Ball feed appetite, ways to improve it?

[SRMD]

A local breeder told me if my ball doesn't eat then i should bathe him in Blue Powerade (http://www.pavi.com.mt/products/54492653.jpg)

he said a couple of his balls didn't feed he bathed them in this and they had an outrages hunger

Has anyone tried this or anything else..

Thanks

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A local breeder told me if my ball doesn't eat then i should bathe him in Blue Powerade (http://www.pavi.com.mt/products/54492653.jpg)

he said a couple of his balls didn't feed he bathed them in this and they had an outrages hunger

Has anyone tried this or anything else..

Thanks

[1nstinct]

HIs balls might have been dehydrated, which would have caused them not eating, which is why the powerade helped them. If my balls don't eat they just wait a week till next feeding day before they get offered again. I know that if I scent the room by defrosting the rats in a bin in the reptile room as the fan blows the scent around they have a much better feeding response.
Tom

[WingedWolfPsion]

That sounds absolutely absurd.

Ball pythons eat when their environmental conditions are correct, they are healthy, and they feel secure. A non-stressed, healthy ball python is a good eater.

The first answer to 'why won't my ball python eat' is 'Check your husbandry'.

Powerade, Gatorade, whatever, is full of sugar. How many occasions do you think there are when a ball python adds SUGAR to its diet?
If a ball python is actually dehydrated, give it a soak in warm water, and bump up the humidity so it doesn't happen again.

[DooLittle]

That sounds absolutely absurd.

Ball pythons eat when their environmental conditions are correct, they are healthy, and they feel secure. A non-stressed, healthy ball python is a good eater.

The first answer to 'why won't my ball python eat' is 'Check your husbandry'.

Powerade, Gatorade, whatever, is full of sugar. How many occasions do you think there are when a ball python adds SUGAR to its diet?
If a ball python is actually dehydrated, give it a soak in warm water, and bump up the humidity so it doesn't happen again.

X2

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[Pampho85]

Just like 1nstinct mentioned, scenting the room is a good option. I've done it while feeding my friends snake and I've never had any of them turn down the rat when I fed them, but, that's just my own experience. I will usually either thaw the rats in the room with them, or, I would use a hair dryer in the room to waft the scent of the rats near their tubs. Tbh, I've never heard of the Powerade.

[Crazy4Herps]

Much as I would love to think that there's one trick that can change their feeding behaviors, being reluctant eaters is the nature of ball pythons (I believe a lot of it stems from them being nervous snakes in general). It's just something we all (well, many of us--there are always exceptions) have to live with. Of course picky snakes usually have preferences in feeding methods and types of food, and learning these will help you deal with a picky eater, but often times they just don't want to eat, and there's not much we can do about it.

[Coleslaw007]

The first thing I wondered when I read this was why blue Powerade specifically? Would the red one not work? Or the white one, cuz that one is totally the tastiest.

I personally wouldn't do this. If I were to give my balls anything to hydrate and give them electrolytes I would personally use Pedialite or something with less sugar and flavorings than Gatorade/ Powerade. I know Pedialite is recommended for some other animals if they are dehydrated. When I used to rehabilitate baby birds, this is what I would give to any if they were very weak or recovering from mites. I wouldn't just decide to give anything like this to my snakes however, without first being recommended to do so by a herp vet I trust.

[Spookitie]

One of mine wouldn't eat for a while. I let one of my pet rats roam around the room before her next feeding. She did awesome after that.

Ironically it was a rat she had previously turned down

[Stewart_Reptiles]

There is no magic trick the only way to improve an animal eating habit if there is need for improvement is by providing optimum husbandry and limited stress, feed on a schedule and pre-scent the room, even than some individuals (who are the exception IMO) will still be finicky and eat when they feel like it, I have a female like that who for the first 4 years ate once a month, once every other month, she only started to eat with consistency since laying her first clutch.

The important is that the animal is healthy, if the animal is healthy and once to eat once a month than be it, just keep in mind that they are very efficient.

Again BATHING is stressful to a snake whether it's in water or Gatorade or anything else one might come up with, and stress plays a major factor in feeding but also RI

[Royal Chick]

If it's the electrolytes that they want then why don't they use Smart water which is full of electrolytes and contains no sugar. I don't bathe my kids i just bump up the humidity in their tanks if needed. Check your husbandry and if that is good just assume they're throwing a tantrum and wait it out. =) No worries so long as they aren't losing a significant ammount of weight