Ball python poop

[Mwillis81]

I got my first baby ball python Thursday the 13th of October and I've been trying to feed it by my self I take him out of his home and put him in a small tank to feed him Ive been trying to feed him frozen fuzzies( thawed ofcourse) but when i dangle the fuzzy by tongs he just ignores it this went on for 3 days straight so I took him to petsmart so the reptile person there can feed it she fed him 1 whole fuzzy and a half of fuzzy cuz it broke in half she had to force feed him both fuzzies he had no problem swallowing it but the next day I woke up and found some poop in the tank and also the whole fuzzy. And I'm thinking he regurgitated the fuzzy can someone please help me. I keep the tank around 84 degrees faranheit and about 80 at night. Btw I'm typing on iPhone so i apologize for the grammar mistakes

[Yaqcubper]

I just got my own Hatchling BP a month ago and she didn't eat for me for 3 weeks. I didn't leave her alone the first week like is recommended so she was pretty stressed out. I also had her in a tank that was too big with hardly any coverage so she probably felt exposed.

I left her alone for a while and put some coverage in her tank (fake plants) and only opened the lid to change out her water and spot clean. I also did not take her out to feed her but put the fuzzy in there with her instead and a couple hours later it was gone (she ate it).

If your ball python refuses to eat you should leave it alone and wait about a week to try and feed it again. If you keep trying to feed it over and over it will actually feel more stressed out and not want to eat even more. The snake really needs time to relax and get used to its new surroundings.

Make sure your husbandry is correct and then leave your snake alone for about a week. Force feeding should be a last resort not just be done whenever.

[Skittles1101]

If you have access to a computer, please look over this caresheet as soon as possible. There are so many things wrong as to why he's not eating, and please, for the love of god, don't bring the poor baby back to Petsmart, they are completely clueless. You should have an under tank heater connected to a thermostat to make the hot spot in the tank 90 degrees. You should have two identical hides on either side. Do not force feed this baby again. I wouldn't want to eat either! Wait at least 5 days between feeding attempts, trying every single day is causing even more stress. As of right now, I suggest leaving her long completely for 1 week. No handling, don't even peek at her. Then, attempt a f/t prey item in her enclosure. Don't remove her to eat, it's pointless and she's stressed out as it is. Can you describe your set up in better detail so we can talk over things that will need to be fixed? I have a feeling you got all your info from the brilliant Petsmart employees....

Now that I reread it, don't attempt a feeding for at least 2 weeks, regurges can cause damage and he needs to recooperate from that stressful and unnecessary experience...I'm sorry to sound harsh, I'm really just trying to help.

[Mwillis81]

I have him in a 30x12x12 tank on left side i have a hide for him to hide in. In middle i have the water dish and on right side i have another hide( a half log) above the water dish about 5 or so inches from bottom of tank I have a thermometer and hygrometer and above the tank I have a day light and a night light on right side is day light and left side is night light. day light turns on at 9 am and turns off at 9 pm and from 9 pm to 9am the day light stays on. If you have any more questions please post here and I will try to answer it. Btw I have a uth on left side under the tank

[RetiredJedi]

I wouldn't worry about the day/night lights and LGray23 has great advise. I would also make sure the f/t is the right temperature. Use a hairdryer to heat it up and concentrate on the head. I have been taking my f/ts and setting them on a heating pad (like you use for your back) on low heat for about 20 or so minutes and then I hit the head with a hairdryer to get it warmer than the rest of the body. Then use tongs to grab the f/t at the scruff of the neck and do the zombie dance with it. That way it is more natural and makes it seem like it's alive.

[Mwillis81]

I've been reading the instructions on the back of the frozen fuzzies box and it said to let it thaw out in warm water for 13 mins and thats what I've been doing but the snake just ignores it I will try it your way to see if it helps

[Skittles1101]

I've been reading the instructions on the back of the frozen fuzzies box and it said to let it thaw out in warm water for 13 mins and thats what I've been doing but the snake just ignores it I will try it your way to see if it helps

Don't try it for at least two weeks since he regurged!

[RetiredJedi]

I've been reading the instructions on the back of the frozen fuzzies box and it said to let it thaw out in warm water for 13 mins and thats what I've been doing but the snake just ignores it I will try it your way to see if it helps

Here's my process that works for my guys:

I get up in the morning at 5:30 and put the f/t in the fridge. Then at around 3:30 that afternoon my daughter takes it out of the fridge and puts it somewhere on the counter to get it to room temp. I then put each one in a seperate baggie and open it up against one of the holes of their tubs to scent the tub. Then about an hour prior to feeding I place them on the heating pad for about 20 minutes or so. Finally I take the f/t into the bathroom and heat them up with a hairdryer concentrating on the head. I do the last part with each f/t individually, feeding each BP one at a time. So I hairdryer one f/t and feed it to the BP and then the next and so on.

[Evenstar]

BE PATIENT!!!! Do not attempt to feed him again for 2 weeks! Seriously! That seems like a long time, but your baby will be ok. He might NOT be ok if you rush things. Waiting 2 weeks will accomplish 2 things: first, he needs time to adjust to the stress of a new enclosure. Leave him alone and DO NOT handle him at all for these 2 weeks. Second, waiting will give his digestive system time to heal and repair from the regurge (and yes, if you found a whole fuzzy in with him the next morning, he regurged). Snakes are NOT like mammals - they are not designed to "throw up" and doing so causes severe irritation and sometimes damage to the stomach and esophogus. He needs TIME to heal.

Also, using just warm water for 13 minutes isn't long enough of a thaw time, in my opinion. If the fuzzy is the least bit still frozen, your snake will refuse or regurge again. I set out my f/t rodents in the sun on the windowsill (inside) for 2-3 hours and then warm them using very warm water or a hair dryer for a couple minutes right before feeding. Think of it this way: you want the rodent to be as warm through and through as it would be if it were alive. Feel under the arm pits and along the rib cage lightly squeezing to ensure the rodent is fully thawed.

LGray gave wonderful advise. Please listen. We do not mean to sound critical or harsh, we are just concerned and want you to have a happy healthy baby. Read the care sheet carefully over the next 2 weeks until feeding day and you'll do fine.

[Yaqcubper]

I set out my f/t rodents in the sun on the windowsill (inside) for 2-3 hours and then warm them using very warm water or a hair dryer for a couple minutes right before feeding.

The Frozen mice I just bought are in little baggies. Do you leave them in the sun in their baggies? I don't want to wet them if I don't have to because she (my BP) gets fed in her tank (which has aspen as a substrate). Not trying to hijack the thread just wondering