74 gram normal ball python

[jwright0291]

Hello, I posted recently involving habitat but this time I am concerned with feeding. We got our new normal ball on 10/25. The last time she ate was 10/22. We have tried a couple of different occasions to get her to eat a rat pinkie but no success. We move her to a tote that we have and line it with paper towel and give her a hide. We have tried rat pinkies twice and tonight we tried a rat fuzzy. I just do not want her to starve. Any advice? Is she still too stressed out to eat?

[Masonic]

I start my hatchings on hopper mouse. A pinky is more than likely to small.

[Crazymonkee]

First... keep her in her enclosure when you feed. It is stressful (especially on a newly acquired baby) to move to a feeding tub and completely unnecessary. What was she previously eating?

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[jwright0291]

Previously ate f/t rat pinkies. We got some rat pinkies when we got her.

[Crazymonkee]

How many times have you tried to feed? Trying to often can be counter productive. Try once per week and in her enclosure.
I would try the next size up. My 74g male takes mouse hoppers easily

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[Physician&Snakes]

Have you attempted leaving a prey item in with her over night? This is working for a young pastel I recently acquired.

[jwright0291]

I have not tried leaving anything overnight. I have tried i believe tonight makes #3 or 4. Does Petco or Petsmart carry f/t mouse hoppers? When should I try again after tonight?

[Crazymonkee]

Petco's small adult mice are about the size of hoppers. I have seen them myself and I believe they'd be fine. For the first feeding just pick the smallest one
Try again in 7 days, in the enclosure and if she doesn't eat let it in with her overnight. Sometimes it works.
Also don't put it right in her face, if she's in her hide put it right outside the hide a wiggle it a lil

I don't know about Petsmart
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[NYHC4LIFE8899]

My 64 gram BP wants nothing to do with any sort of FT or rat..but when I put a mouse hopper live in for the first time,he struck within 10 seconds of seeing it...since then which was 3 weeks ago when I got him,he's eaten 4 time with no problems,but will only eat mice and live ones. Hopefully I get him to switch to FT and rats down the road.

as for the small hopper being the same size as a small mouse,negative,don't take that advice OP...I just happen to feed one of my 2 snake hoppers now and they are not the same size. Also every petco sells diff and what the have. I wouldnt rely on one person saying what there's sells.id try to find a person or spot where u can buy feeders. I lucked out and found a spot about 1 mile from me.

ifanthing weigh your prey/feeders if that's the case ...it's I think a 10-15 rule which is the prey should weigh 10-15 % of your snakes weight. But what I do is go by the fattest prt of my snakes body and that's what I feed him.