Hey! I apologize if this issue has already been addressed, but I've done lots of research and haven't found a solution to my problem. I've got a baby ball python (I named him Wendell!), I estimate about 3 months old, who is still defensive and doesn't seem to be adjusting. I got him from a Petsmart and I've had him about a month now and he's only eaten twice and never comes out of his hide on the cool side. I haven't weighed him because I don't want to stress him out even more. I'm not a new snake owner, I've had 2 corn snakes and a kingsnake before but this is my first ball python and I've never had feeding problems with the other snakes I've had but I do know that ball pythons are notoriously picky eaters.

As far as his eating habits go, the woman at the store said they didn't feed him the week before because he was shedding and he needed to be fed that week so, I left him alone for a week after I got him then gave him a small mouse and he ate it immediately after putting it in his tank. Then I let him be for a few days and then handled him for like 10 minutes, he didn't bite or attack he just curled up in my hands. Then I didn't bother him until it was time to feed the next time and he refused it again (I did handle him one more time a few days after I attempted the 2nd feed), but on the third week (last week) he ate it right up, attacked and coiled and everything. This week he refused it again and seemed very defensive, his head was up in striking position and he was holding his mouth open and he did strike as I put the mouse in there but I think he was going for me and not the mouse, even after he struck at me he stayed in that position. I left it there overnight but he didn't touch it.

The way I have been thawing the mice out is letting it thaw to room temperature and then put it in warm water to heat it up (still in the little baggie they come in). Maybe it wasn't heated up enough or something?

His tank setup is good I think, it is a large terrarium but I've got it cluttered up with plants and hides and stuff (though he never seems to come out I always see him in the hide on the cool side) with aspen bedding. I've got the sides covered with towels so he doesn't get frightened from seeing things outside his tank. His temps are about 90F on the warm side and about 75F on the cool side, humidity stays at about 50%. I was planning on misting every day but not until he settles down and adjusts to his environment. I’ve got a heat light during the day and a CHE going at night. My thermometers are acurite digital thermometers as well.

So all in all it's been about a month and he still seems defensive and I haven't had a regular feeding schedule with him yet. I've left him completely alone aside from changing his water for the past two weeks. Is he just taking awhile to adjust or do I need to do something else?