Update

[SeeTheCityLights]

My new ball that was in shed last week and that was suspicious of RI, has now completely shed (after soaking in warm water, chillin in a wet pillow case, and having a wet towel wrapped around him) and the popping noise he made while breathing is gone, and he isn't opening his mouth to breath anymore. So the "RI" was just the shed stuck in his nose, I'm guessing. He also ate his first meal since I've had him! We watched the pet store feed him a f/t pinky at the store on the day that we bought him, and then he didn't eat when we tried to feed him 2 weeks ago when he was at my boyfriends house, then he went in shed last week so we didn't even try to feed him, and then today we bought 2 live pinkies, and he took them right away, much better than f/t. We think he might be leary of the feeding tongs? He kinda coils away from them. I'm just ecstatic that he isn't having trouble breathing anymore, and that he ate his first live food perfectly.

[Mike41793]

Congrats on getting him to eat/shed! Next time if you try frozen thawed again make sure the prey is nice and warm for him. Sometimes using a hair dryer to heat them up after letting them thaw is helpful. Is he eating rat pinkys or mouse pinkys? Depending on his size mouse pinkys could be too small for him...

[The Serpent Merchant]

Yes mouse pinkies are much too small for a ball python. I would suggest that you up the prey size to at least a mouse hopper.

I am glad to hear that everything seems to be working out for you now

[SeeTheCityLights]

Thanks! I had planned on going back to f/t, because we have a box with 5 of them left, so I don't want to waste those, and I really prefer he be on f/t instead of live. and mouse pinkies. We are going to try and move him up to mouse fuzzies once we finish the box of pinkies, like I said, I just don't want to waste that box.

Question, If he is afraid of the feeding tongs, how do I get him over that? We tried just putting a f/t in without using the tongs, just let it sit there, and he ignored it. When we wiggle it with the tongs, he at least looks at it, but stays back and looks fearful of the tongs.

[SeeTheCityLights]

Yes mouse pinkies are much too small for a ball python. I would suggest that you up the prey size to at least a mouse hopper.

I am glad to hear that everything seems to be working out for you now

Thank you Okay then I'll try a hopper next time then instead of fuzzies. He's a little guy, though, so I didn't wanna give him something he couldn't handle. The pet store was feeding him 2 pinkies at a time, so we just stuck with that, so his routine wouldn't be changed up so much. He's all settled in now though, so once he finishes up that box of pinkies, I'll move him up. Or should I buy some now, and feed a pinky with a hopper or fuzzy?

[The Serpent Merchant]

Thank you Okay then I'll try a hopper next time then instead of fuzzies. He's a little guy, though, so I didn't wanna give him something he couldn't handle. The pet store was feeding him 2 pinkies at a time, so we just stuck with that, so his routine wouldn't be changed up so much. He's all settled in now though, so once he finishes up that box of pinkies, I'll move him up. Or should I buy some now, and feed a pinky with a hopper or fuzzy?

That sounds like a good idea, how many more pinkies do you have left? I hate letting feeders go to waste as well (I'm ok with killing rodents if it serves a purpose but when it doesn't it's just sad)

[SeeTheCityLights]

That sounds like a good idea, how many more pinkies do you have left? I hate letting feeders go to waste as well (I'm ok with killing rodents if it serves a purpose but when it doesn't it's just sad)

There are only 5 pinkies left. I knowww, the live pinky was screaming when my boyfriend was using the tongs to put it in with my ball, it was heart breaking lol

[kitedemon]

I'm glad that is all it was!

[The Serpent Merchant]

If you only have 5 left then just double them up and feed every 4 days. That should give you 2 feedings and 1 to act as a transition (at this point I would feed the last pinky and a hopper) then just stick to hoppers for awhile.

[SeeTheCityLights]

I'm glad that is all it was!

Me too, I was really worried about him!

If you only have 5 left then just double them up and feed every 4 days. That should give you 2 feedings and 1 to act as a transition (at this point I would feed the last pinky and a hopper) then just stick to hoppers for awhile.

Okay cool, will do. Thank you so much for all your help!