New snake owner and new bp hasn't eaten yet

[reptilesandpathology]

I bought my girl at a reptile expo a week and a half ago so I decided to try to feed her tonight, but she was uninterested in the food. The breeder told me her last meal was on Tuesday (which is now two weeks ago) and that's she's eating f/t adult mice. I read several things about them being picky eaters and I was wondering should she be fed in a separate enclosure or will feeding in her tank be okay? Also, how long does it take for a new bp to want to eat? I tried feeding her in a plastic tube last night. She is about 1.5 feet long and is in a 20 L tank until she gets older. She's in a separate bedroom just dedicated to reptiles that's about 85 F during the day and 75 F at night; her humidity in her enclosure is 60%. Also, she has not been handled except when I put her in the plastic tube for feeding as I was trying to reduce stress from her recent move.

[chrid16371]

It's best to just feed in her enclosure, feeding in a separate one cause stress and unnecessary movement after a meal. Your snake will eat when its ready or when you correct issues with your setup if there is any. Also 85 room temp is a bit high IMO. Your bps hot side should be 88-90 and when the room and cool side of cage is 85 during the day your only giving a 3-5 degree gradient. The room temp should stay a constant 79-82 24/7, ball pythons do not need a night drop. Also how to you prepare your f/t rodents?

Since this is your first post read this care sheet and make the proper changes if any. Welcome to the forum!

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

[For Goodness Snakes]

I bought my girl at a reptile expo a week and a half ago so I decided to try to feed her tonight, but she was uninterested in the food. The breeder told me her last meal was on Tuesday (which is now two weeks ago) and that's she's eating f/t adult mice. I read several things about them being picky eaters and I was wondering should she be fed in a separate enclosure or will feeding in her tank be okay? Also, how long does it take for a new bp to want to eat? I tried feeding her in a plastic tube last night. She is about 1.5 feet long and is in a 20 L tank until she gets older. She's in a separate bedroom just dedicated to reptiles that's about 85 F during the day and 75 F at night; her humidity in her enclosure is 60%. Also, she has not been handled except when I put her in the plastic tube for feeding as I was trying to reduce stress from her recent move.

Try locking her into her hide box with a live adult mouse for 5 minutes, and always feed her in her own cage. In my opinion feeding a ball python in another cage is one of the worst mistakes a new ball python owner can make.

I would also suggest heating your snakes up a little more. Remember the incubation temp is 89 degrees, if the snakes live in termite mounds and rodent holes and the incubation temperature is 89 degrees then that must tell us that the optimum temperature for a ball python is 89 degrees. At 75 degrees I would begin to worry about RI (Respiratory Infection). My ball pythons are never allowed to go under 77 degrees. During the breeding season my thermostats are programed to drop 10 degrees at night, but when I'm not breeding the power stays on 24 / 7. What I'm saying is that during the off season there is no night time drop in temperature, the power stays on.

I hope this helps.

Feel free to call me at 408-981-6694 if you think I can help.

Brian

[Timelugia]

Try locking her into her hide box with a live adult mouse for 5 minutes, and always feed her in her own cage. In my opinion feeding a ball python in another cage is one of the worst mistakes a new ball python owner can make.

I would not lock her in a hide box with a live mouse. Rodents can be vicious. Check your husbandry, try feeding in the cage. If you have resources to do so, you can try feeding prekilled or live. But never leave a snake unsupervised with a live rodent.

[reptilesandpathology]

It's best to just feed in her enclosure, feeding in a separate one cause stress and unnecessary movement after a meal. Your snake will eat when its ready or when you correct issues with your setup if there is any. Also 85 room temp is a bit high IMO. Your bps hot side should be 88-90 and when the room and cool side of cage is 85 during the day your only giving a 3-5 degree gradient. The room temp should stay a constant 79-82 24/7, ball pythons do not need a night drop. Also how to you prepare your f/t rodents?

Since this is your first post read this care sheet and make the proper changes if any. Welcome to the forum!

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

I unthaw the adult mouse in cool water for about an hour (cycle cold water every 30 minutes) then when it comes to feeding I put it in warm water for about 10 minutes. So if I feed her in her tank that wouldn't cause her to be more likely to strike at me thinking it's feeding time? Also, I read in that care sheet that hidey half logs aren't very good (which I have) so what would be a good hid for her or could I cover one side of the hidey log?

[chrid16371]

I unthaw the adult mouse in cool water for about an hour (cycle cold water every 30 minutes) then when it comes to feeding I put it in warm water for about 10 minutes. So if I feed her in her tank that wouldn't cause her to be more likely to strike at me thinking it's feeding time? Also, I read in that care sheet that hidey half logs aren't very good (which I have) so what would be a good hid for her or could I cover one side of the hidey log?

Make sure you thaw the rodent in a bag that doesn't leak and after it is thawed take a hair dryer and heat the head up for a couple minutes and while your heating the head make sure your blowing toward her cage screen/vent. This will get it in feeding mode and a hot head let's the snake know where the food is and where to strike. The best hides IMHO are the reptile basics hides. If your snake is a younger bp get the medium. Do not get anything smaller than the medium bc the smalls are very tiny. Get 2 so your snake has identical hides for the hot and cool sides. They are very dark and secure. I use them now for all my bps and will for my future snakes.

[reptilesandpathology]

Make sure you thaw the rodent in a bag that doesn't leak and after it is thawed take a hair dryer and heat the head up for a couple minutes and while your heating the head make sure your blowing toward her cage screen/vent. This will get it in feeding mode and a hot head let's the snake know where the food is and where to strike. The best hides IMHO are the reptile basics hides. If your snake is a younger bp get the medium. Do not get anything smaller than the medium bc the smalls are very tiny. Get 2 so your snake has identical hides for the hot and cool sides. They are very dark and secure. I use them now for all my bps and will for my future snakes.

Thank you for your advice. Will the sounds of the hair dryer scare her since she's new? Also, when should I try to feed her again? Should I wait next week to try again?

[chrid16371]

Thank you for your advice. Will the sounds of the hair dryer scare her since she's new? Also, when should I try to feed her again? Should I wait next week to try again?

Yes wait a week and then try feeding again. The hair dryer may or may not scare her. Since you have a week just turn on the hair dryer once a day for a couple minutes to get her use to the sound. I would start in the room a little further away and just bring it closer every 20-30 seconds and then when your near her cage let it run for a minute and then shut it off. Then its not a big noise all at once, she will hear it from far away first so she will know its already there. Mine have never been scared of the noise but the smell of food probably makes them forget about it lol

[JodanOrNoDan]

Possible cause for striking at you instead of the mouse is that your hand is warmer than the mouse. I have my doubts that the snake can hear the hair drier. I am going to do an experiment tonight and see if there is an observable reaction. I don't use or own a hair drier, but I will try something else similar to at least satisfy my curiosity.