Trouble feeding

[carrieres102584]

The last time my male ate was 4/14/09. He just shed today. The hot end of his cage is 94.1 and the other side is 82.2 and there are 2 nice hides on each end. I haven't had trouble with feeding until now. During this time he has lost 8 grams. He is at 350 now. I'm not sure his exact birth date but i got him in November. Any advice would be great. Thanks Jeff.

[LadyOhh]

Hot end is too hot.

Try and feed him a few days after the shed. Usually that is a good time.

[blackcrystal22]

This is the time of year most snakes like to go off feed. Could you describe your husbandry more in full? What is your humidity, substrate, and size of tank?

What are you using for hides? If they are log hides, remove them because half logs are useless to ball pythons. Are the hides tight and secure or does he have a lot of empty space when he's in the hide?

What are you trying to feed him and what is your method of doing so? Frozen or live? What size prey item and what kind?

Add pictures and these questions will be much more easily answered!

[carrieres102584]

It is a 20 long glass aquarium. The humidity is at usually around 40 to 45. I have 2 big pieces of mopani wood. He burrows under and behind them. i pushed them up against the glass so he had to wedge himself behind it so its a tight fit. I was feeding him 1 adult live mouse every week. Usually put him in a 10 gallon with a lid to feed him. I have tried in his cage recently also.

[Chris1974]

If they are log hides, remove them because half logs are useless to ball pythons.

Why do you say that log hides are useless? My BP loves her half-log.

[Chris1974]

Usually put him in a 10 gallon with a lid to feed him. I have tried in his cage recently also.

I wouldn't suggest feeding him in his normal cage. I have read that by doing this, they can confuse handling time with feeding time.

[carrieres102584]

I wouldn't suggest feeding him in his normal cage. I have read that by doing this, they can confuse handling time with feeding time.

I have read this but I disagree. Snakes no the difference in smell of food and you. I think it stresses some snakes out to move in a different cage for feeding. I think i read that the snakes can smell the food once its in the same room. I'm not for sure though.

[Chris1974]

I have read this but I disagree. Snakes no the difference in smell of food and you. I think it stresses some snakes out to move in a different cage for feeding. I think i read that the snakes can smell the food once its in the same room. I'm not for sure though.

Yes, they can smell food in the same room. They can also since heat for nearly a mile away. There are a few good things about putting them in a separate place to eat. #1- When they are put in a separate feeding location, this is the only time that they will associate handling with feeding. In other words, they wont think that every time you reach your hand in the cage, they are going to get fed. They will separate the two, and they will know that when they go into the "feeding" location, that food is soon to come. If you feed them in the tank where they live, there is a chance that they can confuse feeding time, with normal handling time.

And #2- if they eat in their normal home, there is a chance that they can ingest some of the substrate. I have heard stories of Pythons ingesting substrate, and becoming impacted.

I know there are a lot of people who don't use a separate place to feed, and that's fine. I have done a lot of research on the issue, and feeding in a separate container is what I have decided to do. Just my opinion though...

[k2l3d4]

Chris1974.. I completely respect your opinion but in my experience with my baby ball python and my two teenager Garter snakes... the know the difference. I feed in tank for all three of my snakes.

And some one mentioned log hides? Yikes I had no idea that BPs do not like them. Rios has me confused then since that is the one he uses instead of the other three hides that he has in his tank.

[Kaorte]

Yes, they can smell food in the same room. They can also since heat for nearly a mile away. There are a few good things about putting them in a separate place to eat. #1- When they are put in a separate feeding location, this is the only time that they will associate handling with feeding. In other words, they wont think that every time you reach your hand in the cage, they are going to get fed. They will separate the two, and they will know that when they go into the "feeding" location, that food is soon to come. If you feed them in the tank where they live, there is a chance that they can confuse feeding time, with normal handling time.

And #2- if they eat in their normal home, there is a chance that they can ingest some of the substrate. I have heard stories of Pythons ingesting substrate, and becoming impacted.

I know there are a lot of people who don't use a separate place to feed, and that's fine. I have done a lot of research on the issue, and feeding in a separate container is what I have decided to do. Just my opinion though...

Chris, you are fairly new to keeping ball pythons, no? I am far from an expert but everyone who breeds snakes feeds them in their home enclosure. Their animals do not display cage aggression and they do not associate handling with feeding. It is a myth. If anything, your ball python will associate handling with feeding by moving to a seperate enclosure. You have to physically pick up the snake and move it. If there is the smell of rodents in the air, they might strike at you. If you feed in the home enclosure, you just dangle the mouse with tongs or leave the mouse in the tank. There should be no interaction between you and the snake. A well fed snake will never mistake your hand for food. It just doesn't happen. I feed all of my snakes in their home enclosure and they are tame as puppies.

As for ingesting bedding, this is more of a problem with omnivores and herbivores. Snakes can digest bone, teeth and hair. A little bit of dirt or wood will not matter. Normally if they get a mouthful of substrate, they spit it out. A few pieces will not hurt your snake. They rarely become impacted.


Half log hides are not the preferred kind of hide for ball pythons because they offer no security for the snake. Ball pythons tend to gravitate towards tight fitting "rock cave" type hides. The kind with one small opening. If you gave them the choice between the two, they will use the rock cave 99% of the time. The only reason they might not convert right away is because they haven't accepted it as a safe hiding place yet. It usually takes them a week to get acquainted with new cage furniture.

Just trying to shed some light on the subject.