Still not eating!

[Galaxygirl]

I'm not sure what you mean by setting her up in a tub... bathtub??

This is what people mean when they refer to a "tub". The tub can either be by itself or in a rack system as seen above. For my first BP, I had her in just a plain old sterilite tub. The rack system for Ball Python is widely used because it's much easier to control humidity and temperature than in a tank, and its just convenient, takes up less room, and easier to clean. I'm sure there are many other reasons besides those listed.

Anyway - a dehydrated snake will have wrinkles. As long as humidity and temperature is good and clean water is accessible, she shouldn't be dehydrated.

Currently most of my females are off feed either due to breeding or because of the season. If your girl is over 4lbs, that means she is over 1800g, and that's nice and big. I wouldn't worry about weight unless her spine begins to stick out very prominently. Over a year ago my 2200/2300g female went off feed for 10 months and was fine.

Sometimes I have to use live mice or rats to jumpstart them back into feeding. Sometimes putting them in a smaller enclosure works, sometimes using dirty gerbil bedding to scent their cage before feeding works.

[Elisa616]

Thanks. By your description, I can safely say she's not dehydrated.

[Galaxygirl]

Thanks. By your description, I can safely say she's not dehydrated.

You can also google dehydrated ball python to see what they look like.

[Slim]

The inside of an Iris MCB-L Sweater Box tub.

[Elisa616]

Sweet... no bedding needed?

[Galaxygirl]

Sweet... no bedding needed?

A substrate like newpaper or paper towels works fine. Sometimes people use reptichip, aspen, cypress mulch etc as they believe it can help with making the BP feel more secure and therefore increase feeding response. I personally haven't noticed a difference.

[Slim]

I like to use indented kraft paper. Easy to maintain constant temps over the heat tape.

[jimmysmom]

I am going thru the same thing. Jimmy whose 8 months old only ate once on Dec , and once last night. He normally eats every week 3 large mice. I was worried as well. I have been weighing him and no drastic weight lose. Just keep offering food on normal days and when its hungry it will eat.

[Elisa616]

Thanks for the reassurance! I'm just curious... you said Jimmy usually eats 3 mice a week. Is that on the same day? Willow graduated from large mice to small rats and seemed to be doing okay the first couple but some of the rats seem too big - especially since they've been hanging out a couple months now! I never thought about giving her several large mice instead.