New ball python keeper, some questions

[Nephil]

I got this baby about 2 weeks ago, and he (no idea if male or female, but i'll simply refer to it as a "he") is my first ever reptile. I loved reptiles all my life, but snakes were the one that always caught my eye the most, so after a decent research, i decided to get a ball python. I got to a pet store a hour away from where i live, and they were selling a 30cm long ball python hatchling, and it didnt seem to be cared for that well. It was in a huge square shaped aquarium, a big log-like hide with 2 big openings, a standing branch, a water bowl with distilled water and i have no idea about the substrate, but there were many squares of clear colored wood.

A worker of the store told me that the snake should be in their care for at least another month since it still didnt learn to eat by itself, so they were force feeding it a thawed mouse pinky once a week, but i could come and get it anytime. I decided to come back to get it after a week after i had the enclosure (a 59x39 and 17cm tall plastic tub) prepared and he just seemed more dehydrated then. I have plenty pics of him, including one from when he was still in the store, in an angle of its enclosure, rolled up in a ball hiding its head.

He was so tiny compared to what a healthy baby ball python looks like to the point i (unfortunately or fortunately) couldnt wait a week and gave him one of the mouse pinkies that the store gave me after 3 days, and he ate it right away (didnt force feed him at all). After 2 days i gave him another one, and he ate it right away too, but he still looked hungry... He would stare at me and yawn (he doesnt do it often btw), and every night he would have its head out of one of the hides and often it would be slightly elevated, and from what i rode those seem to be signs of hunger.

After about 3 days i worriedly tried to give him one of the hopper mice i ordered, he quickly ate it, and stopped to do any of the things i mentioned before, yet he started to do a strange thing he never did before: slightly opening his mouth from time to time. I noticed that after i put up the hide to check on him, he was very moody, huffing and doing that weird thing staring at me, but i left him giving back his hide after a short a while (probably he was pissy cause he needed more than 2 days to digest his big meal).

Though.. He stopped doing that after 1 day?? Maybe that was just a strained muscle? I keep the enclosure humidity at 50-60%, the cool side often gets too warm so i wrap up a small bottle of freezed water in a towel and put it in, so the cool side temp lowers from 29° to 24-25°, while the basking area is at 30° (got a heat mat connected to a thermostat). When my ball python yawns i peek in his mouth, and he has a nice light pink mouth, and no symptoms of a respiratory infection.

But what i am worrying about right now more is... After a week that he ate a hopper mouse, i tried to give him another one but he refused to eat. I did warm it up, showed it, but he didn't seem interested so i left it in the enclosure. Didn't eat it. Maybe he is not hungry yet? I did read that the fasting behaviour in ball pythons isn't uncommon, but i still worry about him always and i want to get my lil guy in a better round shape asap. When should i offer him food again? Should i offer him a mouse pinky the same day if he refuses the hopper?

Also... Any name ideas?

[nikkubus]

He might be full still since he had so many meals close together. Mouse pink and hoppers are both a lot smaller than he should be eating, so that's probably why he was still hungry, but enough of them filled him up. I would not offer anything else for a week. Offering too often can deter him from eating. I would try and find a weaned mouse (little smaller than "adult") because this is the appropriate size, but if you can't, feed him 2 hoppers in a row, like immediately after he swallows offer the other.

[Nephil]

Yeah... Makes sense. Unfortunately i found out that the hopper mice are still too small after i ordered them, and i got a good amount of them. I will try to offer him 2 hopper mice next week, thanks for the help!

[EthanMG]

Yeah... Makes sense. Unfortunately i found out that the hopper mice are still too small after i ordered them, and i got a good amount of them. I will try to offer him 2 hopper mice next week, thanks for the help!

Yes, I do agree, you shoold try and get the appropriate size/Amount of food and only feed once every 5-7 days. If they refuse, wait the same amounting time. Also you mentioned they were giving him distilled water, make sure you aren’t giving him distilled, it lacks the nutrients they need from the water. Use tap water, but use a water D chlorinator made for reptiles. Just try not to disturb him too much, make sure his temps and humidity’s right, vive him lots of hiding space, feed him the right amount, wait 5-7 days even if he refuses, and you should be good. As far as names, I would need to know a gender/ see him/her first. Good luck!


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