New snake, help please.

[brutus]

Hi, first off I just want to say what a great forum this is... I have learned a lot reading about ball pythons here.
Anyway I have a problem, on the 7th of november I got my first snake (a ball python), it was bought from a pet store and is pretty skinny. When I got him I had a plastic tub all set up, I have a uth hooked up to a pulse proportional thermostat and the temps are 92 hot side and 78 cool side, the humidity is 50-60% and I have newspapers on the bottom. There are hides on boths sides and I wrinkled up some newspaper balls to give him more sence of security.
I left it alone for the first week (with one exeption one day because of nosy relatives). So on the 14th I tried to feed him, I thawed a mouse and put the snake in a seperate container, I wiggled the mouse in front of him, but he looked kinda scared so I just layed it down on the bottom turned off the light and left the room. An hour later he had not eaten the mouse so I put it in the freezer.
Now I left the snake completely be for full 8 days (just changing his water) and tried feeding again. Now I wiggled the mouse a little bit in front of him in his tub, but he looked scared and went into one of the corners, so I just put the mouse on the bottom and let him be over night, when I woke up he had not touched the mouse and was still in the corner. I took the mouse and threw it in the garbage.
So now I am worried, what is the next step I take? Do I wait a full week again before trying to feed or what? He is skinny so I want to get some food in his belly as soon as possible. He has not pooed or peed since I got him, I am worried he might be dehydrated because his skin wrinkles around his neck area, should I soak him?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[gncz73]

did the pet shop feed live, prekilled or frozen thawed you need to know what he is used to eating first

[Adam_Wysocki]

What size plastic tub? Could be too big.

How are you measuring temps and are you checking how low they get overnight? 2am ... 4am ... etc?

I'd get the "cool" side up above 80 ... more like 82-84 ... add more crumpled up newspaper (literally fill the box with it) and try a live hopper mouse overnight.

-adam

[brutus]

Thanks for the quick response.

gncz73: I don´t know what they fed, the snake was given to me (I didn´t buy it)

Adam_Wysocki: I don´t remember exactly how big it is, around 15 gallons at the most, I measure the temps a digital thermometer with the probe on directly on the bottom of the tank (under the newspapers). The temps in my room are constantly the same, day or night. Can I try feeding the live hopper tomorrow or do I wait a week ?

Thanks again for the reply

[Adam_Wysocki]

Try as soon as possible, but it may not eat until you get those temps warmer. What does the min/max temps on the digital thermometer say?

-adam

[mr~python]

sorry, adam posted before me lol

[brutus]

There is just a min/max option on the thermometer in the cool end, I am not home right now, I will check it when I get home. So the temp on the cool side should not drop below 82 ?

[Adam_Wysocki]

For hatchlings ... 80 at a minimum .... 82-84 is better ... I keep all of mine at about 86.

If your digital is reading 78 when your looking at it, it could be swinging lower during the night while you're sleeping ... min/max is an important tool.

-adam

[rabernet]

add more crumpled up newspaper (literally fill the box with it) and try a live hopper mouse overnight.

-adam

Adam gave me this same advice with my guy when I first got him. Worked like a charm!

[brutus]

Adam gave me this same advice with my guy when I first got him. Worked like a charm!

Well that is good to hear

Adam: How should I feed the live hopper? In his viv or in a seperate container? Should I watch him every minute the mouse is with him ?