How long have you had this Ball python?
What are the temps & humidity?
What hides do you have and how many?
What does the cage setup look like?
Pictures?
Check your temps and humidity first. What are you feeding ? Rats or mice live or frozen? Have you changed his food lately? Or have you increased the size of his usual prey item. Also understand that in the winter many BP's particularly the boys go off feed. Could be the cooler less humid conditions or it could be that he is gearing up for breeding season. many boys don't eat alot or at all during that time. Offer food every 5 - 7 days and just keep a check on his weight. If it is staying relatively constant then he is fine.
If feeding F/T then make sure you are using tongs and make sure that his food is very warm but not roaring hot. Jiggle the prey item gently in front of him and then pull it away, many times after doing so 2 or 3 times it will elicit a feeding strike. But don't hit him in the face with it that will put him off especially if he is a shy boy. Once he eats, don't bother him other than for cleaning and watering, and then resist the temptation to handle him. Don't handle him unless absolutely necessary until you get 3 good consecutive feeds in him. Then you can start gentle handling every few day for a few minutes.
Mike Kelly
P.S. - Good luck and I hope this helps
Last edited by mfkelly; 10-19-2009 at 12:28 AM.
Mike
P.S. - Just remember "This ain't no dress rehearsal !!!"
There are plenty of stickies and threads about problem feeders. Without knowing more about your enclosure, the BP's history, etc., it will be hard for any of the experts here to give you good advice.
Wishing you the best of luck...
Jen C.
1.0.0 Ball Python (normal) - Simon
0.2.0 Cats
1.1.0 Ferrets
2.0.0 Rats - Stan, the feeder rat I bought when I spent too much time staring into the rat enclosure while waiting for someone to bring me my f/t rat pups - and Oscar, the other feeder rat I later bought to keep Stan company