Ball python fed for first time in almost 3 months.

[hooferinsane]

My royal who is still fairly small refused food for 3 months. She always used to take a jumbo mouse, but regurgitated every rat I ever gave her, I have got her eating in the past two weeks again a small mouse. Just wondering what people would do, ie keep her on a small mouse for a while then step up the size. Not sure if I should at some stage introduce some rat weaners as well.
Any advice?

[dr del]

Hmm,

Regurgitation ( as opposed to refusal/ vomiting just after eating ) is a serious issue health wise.

I'd have a look at the caresheet and triple check your temps and husbandry.

[anicatgirl]

Gotta agree w/ our Dr. Get a good check on your husbandry. Also, define fairly small? And how big is your jumbo mouse?

[hooferinsane]

She hasn't actually regurgitated for about 10 months, temps seem fine. Jumbo mouse about four inches long body length, she was taking once a week no problems, then just stopped.

[anicatgirl]

I would consider that to be a sign of an issue, maybe some kind of parasite. How big is snake?

[hooferinsane]

She's only about 18 inches

[Skiploder]

She hasn't actually regurgitated for about 10 months, temps seem fine. Jumbo mouse about four inches long body length, she was taking once a week no problems, then just stopped.

Did she regurgitate?

Or did she vomit?

Two completely different events. Which in turn would dictate two completely different feeding strategies...

[hooferinsane]

Not sure on that one, the rat reappeared several hours later

[anicatgirl]

Also, weight in grams, not length, plz

[snakey68]

It is possible giving that it was eating ok that it was too big a jump up in size ,sometimes they will regurgitate if the rat is too big, I am not saying that is the reason for your snake doing what it did but you said that it was eating large mice ok before you switched it to Rats , I am assuming that the rats would be bigger than the mice.

I have some that will only eat mice and I am fine with that as long as they are eating and as it grows bigger you can try it on rats I usually manage to switch them all over eventually but I have Desert that will only eat large mice , a bannana that will only eat mice, they can refuse a rat and the same night take a mouse readily totally switched on.

Also stress can cause them to regurgitate so there are various factors that can come into play and without knowing them all its hard to make a proper assessment.

If it is eating jumbo mice ok feed it them till you get some size on her and try again at a later date . Not all snakes react the same some like bigger some prefer small some like gerbils some like rats or mice some will only eat live some prefer frozen thawed, some like taking off the tongs some like the rat or mouse left inside ( dead of course ) you learn from experience what that particular snake prefers.

I dont know what your experience level is I am thinking its your 1st snake perhaps, apologies if I am off, so take all the advice on board and do what is best for the snake check everything husbandry, if it is eating and shedding and not regurgitating the mice happy days, if not get it to a good reptile vet and have her checked out.


Just another viewpoint to consider.

Best of luck

snakey