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Re: Ball Python Cannot hold down rodent
I watched the video, and I will say my impression was more along the lines of a person that just didn't know better than a person that was being purposefully mean. Since the OP has stated that he is more knowledgeable now and doesn't use it anymore, maybe we all could just drop it and actually try to help this person and his snake rather than picking on something he did in the past?
The snake definitely looks stressed in the video, and that is a likely reason for refusing to eat. The first thing you should do is stop handling him except for the absolute minimum required for tank maintenance. That should help to bring his stress level down.
Your temps and humidity are pretty good, if what you are reporting is accurate. I personally wonder how the humidity could be that high in a screen top enclosure (which usually lets too much humidity escape) with a heat lamp (which usually sucks out the humidity). Are you measuring it with a digital gauge? If not, please get one and find out for sure what the humidity is, and make necessary adjustments if necessary. Also, the book you have setting on top of the enclosure will likely be ruined by being in contact with that much humidity for a long time.
To further reduce stress, you could find some hides that would be a tighter fit for the snake. They appear to really like hides that touch them on all sides. You could also just stick a wad of newspaper in the hide to take up some of the extra room.
Also, I'd highly recommend you add a lot more "clutter" to your tank. Some people (including myself with my first BP) have had great success with putting in enough crumpled newspaper to cover the bottom of the tank. This lets the snake feel hidden even when it comes out of its hide. A better looking alternative is to put in lots of fake greenery, which you can get cheaply at a dollar store or Walmart, just be sure to look it over carefully for any sharp places, protruding wires, etc.
You said in the video is it a wild caught BP. Do you know that for sure or are you just guessing? WC snakes get stressed very easily, and sometimes take a long time to adjust to life in captivity. I've heard of WCs that have taken up to a year to start eating.
After you've made the changes in his set-up, give him a week to adjust to his new surroundings and less stressful life. Then try feeding him, after dark, and make sure the room is quiet. If he doesn't eat, leave him alone for another 5-7 days and try again. Continue like that until he starts eating for you. If it goes more than a few weeks, I'd recommend weighing him once a month on a digital gram scale, so you can see if/when he starts to lose a significant amount of weight. BPs can go an amazingly long time without eating and lose very little weight, and as long as they are not losing much weight and otherwise healthy, it is not a big concern.
The stress level your snake was displaying in the video is a concern, so please address that immediately.
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