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  1. #1
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    Question Axanthic Spider Ball Fedding Habits Have Changed

    Greetings All!

    Just as the title says, my BBP named Beloved's feeding habits have changed right after her second shed.

    She was eating pinky's then fuzzy mice and she was recently switched to rats maybe a month and a half ago. Just recently last week, I noticed she is not eating her fuzzy rats and she doesn't like any rats with hair on them.
    She will or would go straight for the hairless pink rats but now she just stares at them, flicks her tongue, and follows the scent trails but never attempts to feed. She will strike if I'm holding the fuzzy rat with tongs but always misses,
    not an issue because I'm familiar with the neural issues (no need to give me the run down I've done my due diligence in research) I remedied the neural issue by allowing her to feed basically just by laying the food down and it was successful, I mean she really doesn't show any head wobble symptoms. Her ambient tempts are on point I have a thermometer that is electronic with all the bells and whistles like a timer and humidity control with an irritating alarm.

    Now, she will self feed on a pinky or rat mouse but not a fuzzy and this is where I got the theory of her not liking her mice or rats with hair.

    Any solutions, I'm completely throwing out the stress issue because I do not handle her often and the area she is in is basically all to her own no noise or foot traffic, and her tank temps and humidity are on point.

    I'm just wondering if anyone who is experienced enough will have an idea of this odd change in behavior.

    I owned a BP in my younger years but this one is a little more special to me because I bought her

  2. #2
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    Re: Axanthic Spider Ball Fedding Habits Have Changed

    ball python can be very very picky eater even if have everything on point they am going compare them to little kids they be picky eater they like one day like small rats next they want mice and sometime they go on hunger strikes for weeks

    several thing as if they sick or they just not not wanting what your giving them

    i dont own ball python but i have taken care of my friend collection of about 40 plus ball python and all his ball python like something else either rats mice AFS i think that one the breed of rats are and frozen and life some will not eat frozen some will only eat live

  3. #3
    BPnet Senior Member Lord Sorril's Avatar
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    Re: Axanthic Spider Ball Fedding Habits Have Changed

    There are a lot of basic questions here:

    How old is the ball python?
    What is the weight?
    How often do you offer food?

    Pinkies and Fuzzy mice are often too small for even my newly hatched ball pythons.

    I haven't found a ball python that is interested in strictly hairless prey--I think the scent and temperature of the prey item is of much more significance.

    It is true that switching from mice to rats is something that many keepers recommend. If you have a small python and it strongly prefers mice-then stick with mice until it gets some size/weight on it first before trying to swap over.
    *.* TNTC

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to Lord Sorril For This Useful Post:

    ballpythonluvr (11-20-2020)

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