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  1. #1
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    Ball python not eating

    Hello! I have had my ball python for about 3 months. His hatch date is 8/15/18. His current weight is 349g. For his first month with me his feeding response was insane. He took a small 30g rat every 7 days and he didnt care if it was bright in the room if it was morning or night or how hot it was he just wanted food he went from 270g to 350g in a month and a half. He never really poops though... He pooped one time after that month and a half... I have a girl that poops once a week so i find it strange. Anyway after that month and a half he goes into shed and refuses food for 2 weeks lost some weight but i didnt worry because i know they dont eat during shed well then he finally ate for me i was so happy but now he wont eat... Seems like hes only wanting to eat every other week and i wouldnt be worried if he didnt look skinny he was getting plump now im seeing his back bone and hes not gaining and kinda loosing weight/staying the same. Hes in a 40 gallon tub he has eco earth for substrate i keep humidity 50/60% hot side is set to 92 and cool side is 79 he has a water bowl plants to feel secure three sides of the enclosure walls have a background so he feels secure he has a hot hide and a cool hide. Every time i offer his food he curls in a ball like hes scared and im worried hes going to loose too much weight what am i doing wrong i keep him in a quiet room that doesnt get much foot traffic and i only touch his cage to change his water i have stopped handling completly so maybe he will eat but back when i first got him i handled him three times a week and he ate like a maniac

  2. #2
    Telling it like it is! Stewart_Reptiles's Avatar
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    Re: Ball python not eating

    Downsize the tub to 12 quarts and lower your temps to 88 on the warm side, wait a week and offer food.
    Deborah Stewart


  3. #3
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    Never mind.
    Last edited by sur3fir3; 08-06-2019 at 11:32 AM.

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    Re: Ball python not eating

    Quote Originally Posted by Stewart_Reptiles View Post
    Downsize the tub to 12 quarts and lower your temps to 88 on the warm side, wait a week and offer food.
    I will do that today and see how it goes thank you!

  5. #5
    Registered User BC's Balls's Avatar
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    Re: Ball python not eating

    I am sure you meant 40 quart tub not 40 gallon tub but thats really big for any BP except the largest 2500-3000g+ females. If he is balling up when offered that is a sign of stress. I bet a smaller container will help. We keep ours in Freedom Breeder racks and they stay in FB10 tubs until about 500g which measure 21.5"L x 9.25"w x 3.5" high. We have moved 1200-1500 girls from the FB40 tubs to the FB70 tubs and had them go off feed due to the larger size. They thrive in tighter enclosures. We have found the best feeding responses with 88-89 hotspots with a warm side ambient temperature of 84-86 and cool side at 78-80 with 70-75% humidity. I hope this helps!
    Brian Carter
    BC's Balls
    bcsballpythons@gmail.com




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    Re: Ball python not eating

    Quote Originally Posted by bcartervol98 View Post
    I am sure you meant 40 quart tub not 40 gallon tub but thats really big for any BP except the largest 2500-3000g+ females. If he is balling up when offered that is a sign of stress. I bet a smaller container will help. We keep ours in Freedom Breeder racks and they stay in FB10 tubs until about 500g which measure 21.5"L x 9.25"w x 3.5" high. We have moved 1200-1500 girls from the FB40 tubs to the FB70 tubs and had them go off feed due to the larger size. They thrive in tighter enclosures. We have found the best feeding responses with 88-89 hotspots with a warm side ambient temperature of 84-86 and cool side at 78-80 with 70-75% humidity. I hope this helps!
    My plastic box is the same size as a 40 gallon breeder glass tank hes 36inch long so i put him in a plastiv box that is also 36 inch long so he could stretch out thats what everything i research told me to do and i have turned to heat down to 89 and we are going to walmart tonight for a smaller sterilite box i just thought he was happy because when the lights go out hes all over his cage..

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