few questions

[defuze]

Okay, I got Randy, my bp, he is about 3 months old or so. He just shed last Friday, mostly a good shed, 2 peices. He seems to refuse rat fuzzies, he smells, gets close, and immediatey turns away. I actually had to get a rat that just had babies just to keep these ones alive, its been a week almost and I have tried everyday, about 7 - 8 pm. As far as I know he is happy, temps are perfect, everything. He stays in his hide 99% of the time (not sure about after i sleep). Anyways, is there any meaning behind him "acting afraid" of his food? There also live rats btw.

Further more, he is about 18" long and nice round body, could be a little fuller, but he is still young.

[kc261]

Attempting to feed the snake everyday just stresses them out. Wait several days, then try again.

In the meantime, you might give us more details about your set up, how long you've had the snake, what his eating habits have been in the past, etc. That way if there are any problems, we can help you identify and correct them.

[frankykeno]

As Casey said, you are stressing this snake but repeatedly offering food daily. Have a look over our caresheet. Describe your setup and your interactions with this snake in the time you've had it. Where did you get the snake from? Are you offering food in the form it's used to (mice or rats, live, f/t or p/k?)

These snakes are shy, nocturnal and easily stressed. They need a proper enclosure with temps and humidity in the correct ranges, a quiet environment and time to adjust to the stress of moving from one home to another. Most of the time refusing to eat is a symptom of a problem or set of problems - not really the problem in itself.

[defuze]

I got him from a known breeder, I have had him since early July, he is kept in a 10 gallon, i have UTH, Thermostat, hot side stays around 91, cool side around 79-81 depending on temp inside the house give or take a few, he has 2 hides, clean water, and is well taken care of. When I got him he was feeding on fuzzy rats from the breeder, I got him a hopper the 2nd week I had him, being that was all my pet shop carried that week, but he has only fed 4 times for me, 2 hoppers and 2 fuzzies for me, the fuzzies he ate back to back, so, he fed 3 weeks in a row, but for the past 2 weeks, he is acting afraid of his meals. When I feed him he is removed from his cage and placed in medium sized sterilte to eat. Once I put the rat in, he dodges it as it walks around, more less asks afraid, he has no been bitten or anything, that I am 100% sure of. Im not worried about him "starving" , i know he is fine, I just would rather him not act scared :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:less of his food. I was thinking he didnt want to eat because of his shed, but that ended this past wendesday, nice shed.

As far as handling, I usually hold him for 10-15 minutes a day.

I was also watching some YouTube videos, and he doesnt seem as chubby or round as most BP,I have seen...maybe its his age.

[rishnack]

yeah wait a week,dont offer anything he,ll be fine and lotta bp,s are skinny and long necked lookin i,ll try and post a pic of lillith and kaa side by side she 38" and 750g he,s 32"and you guessed 750g lol and i feed her the bigger rats to! over 120

[blackcrystal22]

I got him from a known breeder, I have had him since early July, he is kept in a 10 gallon, i have UTH, Thermostat, hot side stays around 91, cool side around 79-81 depending on temp inside the house give or take a few, he has 2 hides, clean water, and is well taken care of. When I got him he was feeding on fuzzy rats from the breeder, I got him a hopper the 2nd week I had him, being that was all my pet shop carried that week, but he has only fed 4 times for me, 2 hoppers and 2 fuzzies for me, the fuzzies he ate back to back, so, he fed 3 weeks in a row, but for the past 2 weeks, he is acting afraid of his meals. When I feed him he is removed from his cage and placed in medium sized sterilte to eat. Once I put the rat in, he dodges it as it walks around, more less asks afraid, he has no been bitten or anything, that I am 100% sure of. Im not worried about him "starving" , i know he is fine, I just would rather him not act scared :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:less of his food. I was thinking he didnt want to eat because of his shed, but that ended this past wendesday, nice shed.

As far as handling, I usually hold him for 10-15 minutes a day.

I was also watching some YouTube videos, and he doesnt seem as chubby or round as most BP,I have seen...maybe its his age.

So I was reading this paragraph and was thinking, 'wow husbandry is pretty good so what could it be?' then you said one thing that answered my question.
Leave him alone for one week. And when you attempt to feed him in a week or so, keep him in his enclosure. This is crucial if you want to get him to eat. By picking him up, holding him, moving him into a new/unknown place you are stressing him out.
Would you want to eat if you were woken up in the middle of the night (day for them) put in a new unknown place and had a rat shoved in your face?
Probably not.

So, the important thing is to get him eating. Theres hardly any reason to move him from his enclosure other than worries about eating substrate (which usually isn't a big deal unless you have him on sand which is a big no no) and ball pythons won't associate your hand with food. That is a myth.
If he doesn't start eating in his enclosure then we can revert to other methods, but I'll bet thats a big factor. Ball pythons are stalking animals, they want to hunt.

Let us know how things go! Good luck, and high marks on husbandry otherwise!

Edit: Also, he's not as chubby because he's younger, not skinnier. :] And make sure the food size your giving him is the same as his largest point on his girth! Underfeeding can be just as dangerous as overfeeding.
And, about the handling, don't handle him for that week and definitely don't try to handle him on feeding day.

[defuze]

I appreciate it, I will wait til middle of next week and try. Thanks again.

[bigballs]

the daily 10-15 minute handling sessions should stop as well until he starts feeding regularily for you.

good luck.

[defuze]

I moved him from his 10 gallon back into his original Sterlite, I honestly like it better, and he probably does also. I moved him to a tank so I could see him, but now I realize he doesnt even come out anyways, so...its not a issue. I plan on getting a red tail soon also, so the tank will be of good use being that they are move active.

Also, 1 more question. I have my rats in the same room as my BP, should I actually take them out of the room to lose the smell?

[defuze]

well, I moved him to a sterlite, and dropped in a fuzzy in with him after 15 minutes infron of his hide, closed it up, went to the store for some smokes, and he ate him while I was gone. BPs are weird lol