And there is (hopefully) the culprit! In all I’ve read they said make sure it’s hot, but no actual temperature (not an excuse though I should’ve thought!). Anyway I was like “oh this is hot” not even considering that an actual live rodent temperature is much hotter! So thank you, I will heat it hotter via hair dryer and use my temp gun to make sure it’s enough then get it to him ASAP! On Sunday will be a week since I last offered so I will do this then.
Also kthoms hes in a totally black box except for the door (he stays in the back of it with the heat mostly anyway) and there is about zero floor space with all the junk he’s got lol but I did order a couple more plants to suction to the door to see if it will help with him feeling secure! Also I’ve barred my kitties from the room as well to see if that helps too. He’s out of quarantine so he is now on the snake shelving with my corns - he can’t see them and I’m sure he could smell them before but if their scent is causing him trauma from proximity well.. I don’t know. I have little kids and he has to be somewhere I know they can’t get to him and he can’t get to them and that place is where I’ve put the snake rack!
As far as his weight and length I don’t know yet (I know this is inexcusable as well) and it’s purely due to me being a big baby over his behavior. He does appear a bit small but not hatchling size small and I’m not particularly sure as to how to tell if he’s underweight? I know that some are just smaller and some are larger, it’s like that with corns too but you can tell by looking at them where they stand as an individual like rounded with fatty deposits/sinking spine is overweight and triangular shape with visible spine is underweight... if that makes sense, is there some kind of visual aid like that for ball pythons? Regardless I know I still need to get a weight on him!
As for being underfed - I hate to say it but I’m sure of it by just comparing the prey item to him - my intention is not to be offering him too little food but as I was given the exact food he was eating before he came to me I thought it might be easier for him to eat the familiar item at first. I would love to switch him to rats that match his body size as soon as possible but for now with his stress and my mistake I feel like it’s not possible.
Lastly, I will not try to tame him down until he is regularly accepting food. Your disclaimer has been clearly understood as well! I don’t think punishing a snake would be appropriate in anyway for any reason, his behavior is only a natural part of him being a snake of course! My only goal in this is to get him to relax and hopefully eventually build some trust with me, I want him to know I’m not a threat. And it looks like that’s what this method does! Thank you for that, that’s actually amazing. I honestly got such a kick out of that and am kind of excited to do it, it really is amazing how it flips a switch in them!
Thank you all so much for your advice and links, I shall use it all wisely!
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