My Pied Has Some Issues

[SnakeMom71]

Hi there everyone!

I need some help with my pied ball python, Wraith. He's been having some weird feeding issues and I'm starting to get worried. He's a yearling and weighs 444 grams. He's very, very shy and I've only been able to feed him at night, when he comes out of his hide. So far he refuses to eat anything other than rat fuzzies. I feed f/t, and it seems to scare him when I make the rat do the zombie dance, so I just leave it in there with him and shut the door. I thought he should be taking bigger meals and tried feeding him pups, but he refused. Last week he shed so I didn't feed him, and when I went to feed him a fuzzy again last night he was out and showed some interest, but when I went to check on him later the fuzzy was still there. I'm baffled. I have three other ball pythons--one will only eat ASF's, one will eat anything you throw in there with her, and the third just broke a summer long hunger strike by going back to rats, so I'm familiar with BP feeding issues. But Wraith is the first really shy one I've seen--and the only one of my snakes who isn't an aggressive feeder, so I don't quite know what to do. I've only had him for two months now, so maybe he's taking longer to settle in? Or could it be the time of year for him? He's in half of a divided Animal Plastics T-8, and my lemon blast--the one who eats everything--is in the other half. Temps are good--80 ambient, with a hot side of 90. I'm getting worried about the little guy. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

You have a 444 gram BP and your feeding him fuzzies,that's a problem right there. You should have stopped feeding him fuzzies 350-375 grams ago. I'm no pro,but I'm going by what I've done for mine and what I have read around here.

good luck

[SnakeMom71]

I know he should be eating larger meals, but so far he's refused anything larger than a fuzzy. I was wondering how I can get him to take larger meals?

[Crazymonkee]

I would definitely try feeding a live small adult mouse. Fuzzies are not going to do anything for him at that age. It's beyond time to try other things.
Do you have a pic of him? Why did you start with fuzzies?

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[SnakeMom71]

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of him, and I started with rat fuzzies because that's what his breeder said he was eating when I got him, which was on August 6th, and then he was 391 grams. I'll try a small live mouse--should I wait a week, or try again tonight?

[Crazymonkee]

This is my girl just for body condition comparison for you... she was 5 months here

I would not use that breeder again if he was feeding a yearling fuzzies
Try a small mouse in a couple days

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[Crazymonkee]

She easily takes an adult mouse sometimes 2

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[SnakeMom71]

She looks good! and thank you so much! I'll try again in a few days--and keep my fingers crossed! And once he starts eating live mice consistently, how do I work him up to rats again? He's definitely a challenging one!

[Crazymonkee]

That girl there was my first and let me tell you she broke me in real good!! Got her as a hatchling and refused every f/t meal I tried for 2 months. I went with live and bam eats every 5 days without hesitation. But only mice, tried switching to rats... nope refused 3 weeks but the following week ate 2 mice!! So I know she was hungry. Tried ASF rats nope no go with that either.
plop a mouse in there... coiled in seconds.
Once your guy has some weight... you can try to switch again.
What size rats do you have available?

Ty for the comment! She caught up quickly once she started eating!!
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[SnakeMom71]

So once he's eating mice, I can feed him every 5 days to build up some weight? I've got these f/t rat sizes: fuzzies, pups, weaned, smalls, small/mediums, and medium adults.