Hello Everyone,
I would like to ask for some advice with my very first ball python! I have her for 2 month, she is probably 8 month old, or at least told to be. She is around 270 grams. About my husbandary: I keep her in a terrarium with UTH and infrared light both on thermostats 7/24. The warm side is 31-33 C and cool side is 25-29 C. She always use only her hide on the warm side, never goes to hides on the cool side. The humidity is varying 40-70 %, last week she shed perfectly one piece. I handle her only very few occasions, when I need to check or when she is wondering around and wants to come out on her own.
I started to feed her 2 weeks after I got her, and I was happy that she accepted fresh killed mouse, as the breeder kept her on live. I feed her 4 times, 3 hoppers and a big adult. Then I decided to switch her to rats to create me problems... I offerd her dead rats the size as an adult mouse and she refused it 4 times allready for a month now. ( ok, one time she started to go to shed the next day, the other time defecated) I always tried to smell the rat with mouse and heat up, and wiggle it in front of her. She is a bit interested, but don't stike. When she refused the rat, than I offered the mouse, too that I used for smelling, but also not eating. Now, I start to worry, that I made it wrong and she will not even eat mouse! I haven't seen a lot pythons, but I'm afraid she is skinny, what you think?
What would you do in my place, try to insist on rats or try to offer her mice again? Or try to buy asf rat?
Thank you for any opinion or advice!