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Ball Python Not Eating... Help
I'm sure this gets gets thrown on here every few days by a new ball python owner, but I'm starting to get worried... I got my girl a few weeks ago and haven't been able to get her to feed since. I was told she was about week old when I purchased her, so I'm worried about her lack of interest in food. My only experience prior to her was a corn snake (that sadly passed away just before I got her) and feeding him was never a problem.
I have her in a 40ga tank with several hides available on both cool and warm sides as well as water bowls on both sides. Fake plants on the back wall and some other decor. Substrate is ReptiBark, and under that I have a Zilla tank liner pad. On the warm side, there is an under the tank heater as well. Temperature on the warm side ranges from about 89-94F and on the cool side ranges from about 75-80F when measured with an IR thermometer. Temperatures inside the hides run towards the higher ends of these ranges. I check this twice a day. Thermometers stuck on the sides of the tank agree with these measurements. Humidity is kept at 45-55% and I spray the tank daily. I live in an apartment with two roommates and the tank is in my bedroom, which doesn't get much traffic. We also have two gerbils and a hamster that are situated in the living room.
Thus far, I have only tried feeding with f/t, and I've tried several different methods both in her tank and in separate container for feeding.
Using tongs, I've tried dangling pray in front of her, moving it in different directions. Having it "approach" slowly or quickly. I've tried feeding her while she was inside a hide and outside them. When that fails, I leave prey in with her overnight, only to wake up and find that it hasn't been touched.
I've tried feeding both during the day and at night, still no interest. I've tried braining prey as well.
Feeding day is on Wednesday, so yesterday morning I put her in a separate container (previously I had just put her in right before offering food, as I had done with my corn snake) and let her stay there throughout the day, hoping that it would make her calmer when I came to feed her. I have gerbils, so I tried scenting the food with some of their bedding. When I offered her it and she seemed a little more interested, but didn't strike. I turned the lights off and walked out and came back about an hour later. It had been moved into the hide that I put in the container with her, but had not been eaten. I went to bed and checked when I woke up and she still had not eaten.
So, I'm at three weeks with her not eating. She is still pretty active, nosing around her tank, climbing up the plants in it. If she's out of hide when I reach in to change her water, she'll watch me. I've caught her drinking water a couple of times (cutest thing ever) as well, so I know she's at least getting that.
I have handled her few times, even though I haven't gotten her to feed (I know, not supposed to...). She is willing to explore and seems to react fine when I pet her or move her around. I don't see anything wrong when I look at her and I haven't seen her soaking (which can apparently be a warning sign for buggies).
So... I have no idea what to do with her now and I would greatly appreciate assistance!
Thanks.
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