New BP: food refusal & (possible) weight loss

[SheenaCamp]

Poor guy! Well, I'm glad he survived the ordeal with the rat, but it's always hard when something like that happens, and they get scarred both physically and psychologically.

First of all, how are you measuring your temps? If you don't have a digital thermometer, I would recommend going out and getting one asap, because if you're using those stick on dial ones, those temps could be off. Second, he definitely needs those 2 hides you were talking about, one on each end, and make sure they are big enough that he can fit into but not huge. They should still be small enough so that he feels secure. Also, there needs to be more of a temperature difference between the warm and cool sides, the warm end is perfect at 90-92, but the cool end should be more like 80-82.

Four months isn't that long for a ball python, especially an 8 year old (of either gender) during the winter season. I would say he's probably still getting over his breeding fast, and just to keep offering every week. He also could still be re-adjusting after being moved from your friend's house to yours. From those pics it definitely looks like he could take a large mouse and maybe a small rat, but if he's afraid of rats then there's not much you can do.

Making sure the temps and humidity are correct, and adding those 2 hides should help too!! Good luck

Thank you for responding! I was beginning to think no one would!

I got the 2 hides today (with the holes cut out, courtesy of my co-workers) and all I have to do is wash them. I have the lame stick on temps and I know they're not accurate, it's what I have right now and, after purchasing a new lamp, bulbs (yeah, I had to get a new one for my other bp) and 2 UTH's, I'm pretty much maxed out. I'mgoing to ask the guys at work if they have an extra one for now but, pay day is coming soon and the FIRST thing I'm going to get is an ET.

And thanks for the clarification on the heat; I'd done A LOT of research and found a lot of conflicting answers, so it's nice to hear an opinion from someone and not just a general page on husbandry. Currently, I have a large-ish UTH on the cool side and a small one on the warm side. Should I switch those around? I don't have them stuck to the tank; once I peeled off the white thingy (you know, the thingy), I just stuck washcloths on them. Since I didn't have an ET, I figured it'd be the safest way the snake wouldn't get burned. I would feel so, so, so terrible if he got injured again.

Could you see the folds in his skin? I'm worried more about the (potential) weight loss, then I am about the refusal of food. Again, thank you for helping. I was very worried but I feel better now. I can't thank you enough.