1yr old ball python tricky transition to f/t food. Need advice/information

[dakski]

UPDATE!

Thank you all for your help and feedback. It has now been a week since my last attempt at feeding, so tonight I had another try.

While he did not take the weaned rat, he did seem a little interested in it. He came up to it at times to explore instead of ignoring or hiding away, and at times got into a strike pose but didn't act further.

I thawed in the way that I had previously (sorry to Mr. Misha, I'm not exactly comfortable leaving the dead prey item out for more than about an hour in ambient temps). dakski I just saw your response so I will try making the adjustments, namely a slower defrost instead of risking cooking it with many short bursts of hot water. I hope this is in line with Mr. Misha's idea of a slower defrost. I appreciate the exact temperatures you use, those will serve as a great guide.

Here is what I have tried since last time:
1) Cluttered up his enclosure as seen here: https://imgur.com/a/U98hcYf . This image also provides a reference to his size (at least his head) compared to the prey item. Black paper has been added around back and sides.
2) Feeding technique. I tried a more appropriate mouse impersonation than I had to with the other BP that I had cared for in the past.
3) Feeding in lower light and hidden behind the paper as he can freeze up when he sees me at times.
4) A week with minimal handling (No more than once to weigh him a few days ago).

I have not bought a CHE quite yet as I wanted to give some other steps a shot before rushing out to spend roughly $100 CAD (for new).

On his first weighing (Sept 5th) he weighed 545g with my newly acquired kitchen scale, and tonight (Sept 8th) he measured 537g. To me that seems like a pretty decent (worrisome) drop. That's 8g in 3 days. Now part of this could be scale error as it was a cheap scale, but I'm not going to pass that off as an excuse.

I am getting pretty worried about him (that's just my character), but I have just been notified of another pet/reptile store in the "area" that I had no clue about before. I'm going to look into what they have in terms of live prey to see if I can get my hands on a live pup or weaned rat to keep his weight up.

My further questions for the community are:
1) Is this weight drop something I should be worried about at all or is this rate normal given the circumstances?

That is a small weight loss, if at all, and is probably water weight. It's less than 1.5%, or within scale error as well.

2) Any other suggestions for the time being? I'm going to look further into heating now that he has rejected his latest meal.

Follow the defrosting and offering techniques I offered to a "T."

3) Do you think that he would have settled down by this point? Is the new environment still a relevant concern? (I will continue to refrain from handling him until he eats)

Every time you change his environment, especially when he is not eating, you start from day zero again. If he's unsettled and you move things around, he's still going to be unsettled.


Once again, thank you all so much for your continued help and support.

See my above responses in BLUE.

You say you are worried, but too much worrying and not enough leaving him alone, and not following good advice, could get you in trouble.

Best advice I can give is if you've made changes to his enclosure, and temps and humidity are dialed in (which I am unsure if they are from your post), leave him alone and offer food as discussed in a week, not sooner. At his weight, he is okay for a little bit assuming he's not incredibly thin for his body size, which he doesn't look from what I can see in the picture.

If you want to offer live, that's your prerogative, but you will have to offer live for a while probably, if not his whole life.

If you want him to eat F/T:

Wait a week, offer as discussed, and let us know if he takes it. NO WEIGHING, NO HANDLING, ETC.

I would also put cardboard or paper around his tank on at least the back and sides so he can feel more secure.

I too tend to be meticulous with certain aspects of keeping and I got a lot of that from keeping and breeding cichlids (fish).

However, as I mentioned earlier, too much fussing around doesn't help anyone, especially your boy. I've learned that with reptiles, once everything is dialed in from a husbandry standpoint, the less we mess with them the better until they are well established. From what I see of his size, knowing his weight, and now knowing your propensity to worry, he will probably be fine. He's not a hatchling.

I cannot stress enough getting the husbandry correct as priority number one (88-89F hot side, 80-84F ambient/middle temps, and 78-80F cool side). If you need a CHE to get those temps, do it, as that will only help the situation. Keep in mind you might need an occasional mist and/or a bigger water bowl if you add a CHE as they can dry things out. Probably worth covering the top with tin foil either way (I assume it's screen).

Anyway, I am not trying to give you a hard time. You seem to want what's best for your boy, but I think relaxing for a bit and letting him settle, then offering F/T prey properly, and you will have success.

Once he eats 3 meals you can start gentle handling with him, but make sure he eats 3 meals first. You can only take him out to clean his tank and then you should put him somewhere safe while you do it and not hold him.

Good luck and keep us posted!