New Ball not feeding

[Eazyyyb]

Hey guys so I have had my female ball for a week now and when I got her the pet store lady gave me a live mouse for her but she never ate it. Now a week later I got a frozen froze and thawed it out but she still won't feed. When should I be worried? Thanks in advance

[Crazymonkee]

Obviously if the seller gave you a live mouse then that's what it was previously eating. When did you first attempt to feed and what did you do with the mouse after it was refused?
You should have waited the week to let her acclimate and settle into her new environment before trying to feed.
If she was on live she may not take f/t. How did you warm up the frozen mouse?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

I waited almost 2 weeks to feed mine. I fully thawed out a small mouse at room temp in a zip lock and not in water,then put the heat light above it for like 5 minutes or more ,Dangled it in the tank and he snatched it. Been good since.

Make sure the frozen thawed is fully thawed and warm, it works for me. Haven't fed him live yet,when I do,I'm site it won't be a problem.

[Eazyyyb]

Obviously if the seller gave you a live mouse then that's what it was previously eating. When did you first attempt to feed and what did you do with the mouse after it was refused?
You should have waited the week to let her acclimate and settle into her new environment before trying to feed.
If she was on live she may not take f/t. How did you warm up the frozen mouse?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

I attempted to feed the night i got her, because the pet store lady tried to feed her at the store before i got her. the mouse was refused and is now a pet of a friend...i thawed out the mouse in the fridge over night then put it under the heating light for a few minutes before attempting to feed. I understand she probably had live mice before, but i need to take steps to convert her to frozen/thawed and i am willing to be patient.

I waited almost 2 weeks to feed mine. I fully thawed out a small mouse at room temp in a zip lock and not in water,then put the heat light above it for like 5 minutes or more ,Dangled it in the tank and he snatched it. Been good since.

Make sure the frozen thawed is fully thawed and warm, it works for me. Haven't fed him live yet,when I do,I'm site it won't be a problem.

okay, thanks! thats how i thawed this mouse out as well. Did you take your snake out of the enclosure to feed to just leave it in? And is there any way to make sure the snake knows the mouse is there? I know this will sound stupid, but my girl just climbed around the sides of her tank and did not even acknowledge the mouse at all

[sho220]

okay, thanks! thats how i thawed this mouse out as well. Did you take your snake out of the enclosure to feed to just leave it in? And is there any way to make sure the snake knows the mouse is there? I know this will sound stupid, but my girl just climbed around the sides of her tank and did not even acknowledge the mouse at all

Moving her to a separate enclosure is a sure way to make sure she doesn't eat. Feed in the same enclosure.

To make switching to f/t easier, sometimes you can't just toss the corpse in there. You have to do a bit of a "zombie dance". If you don't already, get some feeding tongs or long hemostats. Thaw the rodent like normally and then take your hemo's or feeding tongs and pinch it behind the head/shoulder area. Then quietly open up the tub and kind of walk him around like's he checking out the snakes pad. Try to simulate what the live mouse/rat normally does when you drop him in. Usually the snake will poke his head out and start flicking his tongue. Keep moving the mouse around and they'll usually come out and grab it. You have to be subtle...don't smack the snake around on the head with the mouse...yeah...people have come on this forum and recommended that.

Switching from mice to rats is a whole 'nother topic...

[Shera]

Are you just dropping it in there? You definitely want to use feeding tongs and entice the snake. Make sure it's a little warm to the touch, like a mouse would be. Feed in the enclosure, don't take her out, it will just stress her out, and she'll be less likely to eat, and you're also more likely to get bit.

A lot of people wait a week to try to feed after getting a new baby, just so they get used to their new enclosure. I was able to feed mine only 4 days after I got her though. How are your temps and humidity? Can you describe your set-up?

[Eazyyyb]

Are you just dropping it in there? You definitely want to use feeding tongs and entice the snake. Make sure it's a little warm to the touch, like a mouse would be. Feed in the enclosure, don't take her out, it will just stress her out, and she'll be less likely to eat, and you're also more likely to get bit.

A lot of people wait a week to try to feed after getting a new baby, just so they get used to their new enclosure. I was able to feed mine only 4 days after I got her though. How are your temps and humidity? Can you describe your set-up?

First of all thank you! and my humidity gauge is in the mail arriving on tuesday so unfortunately i do not know the humidity, but the tempertature is around 84 right now, and the enclosure is a 20 gallon tank with a sliding wire top, and i have an UTH on the right side with a log hide on top, and on the left side there is a water bowl and artificial plants and another wood piece to hide/shed on. the floor of the tank is currently reptile felt type deal, but i am switching to snake bedding later this week when i get my paycheck. I do not have feeding tongs yet (i just got her monday by the way) but i am sure i can find something around the house that will do the trick.

[Crazymonkee]

First off... those log hides are less than ideal... they like to feel snug inside there and it should only have one entrance.
Is the ambient temp 84? Do you know the temp above her uth?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

[Eazyyyb]

First off... those log hides are less than ideal... they like to feel snug inside there and it should only have one entrance.
Is the ambient temp 84? Do you know the temp above her uth?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

well the half log thing is pretty small compared to her so it is a squeeze, i do not know the temperature above the uth but the current thermometer (i new, more accurate one is in the mail) is near it. And by ambient temperature do you mean the overall temp in the enclosure? If so it is probably around 82~85 because the light fixture i forgot to mention is above the side of the tank opposite the UTH

[Eazyyyb]

Here is a decent picture of the set-up if that helps