Concerns of a New BP Owner

[smakemom]

TL;DR - just read the bold text.

I purchased my first ball python on December 29th, 2019. He was about one month old. I've owned him for about 4 months, a little less than that. When I first bought him, he was the most finicky eater I've ever seen. I hadn't read anywhere of such a picky eater. I actually had to return him to his breeder so that he would eat, and then had him returned to me after 3 feedings. I finally got him to eat for me, but I had to use the strangest method: thaw a frozen rat, warm it up using hot water afterward, then lay it down in front of him. If I wiggled it, he would reject it. It had to be just him and the rat. I didn't mind, because he would eat.

He ate reliably up until about 2 weeks ago, and I haven't been able to get him to eat since. I'm going to attempt to feed him again tomorrow. I don't know why he suddenly decided to stop eating, but I'm very worried about how to proceed with his feeding schedule.

Here's some general data about his environment:
80-90ºF on the hot side.
70-80ºF on the cool side. (There's fluctuation because my house is wicked cold and the temp wobbles a lot, so I am constantly adjusting the thermostats.)
55%-60% humidity (I stabilized this yesterday; before, it was a high 70%. Since he doesn't appear to be going into shed, this may have been the issue.)

Last attempt to feed: 4/15
Next attempt: 4/23
Last urate found: 4/14
Last poop found: 4/14
Last tank reset: 4/14 (full clean, substrate replacement, the works)
Last shed: ?

He has not shed for me yet. He has had two sheds in his lifetime so far, I believe. His first hatchling shed was with his breeder of course, and then his second shed happened during the time his breeder was holding onto him trying to get him to eat. He didn't tell me when the shed was, though. And now, I can't remember when it was exactly that he had my snake. I also don't know when he last took a meal, because the reminders on my phone glitched and messed up my schedule for him.

But now, I can only move forward. That's where I really need help. I have no idea if my snake- whose name is Smake by the way, lol- is underweight, overweight, the right weight for his size, or anything. I have a kitchen scale I can use, but I don't want to weigh him until I can get him to eat, since I don't want to touch him or handle him until then. I've included some pictures of Smake and his enclosure.

He's been primarily in his hide on the hot side: https://imgur.com/a/hSGP3bd

This is his tank setup: https://imgur.com/a/y33M9Np
(Not pictured: two heat mats (again, my house is FREEZING. His cold size would be in the low 60s otherwise), two thermometers on either side, and one thermostat per mat)
(Also: his tank is 10gal)

This is him:
https://imgur.com/a/11gTjfP
https://imgur.com/a/YmfYCgC
https://imgur.com/a/obKdbZM
https://imgur.com/a/tgQonyA
https://imgur.com/a/aaY8BR7

In summary, here are my questions:
1. Is he healthy, underweight, or overweight?
2. Based off of his appearance/weight, how often should I feed him going forward?
3. Is there anything visibly wrong with his setup?
4. Aside from blue eyes and rougher skin, what signs can I look for to know if he's getting ready to shed?
5. Finally, his head appears flaky, but only barely. It doesn't show up in pictures. Is that normal?

Thanks for reading my long post! Please ask me any questions about my snake that come to mind and I will answer them to the best of my ability.

[vivi]

I would weigh him- it´ll help determine the appropriate prey size and frequency of offering.

About at what time do you offer food (Morning, mid-day, dusk, night time) and what time did you offer when he did take food?

[Reptile$ 4 Life]

Ball pythons are notoriously picky eaters. If he doesn't eat the f/t then you may have to try a live, appropriately sized rodent.

[Cheesenugget]

More than likely the breeder fed it live hopper or rat pinkie before the purchase and after you returned it to him. Also, it was probably living in a small bin in a rack system like all the other hatchlings. This is not counting the temps and humidity the breeder have right in his room.

So imagine that and your snake being shipped back and forth, living in an unfamiliar place and eating a strange prey item that he may not recognize. It is a huge stressful move for your snake.

There is a 101 hatching feeding sticky by Deb in the forums. Follow it and you should see it eating soon.

[ckuhn003]

80-90ºF on the hot side.
70-80ºF on the cool side. (There's fluctuation because my house is wicked cold and the temp wobbles a lot, so I am constantly adjusting the thermostats.)

Sorry but I keep getting hung up about these statements. Are you referring to thermostats in your house or a thermostat for your mode of heating your enclosure (which is a must). The ten degree fluctuations are pretty alarming to me. A thermostat for your enclosure should reduce the fluctuations so you can have a steady temperature for your ball python.

[vivi]

Sorry but I keep getting hung up about these statements. Are you referring to thermostats in your house or a thermostat for your mode of heating your enclosure (which is a must). The ten degree fluctuations are pretty alarming to me. A thermostat for your enclosure should reduce the fluctuations so you can have a steady temperature for your ball python.

It´s mentioned that there are two heat mats (one on each side) both regulated by seperate thermostats.

[ckuhn003]

It´s mentioned that there are two heat mats (one on each side) both regulated by seperate thermostats.

Sorry, I missed that. But if that's the case, why is there a 10 degree fluctuation on both sides?

[vivi]

That´s what confused me too. Could be because of incorrect probe readings or just an unreliable thermostat.

[smakemom]

I usually offer him a meal around 8-10pm, so after sunset. I try to have the lights off in my room as well.

[smakemom]

Ok, so I worded the fluctuation badly. I have to adjust my stats at least once a day, because of the temperature of my house. The cool side is usually fine and shuffles between 75º and 80º but can sometimes dip below 70 or rise above 80 depending on the house. I also have a huge window that affects my room temp. I will be moving soon to an environment with a much more stable temperature, thankfully, but until then my room is the only place for him.

The hot side is the bigger problem. It's true that it can fluctuate about 10º a day, but not all at once! That would definitely be a shock. It only wiggles about 5º up or down at a time. But again, because of my house, I usually have to adjust that side once a day. (I only set it one more degree above or below- that's enough of a change to fix it, usually.)

Hopefully that makes more sense.