Feeding video Tell me what im doing wrong

[spitfireashlea]

-Sent pm-

For anyone else looking in, I suggested he try the feeding options listed on this thread. I also suggested he post a better picture of the snake, so we can get a better view of her health.

My opinion as of yet is she is probably just on a hunger strike. Her age makes it easier to let her have these fits, since she can go longer without food. However, it is dangerous to let her go much longer.

Give her 48 hours, try to feed, if she doesn't go for it, you may need to consider force feeding.

Keep us posted.

[tsshields]

-Sent pm-

For anyone else looking in, I suggested he try the feeding options listed on this thread. I also suggested he post a better picture of the snake, so we can get a better view of her health.

My opinion as of yet is she is probably just on a hunger strike. Her age makes it easier to let her have these fits, since she can go longer without food. However, it is dangerous to let her go much longer.

Give her 48 hours, try to feed, if she doesn't go for it, you may need to consider force feeding.

Keep us posted.

Here are some pics of her some with flash and some without also i will try to feed another pinky rat sunday is this a good idea???

Here are pics

[quinten]

im new with bp and my male,around 10 months old,has not been a problem feeder.i feed live mice,2 a week,and tonight was the first time i got him to take from tongs.untill tonight i tried tongs,i hold the mouse 4 or 5 inches from him and let him come to it,but he had no intrest untill i let the mouse run around freely.you could try that.i do not have identical hides,but he does use both of them with no problem.my guy i belive was stressed when i first got him,arond a month ago,but after covering the sides of my tank with fake plants and giving him time he seems to have come around.good luck you have got lots of good advice from more experienced bp owners than me!

[spitfireashlea]

This is also something that I am sure will be debated, I personally think she looks thin. You may want to try feeding tomorrow and wed, if she does not eat either of those days, then you may want to force feed. I'm not proposing that she is deathly ill looking or extremely small, just suggesting she's a lil skinny.

[tsshields]

This is also something that I am sure will be debated, I personally think she looks thin. You may want to try feeding tomorrow and wed, if she does not eat either of those days, then you may want to force feed. I'm not proposing that she is deathly ill looking or extremely small, just suggesting she's a lil skinny.

yea i can tell she is very skinny by the way she slithers through my fingers but it does seem she is happy cause she never sits there constantly roaming through my fingers nice and slow lol i will try tomm get back to you and then wed if not then yes force feed will have to be done thanks everyone for the help i may need help with the force feed lol

[mooingtricycle]

if you think the animal is not doing well, BRING IT TO A HERP VET. Do not attempts to forcefeed unless you have experience doing so. Forcefeeding is ALWAYS a last resort.

[Montie Python]

This is also something that I am sure will be debated, I personally think she looks thin. You may want to try feeding tomorrow and wed, if she does not eat either of those days, then you may want to force feed. I'm not proposing that she is deathly ill looking or extremely small, just suggesting she's a lil skinny.

Never have I knocked anyone here on this forum, but I wouldn't really listen to this guy. Force feeding should definitely be your LAST option. And you haven't taken it to the vet.

First off. 10 gallon tank is perfectly fine.

Second, I'm pretty sure that you've heard people who smoke cigarettes all their lives, and nothing ever happens to them. Regardless, we are advised not to smoke cigarettes because it MAY be hazardous. The word of the day would be "optimum"


Your BP is not eating...and you are concerned. I think at this point, you want what's BEST for your BP. So you don't want your snake to do just fine, you want it to be good.

So with that in mind. I would suggest two identical hides, Rabernet's suggest was best.

Check your husbandry: Make sure you have the right thermometers (acurite is most recommended) and that he has the right heat sources. I do not recommend that overhead fluorescent (or day bulb, I can't tell). Make sure your humidity is being checked properly, check this link in case its hard for your humidity to stay up, http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=90187

Check the caresheets here, I'm pretty sure you know where they are located...

I would also use something dark to cover the sides of your enclosure, paper won't really cut it, either paint it with some acrylic paint (the type you use for canvas) or cover it with black styrofoam (can someone chime on this since i don't know where to get it?)

And this is a shot in the dark, but I'm guessing your showing all your friends your snake, and i say this because your keeping him in your college dorm (I've noticed the walls ) Let the snake be for a week or so and then introduce him a hopper.

You can take advice from one person who know a ruckus will begin from replying to this forum. Or you can listen to the "All powerful" community here in this Forum who work together to help beginner herps do whats best for their animals...

[Elise.m]

I'll chime in with my two cents...

Cover the sides of your tank with something dark. I covered the sides of the tank I have with black poster board. You can cover yours with styrofoam if you need the insulation. I have the tank in a room with two computers, so I didn't need it, the room gets plenty hot, lol.

Try to feed her a live mouse. Don't dangle it in front of her, if anything just put it in her eye sight to let her know it's there and just drop it in the tank. If you're not pre-scenting, I suggest you do so. You haven't mentioned if you do or don't.

To me, she does look kinda skinny. If you do all the suggested things, you might be able to get away with trying to feed her in 5 days. Just make sure to not handle her, don't make any bumps near the tank, no loud noises, pretty much act like there's a sleeping bear instead of a stressed BP

That's my take on it. I'm pretty confident all these things have been mentioned, but...

The more you know!

[tsshields]

Just to give you guys a update the snakes are in my basement which is at a constant 73% humidity i get home at about 8 oclock at night and leave at 8 in the morning so they have well enough quiet time..... I will try and get some darker paper to make things darker.... the light that i am using is just a burnt out uvb long bulb one that dosent emit anymore uvb. and that is only on 10 hours of the day i like to give the snakes a day and night cycle plus it helps with the all around temperture.....

I will try the humidity idea with the duck tape but i wonder will the duck tape give off toxic fumes from my long light tube???

And yes of course force feeding is the last option but it seems that the last option is coming soon i will check into see a herb vet if necessarry...

Guys i just want to say thank you again for all your great information and help i will keep you guys all updated i will try feeding her in the next few days since she is getting aclamated to her new greenary again thanks alot will keep all updated.

[PolishPython]

ok Im going to tell you exactly what to do ... I had the same problem a long time ago take your snake and the mouse/rat pup put them both in a small box ....if its smalll enough a shoebox close the lid and leave them in there for 30 dont open for 30 min and hopefully it will eat .....it worked for me with my first BP the only downfall to that was now when I feed that BP i put it in a plastic tub with a lid and have to cover that with a blanket ,,it has to eat in the dark. Good Luck hope i could help