Hatchling Spider Not Eating

[Toptech347]

Well I picked up a hatchling female spider ball python a couple weeks ago for what I thought was a good deal until I realized she's not much of an eater.

I have her in a 12 qt shoebox rack with flexwatt heat tape. Hot spot is about 88degrees and the ambient is about 82-84. I've left live newborn pinky rats and live rat pups(not at the same time) in her cage overnight a few different times and she has no interest in them. She has two hides, water bowl. I've tried paper towel, aspen, and carefresh for bedding. She is very active and has no visible health issues. The only time i have handled her is to put her in the cage when I got her and today when I weighed her...only 68 grams! She doesn't look sickly thin but she is getting there. Am I getting to the point that its time to assist feed or how long do I keep trying for her to eat herself? She is pictured below. Any other tips are greatly appreciated.

[dr del]

Hi,

Have you given her time to settle in? - for having her only two weeks you seem to have changed things around a lot and tried to feed a bit more than I would have. I know you say you have handled her only twice but you had to have disturbed her to change the bedding.

She hgas a wrinkle going along her neck in that pic which might indicate she is slightly dehydrated as well. What is her humidity at?

I'd also bump the hot end up a couple of degrees - try around 90-92f.

What was she eating for the breeder before you got her? Have you asked them to describe their setup so you can mimic it to reduce stress?


dr del

[Toptech347]

I gave her 5 days left completely alone before I first attempted to feed her. I left a small rat pup in her cage overnight and actually found it cuddled up to her in the hide spot the next morning. 5 days may not seem like much but I picked her up a short drive from my house so she wasn't put through the stress of being shipped.

After she did not eat I assumed she may need more security so I switched her bedding to aspen. Waited another 4-5 days untouched and left a pinky rat with her...still did not eat. I switched to carefresh the next day and again tried feeding about 5 days later. Same result.

Humidity in the cage is always between 50-60% and she always has fresh, clean water. I bumped up the helix to 94 degrees at the temp probe. My ambient temps are reading about 86 so I shouldn't go any higher. I have five other snakes in the same rack, same set up and they are all agressive eaters.

The breeder told me she was eating rat pups and has actually ate for him 7 different times. I really don't trust a word he told me though. He also has listed in the ad she weighed 182 grams! FYI she was 68 grams yesterday.

Perhaps I have changed up her setup too often but I'm just really worried because I know hatchlings cannot go without food for too long.

[coldbloodaddict]

Try a live hopper mouse...

[Zombie]

I gave her 5 days left completely alone before I first attempted to feed her. I left a small rat pup in her cage overnight and actually found it cuddled up to her in the hide spot the next morning. 5 days may not seem like much but I picked her up a short drive from my house so she wasn't put through the stress of being shipped.

After she did not eat I assumed she may need more security so I switched her bedding to aspen. Waited another 4-5 days untouched and left a pinky rat with her...still did not eat. I switched to carefresh the next day and again tried feeding about 5 days later. Same result.

Humidity in the cage is always between 50-60% and she always has fresh, clean water. I bumped up the helix to 94 degrees at the temp probe. My ambient temps are reading about 86 so I shouldn't go any higher. I have five other snakes in the same rack, same set up and they are all agressive eaters.

The breeder told me she was eating rat pups and has actually ate for him 7 different times. I really don't trust a word he told me though. He also has listed in the ad she weighed 182 grams! FYI she was 68 grams yesterday.

Perhaps I have changed up her setup too often but I'm just really worried because I know hatchlings cannot go without food for too long.

I think she isn't getting enough of a temp gradient. Is the heat tape belly or back heat? Like someone else said try mice, hopefully that will help.

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[KLMuller]

Try a live hopper mouse...

2 x rat pinks and pups don't move much she may need something more active

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[Becs080]

I always go with live hopper mice with baby balls who don't eat readily and it usually works. You can also try a live baby gerbil or baby hampster but I would only do this as a last resort or you may end up driving to the pet store every week to buy gerbils for your picky spider BP.

I think the other poster had very perceptive eyes with the skin fold/possible dehydration!! So keep an eye on humidity. I think the switching bedding 3 x could be a bit stressful. I would not recommend assist feeding at this point. It's not a serious situation yet by any means. Also you didnt mention what the breeder fed? Is your little one used to F/T maybe? If so, the live could be intimidating....is he use to mice? If so, he may not want the rats you're offering.

Try not to stress too much at this point. Relax and change one thing at a time to start a sort of process of elimination. For example, let's say you change the bedding, you change to frozen thawed prey and you switch to mice and your BP eats. Was it the F/T, the mice or the different bedding that was the problem? You wont know. So maybe attempt a feed every 5 days and change one thing at a time. If he doesn't eat, then you check that off the list as not being the problem and you try something else. does that make sense?

Anyways, all the best!

[Annarose15]

The breeder told me she was eating rat pups and has actually ate for him 7 different times. I really don't trust a word he told me though. He also has listed in the ad she weighed 182 grams! FYI she was 68 grams yesterday.

I think you should definitely listen to your instinct on this point - I have trouble believing any hatchling BP that has eaten 7 times (on anything) could still only be 68g. Leave her on the carefresh or aspen (whichever she's on now), and put a hopper mouse in with her overnight (after another 5 days of quiet). Make sure you aren't disturbing her by messing with other tubs in the rack, and that her hides are snug.

Off-subject: If you have 5 other snakes in the same rack without problems, then you aren't quarantining new arrivals, which puts your entire collection at risk, especially considering you already indicated that the person you got her from misrepresented her weight.

[Toptech347]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I tryed the live hopper mouse last night without any luck. It seemed to stress her out more than anything. I guess the next step is to try leaving f/t prey in there overnight. I think I'll start with a small rat pup and just drop it in the corner and hope she recognizes it as food.

As far as quarantine I did have her in a seperate hatchling rack for the first week(she was the only one in that rack) just basically checking for mites or anything out of the norm. I put her in my subadult animals plastics rack because its more private and I have a more accurate thermostat in that rack(Helix) She is still in the same 12qt shoebox.

When is the point to really start worrying and start to condsider assist feeding? I defiinately don't want it to come to that, but I really don't know how long a hatchling can go without a meal.

[Zombie]

I think the temps may be the culprit. 90-92 hot side, and 80-84 ambient. Seems like your humidity is good and set up is good. Try to give her a little more time before you try to feed again, instead of the 5th day try the 7-10th day. Monitor her weight and body condition. If she starts going down hill then assist feed may be necessary. I would prekill a Hopper mouse and leave near her hot side. I have a spider that will just grab a rat and move it to where she wants it, then eat it. All without coiling it. She's a weirdo. Good luck and keep us updated...

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