Any Tips?

[nickdolin]

Hello everyone,

I received my BP on the 21st of last month. I left him alone for about 3-4 days and attempted a feed, no go. Left him alone again for 4-5 days, another attempt, no go. Again, another 4-5 days go by, I get one strike but he hits it on the side, no 2nd strike. Left alone for 7 days to wake up to a shed. Again, he is left alone for another 1-2 days when I see him out roaming the viv, I think, hey, maybe he is in hunt mode, no strike (using F/t btw). I've tried pre-scenting, and heating the head but I guess I need to go buy a live mouse and perhaps find some used gerbil litter. I've had the guy out 3-4 times and he is as sweet as he can be and it kills me that I have to leave him alone so much since I'm trying not to stress him. My temps are good (around 90 warm high 70's low 80's cool). And again he is out tonight, wasn't this a sign of stress or may he be hunting or what? I guess that overall I'm just looking for tips here... It is coming up on 4 weeks since he fed according to Pro Exotics...

[MitsuMike]

What is your tank/tub size and set up to start out? How old is the BP?
Also use live if not eating and use smaller prey so he doesn't feel intimiated by the prey. Just feed 2 of the small prey. Also go to petsmart and have them give u a scoop or 2 of the bedding in the mouse cage and use this to pre scent for future reference with using frozen.

[kc261]

4 weeks is nothing for a BP to go without food. Many of them fast for months every winter due to breeding season. It is a little more concerning with a hatchling than an adult, but 4 weeks is still not enough to get panicked as long as the snake is otherwise healthy.

I would advise getting a digital scale if you don't already have one so you can monitor your baby's weight. If you start to see a significant drop in weight that can't be explained by waste elimination, that is when you should start to get worried.

Do you know what pro-exotics was feeding this little guy? Mice? Rats? Live? F/T? What size? It might help if you offer as close to exactly what he was used to until you get him eating again. I would NOT go with the gerbil scenting.

Wait a full 7 days in between feeding attempts. Too many feeding attempts can just add to the snake's stress level and cause more refusals. Also, you really need to refrain from handling him until he starts eating. If you take proper care of him, you will have your pet for many many years to come. Be patient. Yes, I know it is hard!

You mentioned your temps. Are you measuring with a digital thermometer? It might help if you can get your cool end a little warmer so it does not go below 80.

Are you measuring your humidity? Is it in the right range, around 50-60%?

Does the snake have at least 2 (one warm end, one cool end) hides that are snug fitting so he'll feel secure?

[nickdolin]

Hey KC

1 Yes, I use a digital thermo with a probe and I'll try to keep the room a bit warmer

2. The humidity usually stays around 65%

3. Yes I have two tight hides on each end

4. He is in an 18qt viv that has the footprint of a 10gal but is only about 7'' tall.

5. PE was feeding him rat pups (live) which are unavailable where I live. The best I could do would be small mice...

6. I'll continue to leave him alone and try a gerbil scented mouse in a week.

Is it a sign of stress that he's in and out of his hides? I mean, I leave the guy alone most of the time and 3 sides of his viv are covered with paper...

Oh and hatch date is 7/5/09

[kc261]

It sounds like everything is pretty good. He may just need more time to settle in to his new home. They all have different personalities, so he might just be a more nervous one. Cruising around his cage a lot, going in and out of his hides instead of just staying curled up inside of one of them is probably a sign of stress. It is really a matter of degree. If he stays in his hides most of the time, occasionally switching from one to the other to thermoregulate, and coming out in the evening or at night to calmly explore a little bit and maybe choose a place where he'll hang out in ambush mode, that is a happy BP. On the other hand, if he switches hides frequently, comes out a lot even during the day, and looks like he is training for the snake olympics as he tears around his enclosure, that is a stressed BP.

If he continues to act stressed, one thing that often helps a lot is to add more clutter to his enclosure. This can be done decoratively with fake plants from walmart or a dollar store, but crumpled newspaper works just as well. This allows the snake to feel hidden and secure even when not actually in a hide, and it can make a big difference.

I really think you should give up on the idea of gerbil scenting, at least for now. There is no reason it should be necessary, since we already know he was eating rat pups. And, it carries with it at least some risk that he'll imprint on the gerbil scent, and then he'll only want to eat gerbils. What you should try to do is get some rat bedding, since he was eating rats. Find a pet store (or a friend, neighbor, whatever) that has rats, and on feeding day get them to give you some fresh, stinky rat bedding. Put some of it in, or at least near your snake's enclosure, so he'll get the smell of it and know dinner is coming. Put the mouse in the rest of the rat bedding, to scent the mouse. After your snake has had half an hour or so to get excited about the idea of eating, offer the mouse. The room should be as dark and quiet as possible. Also, offer the food in the evening or at night.

[Kesslers Kreatures]

Like Casey said you shouldn't try gerbil bedding, I'd try and get rat bedding and go that route or try your hardest to find rat pups. It could be that he's not taking a mouse just beacuse he doesn't like them. Ball Pythons can be pretty picky when it comes to their food, if hes already on rats he might only eat those for ever.

Also can you put up a photo of your enclosure? Casey also mentioned that roaming could mean stressed. One of the biggest causes of stress is too big of an enclosure for the snake. A good way to fix this besides buying a smaller enclosure would be to put crumbled up newspaper to fill in the areas of the tank that the snake may feel exposed. I had a hatchling last season that didn't want to eat for the life of her, I finally got her to eat after some crumbled up newspaper in her tub. Now she eats like a champ with no newspaper and is growing quite nicely.

[BPelizabeth]

Cover 3 sides of the viv. That might help him to feel more comfy. I would also try live.....but prekill right before offering. If he doesnt strike leave it in there and walk away for a couple of hours. We have a pretty new baby and sometimes she is really nervous with striking. She is sooooooooo tiny!! When we left it in her viv....and walked away...she took it when we were not there.

[nickdolin]

There is his enclosure, since then 3 sides of his viv are covered with wrapping paper.. lol.

But I guess it does make sense to use rat bedding instead of gerbil..

Any ideas on how to prekill?

Also the temps are more in line now than in that picture...

However, when I moved his cool side hide today, there was a pretty good pile of defecation, perhaps a half inch wide by 3-4 inches long of it... lol..

[Kaorte]

I think you would have more luck with a live adult mouse.

Just a quick question since I don't think you mentioned it, where are you trying to feed him?

[nickdolin]

In the enclosure.

Oh and I have a CRB on the way (delayed due to weather.. )!!