Stubborn feeder

[mclaus688]

I recently picked up a 2 month old normal BP that had been feeding on f/t prior to me picking him up. It's been about 3 weeks since he last ate and I've been trying to get him to eat every week. Would it be a bad idea to put him in another plastic tub without anything in it but him and the f/t? Just want my little guy to eat something.

[Skittles1101]

You don't have to put him in a separate container...that probably would stress him out even more. I'd double check your husbandry and then the next time you feed, try at night, if he doesn't take it within a few minutes then leave it in the enclosure with him overnight.

[mclaus688]

ok, thank you very much

[AK907]

What she said. What also has worked for us with stubborn/shy eaters is to put it in thier hut and close it off with them inside. A little privacy goes a long ways.

[mclaus688]

What she said. What also has worked for us with stubborn/shy eaters is to put it in thier hut and close it off with them inside. A little privacy goes a long ways.

Ok, I'll try that next time...thank you much!

[Cohazard]

I've been going through the same with my two baby ball pythons I got earlier this month.

Leaving the food item over night worked, except last week when one of them refused.

I'm am trying to get my snakes to accept being moved to another container then fed, so this week (today is feeding day ) I moved one to a container and really had to work with it my moving the dead mouse around and lifting it by the tail half way every few seconds, and that enticed the snake to eat.

The other had to be given a live mouse, which I hope to avoid next week.

[AK907]

Ok, I'll try that next time...thank you much!

Keep us updated.

I had to use this technique recently with a stubborn pastel. He hadn't eaten in two months. He has always been a shy eater, but had never skipped a meal. He usually ate rat pups/small rats, but I put two baby fuzzies in his hut, closed it off and turned out all the lights. A little while later they were gone. Feeding day is Sunday, gunna try bumping him up a size each time before I offer him a normal meal again. Hopefully a few easy meals will build up his confidence.

[mclaus688]

I'm gonna try again tonight...pulling out all the stops (heating it up with a hair dryer, blocking up his hide and soaking in chicken stock) so hopefully he eats something tonight. I think he might be a little bummed out cause last time I tried to feed him he lunged at the mouse in the tongs and hit it but didn't actually get it and lightly bummed the side of the tub. So hopefully its just a case of gettin back up and trying again.

[AK907]

Just keep your spirits up and don't give up. Although 3 weeks seems like forever, its not really that long in ball python terms. I've heard that tuna juice helps too (like the chicken scent theory), but I've never tried it.

[mclaus688]

He ate this morning! I checked his hide when I got up and the mouse was in there and I was kinda bummed so I grabbed tongs to move it out and as soon as i started moving it he struck at it and got it down