BP not eating

[musingsofme]

We recently purchased a pastel ball python; not sure of the age but he/she is a little over 2 feet long and about 1.5 inch at the thickest diameter. We have had snakes in the past and they always ate live food with no problem. The establishment that we bought this BP at said they had been feeding he/she frozen rat pups. We waited a week before we tried to feed since we were not sure when the last time it ate was. No luck. We thawed, put it in boiling water, dried, and used tongs to simulate life. The BP seems afraid of it. We waited another week and tried again, this time we left the feeder in overnight and it still didn't eat. We waited another week and bought a live pup. It has now been living in the aquarium with the BP for 4 days. It is in a 55 gallon aquarium and the snake seems to live on one side and the rat on the other. The rat walks on the BP and sometimes the BP just watches the rat. I am at a loss. The snake has now gone for at least 3.5 weeks without eating. Should we put the rat in a seperate container and wait another week? There is a heat rock in one end and we leave a sunning lamp on on the other end for a couple hours each day. The normal temperature is about 80.

[AkHerps]

You need to get the snake into a way smaller enclosure with two identical hides, get a hot spot of about 92, with the cool side being 80, and leave the snake alone to get acclimated. Then try offering a f/t what she is used too, and never leave a snake unattended with a rat for more than a couple hours, maybe a night. Rats can and will chew on your snake.

[Sammy412]

ALso, a rat pup is WAY too small. That's what I start hatchlings on. They rat should be as big around as the biggest part of your snake. And NEVER leave a live rat unattended with your snake. I agree with the post above....get a heat mat for under the cage and get your temps/husbandry right. A heat rock is only good for one thing......cut the cord off and use it as a paperweight. Seriously your snake can burn himself alive on a heat rock.

[musingsofme]

You need to get the snake into a way smaller enclosure with two identical hides, get a hot spot of about 92, with the cool side being 80, and leave the snake alone to get acclimated. Then try offering a f/t what she is used too, and never leave a snake unattended with a rat for more than a couple hours, maybe a night. Rats can and will chew on your snake.

I am sorry but what is f/t? We will be taking the rat out now, my husband suggested that earlier which is why I wrote on here to begin with. We never had this problem with our past reptiles. Thanks!

[musingsofme]

ALso, a rat pup is WAY too small. That's what I start hatchlings on. They rat should be as big around as the biggest part of your snake. And NEVER leave a live rat unattended with your snake. I agree with the post above....get a heat mat for under the cage and get your temps/husbandry right. A heat rock is only good for one thing......cut the cord off and use it as a paperweight. Seriously your snake can burn himself alive on a heat rock.

We thought a rat pup was too small as well but we gave the seller the benefit of the doubt. The live rat that we bought is the correct size. I have heard that about heat rocks but I thought it was just a myth. I do have another question, why does the enclosure need to be smaller?

Thanks!

[Sammy412]

Ball Pythons in the wild live in underground burrows.....wide open spaces mean vulnerability to prey creatures......that's why they get stressed out if the enclosure is too large or there are not enough hides or ground cover.

[Keyboard Warrior]

I am sorry but what is f/t? We will be taking the rat out now, my husband suggested that earlier which is why I wrote on here to begin with. We never had this problem with our past reptiles. Thanks!

it means frozen thawed rat

[Johan]

We recently purchased a pastel ball python; not sure of the age but he/she is a little over 2 feet long and about 1.5 inch at the thickest diameter. We have had snakes in the past and they always ate live food with no problem. The establishment that we bought this BP at said they had been feeding he/she frozen rat pups. We waited a week before we tried to feed since we were not sure when the last time it ate was. No luck. We thawed, put it in boiling water, dried, and used tongs to simulate life. The BP seems afraid of it. We waited another week and tried again, this time we left the feeder in overnight and it still didn't eat. We waited another week and bought a live pup. It has now been living in the aquarium with the BP for 4 days. It is in a 55 gallon aquarium and the snake seems to live on one side and the rat on the other. The rat walks on the BP and sometimes the BP just watches the rat. I am at a loss. The snake has now gone for at least 3.5 weeks without eating. Should we put the rat in a seperate container and wait another week? There is a heat rock in one end and we leave a sunning lamp on on the other end for a couple hours each day. The normal temperature is about 80.

Also putting the rat in boiling water will cook it. This will not be good for your ball and is a likely cause for refusal

[Kymberli]

I agree that boiling water is not the best way to thaw them out. Also, I'm not sure if you already do or do not, but the rat should be in a ziplock bag when you put it in the warm water. You shouldn't put a rat directly in water. My method of thawing goes like this: Remove rat from freezer the night before feeding, place in ziplock bag in refrigerator. After 24hours in the fridge the rat will be mostly thawed. I then put the rat (still inside bag) in a cup of warm water for about 30mins. When I take it out of the water and out of the bag I gently feel around the rat's insides to be sure it's heated thoroughly. I then hold it in front of my space heater for a couple seconds just for some added heat. Finally, I offer it using tongs. My BPs have not once refused a meal. I've noticed that by thawing them in the fridge for 24hrs they feel more life-like when heated up.

I also agree with all posts above regarding your husbandry!

[Homegrownscales]

Never ever leave live prey in with a snake for that long. If mine haven't snatched it up with in 30 min it's taken out. All that did was stress the snake out way way more than it should have been. That's a very bad thing to get into. Prey will start to feed on the snake and the snake could be seriously injured. To the point of death. In this case you had a pup in there that's probably the only reason the snake isn't seriously injured, or chewed in a bit at the least. Since he is a new acquire he's probably highly stressed and I'm sure he will do a few refusals. Be hands off, make sure his husbandry is spot on, and when you offer his next prey make sure it's appropriately sized. You can try live but dont leave it in with him. Offer food 1x weekly. Don't try and feed too often. Goal here is to leave him alone and let him destress.