Need Help! Worried about my baby ball python

[Chained]

So my little baby i bought from a local pet shop, turned out to have not even shed or eaten before he got shipped. As i don't have alot of experience with babies, i just thought he looked cool. I didn't realize he was pinkish in color because he hadn't had his first shed....

ANYWAYS...a couple things i need to learn

I have offered food twice, with no luck. I've tried everything i can think of, using tongs to dangle the f/t mouse, putting him in a little box with it closed and leaving him there for a bit. i am clueless, and heartbroken. this has been going on for two weeks.

On the plus side, i've been keeping track of his weight, he was 65g last week, down to 63 now (he pooped a little, no idea what he would have pooped tho, since he hasn't eaten)

He drinks water regularly. His setup is near perfect, 90 degree hotspot, ambient air of 85, cool side of 81. i use a thermostat to make sure nothing gets too hot or too cold.

He has shed once, and doesn't mind being handled.

Main issues i need help with

1. He wont eat, its been two weeks (this coming friday will be 3) what do i do?

2. He is CONSTANTLY trying to escape his cage. Someone commented on another post that my hides may have been too big, so i got some smaller ones, he can still get in and out of them easy, but they are small enough all of his sides are touching the hide. Are some BPs just more active than others? or is mine freaking out?


Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Skittles1101]

1) Try feeding a live hopper mouse in his enclosure. I'll give you $5 if he doesn't eat it

2) Roaming at night, especially with young ones, are fairly normal...plus the fact that he hasn't eaten...he's hungry! They roam when they're hungry usually. Is he roaming during the day?

[Chained]

day...night, it doesn't matter. pretty much anytime i look in his cage he is roaming around. ill try a live mouse in a few days.

[Skittles1101]

Well that sounds like stress. Can you describe your set up in as much detail as possible? Pictures would help also...

[Chained]

Well that sounds like stress. Can you describe your set up in as much detail as possible? Pictures would help also...

I sure can. 15 gallon long, with UTH regulated by hyrdrofarm thermostat. repti-bark chips for bedding, two identical hides (cut out portions of a deli snack tray, sanitized and all sharp edges melted down smooth) a couple fake plants, a nice heavy water dish, a lamp (low wattage, for night time viewing only, haven't really used it) and a little bit of moss to help with humidty and snugness in his hides.

His tank is in a large closet, low traffic area, good air exchange without being near an a/c vent. gets ambient light from the window.

Temps as of right now are 89 hotspot, 84 ambient air, 80 cool side.
humidity is 62%.

someone please tell me what im doing wrong so i can fix it. a live mouse isn't really an option until wednesday, i've got 6 frozen medium size mice, and 6 frozen large mice tho. closest pet store is about an hour and a half.
pics

[Skittles1101]

Very odd, because that seems like a very suitable set up. As for trying f/t again, try heating the head up with a hair dryer right before attempting to feed. Are you feeding in the enclosure? If not, I strongly suggest you try it.

[Slim]

Toss a live mouse hopper in there and watch this feeding issue become a non-issue in about 3 minutes.

Getting them started on live doesn't mean you can't switch them over to F/T later on. But, you need to get him started first.

P.S. Any pet shop that would sell a ball python that young and unstarted, is uninformed at best, and down right shady at worst. Either way, I would never darken their door again.

[Chained]

i'll try the hair dryer tip. thanks for your compliment on my setup, that means alot. i was worried maybe i had something wrong. i've tried to do as much research as possible.

keep your fingers crossed, if he eats, you'll probably hear me screaming with joy from wherever you are =)

[Slim]

i'll try the hair dryer tip.

Are you completely opposed to feeding live?

[Chained]

Are you completely opposed to feeding live?

no, but it would be impractical right now. i live about an hour an a half from the closest pet store, and i have no place to store extra mice/rats. i'll do it if i have to, to get him eating, but i would prefer f/t just for the accessibility, and the safety of it. (dead mice cant bite)