Help with my BP

[momma_mia]

My son got a ball python the day after Thanksgiving. Bones has only eaten 3x since then. He just won't eat. I am feeding him thawed (frozen) pinkies. I do not have access to live pinkies.

Anyhow, he currently hasn't eaten now in over a month. Just won't do it. I live near Chicago and it is winter here.

His skin is wrinkly and rough. He is not very active right now. I did research on this and thought he might be going into a shed, hibernating or dehydrated. His eyes are not dented. His belly is not pink. I first noticed this last week.

I have done the following steps: put a humidifier in the room with door closed, put a wet towel over cool side of tank, put in a larger water dish and given him lukewarm baths.

I don't know what else to do or what might be the cause of this. I just don't want Bones to die for lack of proper care. This is our first time owning a snake.

Please help me and my boy and my "grand"snake.

Thanks!

[The Serpent Merchant]

First off pinkies are far too small for any sized ball python. You should weigh your snake (in grams) and feed your snake a rodent that weighs 15% of the snakes body weight.

Many things can cause a ball python to stop eating.

How are you heating your tank?

Is there a thermal gradient? A ball python needs it to be 88-92 degrees on one side of the tank and between 78-82 on the other.

How are you measuring your temperatures and humidity?

And finally how old/big is this snake?

Answers to these questions will also help us determine if your snake is dehydrated or in shed. Ball Pythons do not hibernate.

[momma_mia]

never mind. pictures are not showing up.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I can't see them.

The best way to post pictures is to put them into photobucket then use the "direct link" code and past it into the picture insert tool on this thread (the picture button over the text box)

[momma_mia]

First off pinkies are far too small for any sized ball python. You should weigh your snake (in grams) and feed your snake a rodent that weighs 15 This is what we were told to feed it. We purchased it at PetSmart. How do you weigh a snake?

Many things can cause a ball python to stop eating.

How are you heating your tank?
Hot side - daytime heat lamp and nighttime heat lamp. Degrees is approximately 95.

Cool side - under tank heating pad. do not have a thermometer on this side.

Spends time on both sides

Is there a thermal gradient? A ball python needs it to be 88-92 degrees on one side of the tank and between 78-82 on the other.

How are you measuring your temperatures and humidity?
.Temperature being measured by standard reptile thermometer. Just purchased a hygrometer to be installed tonight

And finally how old/big is this snake?
Snake was hatched in September 2011, according to store.

Answers to these questions will also help us determine if your snake is dehydrated or in shed. Ball Pythons do not hibernate.

Thanks for your reply.

[momma_mia]

[momma_mia]

First off pinkies are far too small for any sized ball python. You should weigh your snake (in grams) and feed your snake a rodent that weighs 15% of the snakes body weight.

When he did eat, it was 3 weeks apart. If pinkies are not big enough for this snake, why then would he not eat sooner? We tried feeding him starting at 2 weeks out.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Well the reason is that you have some significant temperature problems. I will elaborate in my next post.

would it be possible to see a picture of his belly?

[The Serpent Merchant]

Is the UTH controlled by a thermostat?

if not I guarantee that it is far too hot (likely >110 degrees )

95 is a little too hot but this can be easily fixed. All you need is a simple lamp dimmer to limit the power going to to bulb. The lamp needs to stay on 24/7. if the temperatures drop at night your snake will get sick.

If the snake's tank is in someones room I would suggest that you get a infra-red bulb. A infra-red bulb will not bother your snake or anyone trying to sleep. (a infra-red bulb is preferred anyway)

Here is a link to the best bulb to use. I suggest the 75 or 100 watt version:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...uctId=11147193

The thermometers and hydrometers sold at pet stores do not work. there is no other way to say this, but they are a scam... also the "Reptile Specialists" very often do not know what they are talking about you would to believe how many people come to this site in the same situation as you because of this.

You should get this thermometer from Wall*Mart. They only cost $12 and work great.



what is the temperature of the room that your snake is in?

[momma_mia]