non-eater-need advice

[tuggernuts]

hello all! This is my first thread and post on bp.net. I have browsed the forum for a while and gotten lots of good advice and pointers from what I have read. I am new to herping, and I bought a ball python in early june from petland in Dunwoody, GA. The snake had been fed about 4 days before i bought it. I tried feeding it again one week after purchasing, i used F/T fuzzies(by advice of the pet store), and it did not eat. I attempted again (perhaps too soon) 5 days later, and it did not eat again. I did everything right to the best of my knowledge( I thawed it in warm water in a plastic ziplock bag and dangled it infront of the snake. I even put it on the lid of the terrarium before feeding to try to let the snake get in the feeding mood from the scent). The tank is set up properly, i have two hides, one cool and one warm with a water bowl in the middle. there is a uth and i have a basking lamp. the humidity is between 53% and 65% at all times, and during the day the temp on the warm side is approximately 93 degrees, at night it is approximately 84 degrees. the tank is a ten gallon glass, with black construction paper sorrounding three sides to provide more privacy. i continued trying to feed it weekly ever since, my last attemp was on wednesday and i used a live mouse, still no luck. the snake is 18 inches long

[Kaorte]

What kind of hides are you using? What kind of thermometers are you using to measure temps?

Sounds like you might have a husbandry issue.

Also, Welcome!!

[llovelace]

How old is the snake?
How often are you handling?


Leave it be for a week, no handling except for spot cleaning, cover the front of the tank if in a high traffic area. after 7 days offer it the appropriate sized meal with 30 minutes of pre-scenting first.

[th3jok3r]

did u try feeding him in his tank and not another location? because he might feel secure in his tank and not a random tank when he eats try feeding him in his enclosure and leave him alone with the food overnight seee what happens goood luck!

[dr del]

Hi,

The others have asked most of the good questions so I'll just suggest finding a way to avoid the night time drop if possible.

The specifics of the tank already asked for should let us work out how to best do that if you need help I think.

I'll also throw in the idea of using a hairdrier to heat up the head off the mouse just before offering.

If you can ask the shop you got it from how they prepare and presented the prey when he ate for them - it could be as simple as he doesn't like wet mice.


dr del

[seercirra]

i can only tell you from my experience.
im a first time owner too, i got a baby pb a few months ago. its only probably 3.5 months old now.

ill say a couple of things.

93 ambient air in the air with a heat mat would be too much for my snake.

he wont sit in the warm hide more than half an hour if its above about 91., and the ambient air for the whole enclosure is always around 75@night, 78@day. constant 91 on heat mat.

anyway, he eats wonderfully.
he'll eat from my hand, off my hand, i can be holding him and just dangle a mouse infront of him and he'll take it and consume it while he's wrapped around my arm for example, no problem. and for 3.5 months old i think thats pretty tame.

make sure the food is hot enough. the only time my snake wont take something is if its not warm enough. its as simple as putting it back in hot water (in a bag) for 30 seconds so its very warm to the touch.. obviously not too hot, but you have to consider that the mouse, depending on its size, can lose most of that heat in seconds. so if its more than 30 or 40 seconds before i get it to the snake i often gotta reheat :p

try and get a couple of pics of your enclosure. your temps are probably fine and maybe my guy just likes it cooler than most. buts its worth checking and perhaps switching them a bit to see how he reacts.

[seercirra]

oh, and when i did finally get him to eat. i used the opportunity to feed him little and often. for example i fed him on 5 days one week. but just a tiny amount each day, and, in different places/times each day. i figured that the more succesful eats he has under his belt, irrelevant of the size, will make him more confident. and hopefully also make him more willing to come out of his hide. and it seems to be true.

maybe this is worth trying if you want yours to be a solid eater in the future.

[Elise.m]

and during the day the temp on the warm side is approximately 93 degrees, at night it is approximately 84 degrees.

Do you intentionally lower the temp at night, or is that because it gets cooler in your house?

[Kaorte]

anyway, he eats wonderfully.
he'll eat from my hand, off my hand, i can be holding him and just dangle a mouse infront of him and he'll take it and consume it while he's wrapped around my arm for example, no problem. and for 3.5 months old i think thats pretty tame.

Why would you feed your snake while it is wrapped around your arm? That has nothing to do with being tame, he is probably just starving. Sounds like you may not be feeding him enough.
After a snake eats, you shouldn't handle it for 24-48 hours.

[blackcrystal22]

i can only tell you from my experience.
im a first time owner too, i got a baby pb a few months ago. its only probably 3.5 months old now.

ill say a couple of things.

93 ambient air in the air with a heat mat would be too much for my snake.

he wont sit in the warm hide more than half an hour if its above about 91., and the ambient air for the whole enclosure is always around 75@night, 78@day. constant 91 on heat mat.

anyway, he eats wonderfully.
he'll eat from my hand, off my hand, i can be holding him and just dangle a mouse infront of him and he'll take it and consume it while he's wrapped around my arm for example, no problem. and for 3.5 months old i think thats pretty tame.

make sure the food is hot enough. the only time my snake wont take something is if its not warm enough. its as simple as putting it back in hot water (in a bag) for 30 seconds so its very warm to the touch.. obviously not too hot, but you have to consider that the mouse, depending on its size, can lose most of that heat in seconds. so if its more than 30 or 40 seconds before i get it to the snake i often gotta reheat :p

try and get a couple of pics of your enclosure. your temps are probably fine and maybe my guy just likes it cooler than most. buts its worth checking and perhaps switching them a bit to see how he reacts.

You are giving your snake too much credit of intelligence.
Ball pythons are not a tame species. They are wild animals, plain and simple.

You should not be feeding him on your arm. That is asking for problems. I would not handle him at all the same day you feed him. Also feeding him out of your hand will just get you bitten eventually, they can miss a lot.