New(ish) ball python still not eating...

[Bogertophis]

I wouldn't change to live prey if she's been raised on f/t, unless you have good reason to suspect the seller just told you that to make a sale. (I HOPE not!)

I think the problem may be in your "presentation" of the mouse to her: snakes rely on instincts, & in the wild, rodents do NOT "volunteer" to be eaten. They don't approach the snake, & if they do, it's apt to freak the snake out, as you seem to have described.

BPs are "ambush-predators"- they watch from a safe place (like their hides) until clueless prey wanders near enough for them to pounce & "get the drop on them" (ie. taking them by surprise gives the snake an advantage, to avoid getting injured along with the mouse). So when your zombie mice act "aggressive" (approach the snake) it scares them into refusing.

Feeding some snakes (like BPs) on f/t takes some little skills on your part: best time to offer food is at night, & when the snake is peeking out of their hide.

Then, using tongs, give a slight wiggle to the prey but never approach the snake with it. Make it appear to walk by the snake near enough to be noticed but out of reach- see how the snake reacts. You want to see them flicking their tongue with interest, & you want the snake to give a slight "pursuit"- that indicates they feel they're "in charge".

Make SURE the rodent has a heat signature that tells the snake it's alive- many BPs don't recognize prey that has cooled off- many here thaw the rodents, then briefly use a blow-dryer to warm them- especially the head where you want the snake to grab. This is just for BPs- because they use their heat-sensing pits when stalking prey. Many snakes don't have them- my colubrids don't, & they're much easier to feed- their prey doesn't need to be warm, just thawed, & they tend to use their sense of smell more than BPs do.

BPs tend to prefer warm prey- BUT don't thaw in warm or hot water, as that promotes actual spoilage, & many snakes will also reject spoiled prey. (I thaw in cool water only, & then if feeding a BP, briefly warm the prey & offer quickly while it's still warm. My spotted python has heat pits, but even she never cares if prey is warmed. BPs can be fussy about this. They force their owners to "get it right".

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And it bears repeating- IF you've been handling her at all, STOP. Snakes need time to settle in- no handling until they've fed at least 3+ times. Handling causes them stress instinctively (the only thing that normally picks up a snake in the wild is a predator about to EAT them!). Eating is "job #1". Handling can kill their appetite.

Make sure the snake's home has enough privacy too- in a quiet room/location, not being threatened by other pets (or humans, lol), with correct temperatures in the enclosure & several "hides" of the right size for the snake to feel "snug" & safe.

I'm reasonably sure you don't need a vet- they're great for medical/surgical issues, but this sounds like a "husbandry" issue to me. That's "what we do here"-

[Bogertophis]

What are the temperatures in her enclosure? Lowest & highest? how are you reading the temperatures? What kind of heat are you using? connected to a thermostat? are you using any lights? Hides? Substrate? Size & type of housing? Humidity? what's on the floor of the enclosure? (it's called "substrate") Posting pics of your set-up might help us to help you.

[Bogertophis]

Unless you'd like to play "hide & seek" with a snake (& trust me, they're way better than we are), I'd suggest that a towel over the top is nowhere near secure enough. Snakes have nothing better to do than test out every weakness in any kind of cage or tank, AND they're drawn TO the "fresh air" coming in thru screen tops or vents, which means a little push is going to happen.

[partlybella]

I wouldn't change to live prey if she's been raised on f/t, unless you have good reason to suspect the seller just told you that to make a sale. (I HOPE not!)

I think the problem may be in your "presentation" of the mouse to her: snakes rely on instincts, & in the wild, rodents do NOT "volunteer" to be eaten. They don't approach the snake, & if they do, it's apt to freak the snake out, as you seem to have described.

BPs are "ambush-predators"- they watch from a safe place (like their hides) until clueless prey wanders near enough for them to pounce & "get the drop on them" (ie. taking them by surprise gives the snake an advantage, to avoid getting injured along with the mouse). So when your zombie mice act "aggressive" (approach the snake) it scares them into refusing.

Feeding some snakes (like BPs) on f/t takes some little skills on your part: best time to offer food is at night, & when the snake is peeking out of their hide.

Then, using tongs, give a slight wiggle to the prey but never approach the snake with it. Make it appear to walk by the snake near enough to be noticed but out of reach- see how the snake reacts. You want to see them flicking their tongue with interest, & you want the snake to give a slight "pursuit"- that indicates they feel they're "in charge".

Make SURE the rodent has a heat signature that tells the snake it's alive- many BPs don't recognize prey that has cooled off- many here thaw the rodents, then briefly use a blow-dryer to warm them- especially the head where you want the snake to grab. This is just for BPs- because they use their heat-sensing pits when stalking prey. Many snakes don't have them- my colubrids don't, & they're much easier to feed- their prey doesn't need to be warm, just thawed, & they tend to use their sense of smell more than BPs do.

BPs tend to prefer warm prey- BUT don't thaw in warm or hot water, as that promotes actual spoilage, & many snakes will also reject spoiled prey. (I thaw in cool water only, & then if feeding a BP, briefly warm the prey & offer quickly while it's still warm. My spotted python has heat pits, but even she never cares if prey is warmed. BPs can be fussy about this. They force their owners to "get it right".

------------------------

And it bears repeating- IF you've been handling her at all, STOP. Snakes need time to settle in- no handling until they've fed at least 3+ times. Handling causes them stress instinctively (the only thing that normally picks up a snake in the wild is a predator about to EAT them!). Eating is "job #1". Handling can kill their appetite.

Make sure the snake's home has enough privacy too- in a quiet room/location, not being threatened by other pets (or humans, lol), with correct temperatures in the enclosure & several "hides" of the right size for the snake to feel "snug" & safe.

I'm reasonably sure you don't need a vet- they're great for medical/surgical issues, but this sounds like a "husbandry" issue to me. That's "what we do here"-

The only reason I have to believe the breeder/seller may have been wrong with what he told me she was eating was when I called after about 2 missed feedings and made sure I was giving her the right thing. I didn't speak to the same person, but he said they "feed the bigger ones live", but I don't know what he meant by that. I trust the original man I spoke to, he seemed to understand how the younger snakes were cared for much more than the person I spoke to on the phone.

She is kept in my room, and I live on an old military base so the houses are sound proof to outside noises to keep you from hearing the constant airport noises. The only sounds she would encounter are from me. I'll hold off from handling her. Tomorrow was the day I was going to try to feed again, but I'll wait another week and hold off from interacting besides spraying the tank down. I guess my most important question is that with her age, how long before her not eating becomes harmful to her health? I don't want this to carry on so long that she has health issues.