Ball python refuses rats!

[rabernet]

Does she eat every week, or does she refuse a lot?

If she's truly eating 4 adult mice a week, then I'd be concerned about internal parasites at that weight. I easily raised most of my females to 1200 grams and higher on just 2 mice a week.

I'd recommend taking a fecal sample into your vet to rule out internal parasites as a cause for her not to grow on 4 mice a week.

[Karbon]

I have a female ball that doesn't like rats either.

I tried feeding her rats for months and she just wouldn't eat them. She was up to 6 adult mice per WEEK at one point. She's a little over 1,700g right now at 2.5 years old. I only feed mine Frozen Thawed.

I tried offering only rats, then tried pre-scenting, nothing worked until I tried something new.

The trick I used to get her to eat some rats was to feed her an adult mouse first, then right after she was done with it, I nudged a rat against her nose veeeerrrryyyy lightly. She flicked her tongue at it a few times then finally snapped it up. I just want to note did not force the rat into her mouth, just rubbed it against the front of her mouth. I guess she just sort of took to the smell of them. mixed with the smell of mice.

Every week now I feed her an adult mouse, then a rat, then another mouse (sometimes two) depending on how hungry she is. Saturdays are her feed days.

I'd like her to eat two rats a week instead of mice and rats but I don't think this is going to happen. She's always refused a second rat after the first but will gobble up mice Lol.

[MarkS]

With that age, that length, that weight and the amount you feed her, are you sure she's a female? Sounds more like a male body type to me. Are you feeding adult mice? BTW I only feed medium rats to my largest females. ALL others get small rats of between 40-80 grams and I've got some ball pythons that are in their 20's

[Justin Li]

With that age, that length, that weight and the amount you feed her, are you sure she's a female? Sounds more like a male body type to me. Are you feeding adult mice? BTW I only feed medium rats to my largest females. ALL others get small rats of between 40-80 grams and I've got some ball pythons that are in their 20's

I'm sure she's a female, I got the vet to probe her and the vet said that she was definitely a she.

[Justin Li]

No success with priming and pre scenting. Will take her to the vet once she defecates, thanks rabernet! I've been told tuna really gets some snakes going, any experience with this?

[rabernet]

No success with priming and pre scenting. Will take her to the vet once she defecates, thanks rabernet! I've been told tuna really gets some snakes going, any experience with this?

You don't even need to take her with you - just drop off the fecal sample in the morning and wait for the results.

I've never pre-scented with chicken broth or tuna, etc. If the fecal comes back clean, and she's got good body weight for her size - you may have to try the "tough love" approach.

[Justin Li]

You don't even need to take her with you - just drop off the fecal sample in the morning and wait for the results.

I've never pre-scented with chicken broth or tuna, etc. If the fecal comes back clean, and she's got good body weight for her size - you may have to try the "tough love" approach.

would assist feeding work? Or is she too old and too large?

[rabernet]

would assist feeding work? Or is she too old and too large?

I don't assist feed adults. She would need to be weak and emaciated before I'd ever consider assist feeding an adult.

Are you offering live or f/t? Are the mice she's currently feeding on live or f/t?

[Justin Li]

I don't assist feed adults. She would need to be weak and emaciated before I'd ever consider assist feeding an adult.

Are you offering live or f/t? Are the mice she's currently feeding on live or f/t?

I always feed live as she refuses dead prey items

[rabernet]

I always feed live as she refuses dead prey items

I feed live as well - I was just wondering if this issue was related to the state of the prey being offered.