Eating problems

[EntertheWutang]

I've encountered my first eating problem with my ball python. my python went a month without eating at one point and eventually ate. It's been 3 weeks since I last fed him and he is refusing to eat. He looks interested at first and stares at the rat but won't eat it. Can someone help! Is this bad?


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[jclaiborne]

We need a little more info. How old is he, how is your enclosure setup, temps humidity, etc? As much husbandry info as you can provide. Also how long have you had him? When is the last time he shed? Are you feeding F/T or live? What methods have you tried for feeding?

[EntertheWutang]

My enclosure is coconut fiber as a substrate a hide on the cool side and hot, I also have some artificial branches and foliage running through the middle, and I keep the warm side at about 90-93 and the cool side usually stays at 75-80. The humidity is definitely my issue but I maintain it everyday and make sure it's very humid in the tank by using a mister. This has never been an issue until I switched to rats. He weighs about 270 grams


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[EntertheWutang]

We need a little more info. How old is he, how is your enclosure setup, temps humidity, etc? As much husbandry info as you can provide. Also how long have you had him? When is the last time he shed? Are you feeding F/T or live? What methods have you tried for feeding?

I started him out on frozen but that was when we encountered the problem, he started refusing frozen and went a month without eating and I literally troubleshooted everything and decided to try to make the transition to a live feeder and it worked.


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[h20hunter]

Newbie suggestion here based on what I've seen the more experienced suggest...so please...take with a grain of salt. Why not go back to mice and feed two smaller prety items instead of one rat? Maybe try scenting your rat with a little sweet mouse to get him going?

[200xth]

I started him out on frozen but that was when we encountered the problem, he started refusing frozen and went a month without eating and I literally troubleshooted everything and decided to try to make the transition to a live feeder and it worked.


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Feed him live for now and switch him to FT later. At 270g he's still growing and needs consistent feedings. If he's willing to eat live, feed him live for now.

[EntertheWutang]

Newbie suggestion here based on what I've seen the more experienced suggest...so please...take with a grain of salt. Why not go back to mice and feed two smaller prety items instead of one rat? Maybe try scenting your rat with a little sweet mouse to get him going?

That's a good suggestion but tried feeding smaller frozen mice too haha. Literally tried everything, switching to live was my last resort cause I was starting to get worried.


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[jclaiborne]

you can try to feed two smaller mice. At that size as said eariler feed him what he will eat. Once he gets a little more weight on him you can try switching back to rats, sceting, etc. I assume you are feeding him in his enclosure correct?

[EntertheWutang]

you can try to feed two smaller mice. At that size as said eariler feed him what he will eat. Once he gets a little more weight on him you can try switching back to rats, sceting, etc. I assume you are feeding him in his enclosure correct?

Oh okay. Thank you! And yes in the enclosure! I put the rat hopper in there with him and they had a standoff for literally 5 minutes but he didn't eat and eventually scurried away into the branches so I grabbed the rat and tried the bathtub and that didn't work either...I know they're pesky eaters, but I'm just worried and trying everything


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[jclaiborne]

I would still feed one at a time though, dont put both mice in alive at once.