn't then it's not an animal I'd want anyway. I'd stick with f/t hoppers for a month, and if he still hasn't eaten then I'd try a live feeder. These animals, even young ones, can go without food for many months. Your snake just needs a little more time to acclimate and get comfortable in it's new environment. We've all been there but don't stress yourself out. Stay the course and he'll get on track soon. I'll bet a buck. Keep us posted!
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  7. #16
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Quote Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy View Post
    Correct me if I'm mistaken. He's 3 months old. He last ate about 3-4 weeks ago. You've had him for 8 days with 4 attempted feedings including an assisted feeding attempt. His temps and husbandry are definitely dialed in. If all those things check out then take a step back, relax, and leave your critter alone. As in completely alone, besides water changes. I know some keepers offer food every 7 days but I advise waiting every 10-14 days after a refused meal. If they refuse 2 meals I increase the waiting time for their next meal opportunity. I've had a few snakes that were hard to get started, difficult to transition to rats, or gone on long food breaks. BPs were the most stubborn which is one reason I don't keep them anymore . I've learned that the hunger ALWAYS wins and they ALL eat eventually. I've fallen into the tough love camp and believe that any animal would rather eat than starve, especially if it has access to food, and if it doesn't then it's not an animal I'd want anyway. I'd stick with f/t hoppers for a month, and if he still hasn't eaten then I'd try a live feeder. These animals, even young ones, can go without food for many months. Your snake just needs a little more time to acclimate and get comfortable in it's new environment. We've all been there but don't stress yourself out. Stay the course and he'll get on track soon. I'll bet a buck. Keep us posted!
    I cannot thank you both enough for the information. YES he hasnt eaten in
    3-4 weeks! From what I’ve read, some people suggest me small live mice, but i honestly feel like its safer to try and get him eating the hoppers before bumping up a notch. (Do u think its safe to try a live hopper if he were to refuse? The nearby petshop doesnt sell live hoppers so i might call petco.)

    I changed his water today as it did have urates right on the side near the water .
    And he was balled up but his head was resting in the middle and looking out in the opening of the hide. Is this a sign he’s getting ready to ambush? I didn’t bother him and I simply changed the water.

  8. #17
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Hi guys,,
    new update. He escaped his plastic tub i think yesterday night. He was only chilling on the side of it. I panicked then put him back, i havent seen his actual body in a while and wew... he is one thin boy.... will this affect his stress levels for friday?

  9. #18
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Quote Originally Posted by Jörmun View Post
    Hi guys,
    new update. He escaped his plastic tub I think yesterday night. He was only chilling on the side of it. I panicked then put him back, I haven't seen his actual body in a while and wew... he is one thin boy.... will this affect his stress levels for Friday?
    He was already thin when I received him, but to see him get thinner breaks my heart so much. I feel extremely terrible. I am panicking my first snake might die!

    Last edited by Jörmun; 12-30-2019 at 11:46 AM.

  10. #19
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    Re: Bp hatchling won’t eat

    Quote Originally Posted by Jörmun View Post
    Hi guys,,
    new update. He escaped his plastic tub I think yesterday night. He was only chilling on the side of it. I panicked then put him back, I haven't seen his actual body in a while and wew... he is one thin boy.... will this affect his stress levels for Friday?
    He was already thin when I received him, but to see him get even thinner breaks my heart so much. I feel terrible and i'm panicking my first snake might die!


  11. #20
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    May first ball python, a baby, took months to eat. I was very worried. I checked her daily. I was always looking at her and picking her up. I tried frozen, what I was told she was eating, live, fresh killed, brained, you name it I tried it. Finally, I moved her into what I thought was too small of an enclosure and just left her alone for a week. When she started eating she really took off. Now she begs for food every time I step into the room at night.

    The thing is, I was so worried about her that my actions were stressing her out. When I figured she would eat when she was ready everything turned out okay.

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