My Son Dropped My New Ball Python!

[Bogertophis]

Hi everyone, I have an update and a few questions. Hi mouth was fine the next day. I think it was just out of alignment from the fall but no behavior changes. I have attempted to handle him since the fall. I have tried to feed him on several occasions but he isn't eating frozen/thawed at all. I tied to feed him on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday last week. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since he eat. The last time he eat was right before the breeder shipped him to me. I am worried since it has been so long. I contacted a local mice/rat breeder since non of the local pet stores in my area sale any live mice or rats. Since yesterday, was the last time I tried to feed him froze thawed, when should I attempt to feed him a live mouse? Do you think that he is still stressed from the fall. The other ball python that was shipped with him, eat twice last week with no issues. When I originally opened the box the one that eat crawled out the bag he was in but the one that hasn't eaten as balled up in a ball for 2 hours straight when I first put him in his tub.

Glad that his mouth looks okay now. Also glad you haven't been handling him since the fall, he may still be sore internally.

So he's NEVER fed for you, is that right? What did the breeder feed him? You should first be offering the same exact prey (size & type- rats or mice).

One thing you're doing wrong is offering TOO often. Don't offer more than once a week, please, as that adds stress too, making him LESS likely to eat.

Then, if a snake refuses once a week for a couple times, you might lengthen the time between offerings to every 10-14 days. I realize that's a long time for a hatchling though & not ideal-

The thing is- we aren't seeing the snake- & we cannot fully diagnose issues online- only try to help you with husbandry issues. Have you double checked ALL his "husbandry"? (what are the hi & low temps in his home? Hides? Humidity? Location of enclosure relative to other home activities- ie. is he in a quiet, unbothered location?)

Are you only offering while he's in his regular enclosure? I hope so- as moving a snake to a side container often results in non-feeding. Be more specific as to HOW you offer him food- tongs? drop feed? time of day? room lighting? It may be time to either try a small live feeder of the right type rodent, OR a vet check (& maybe x-ray for internal problems- broken bones?).

If you need to find a qualified herp vet, this may help: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

Good luck, & please keep us updated.

QUICK AFTERTHOUGHT: I just double-checked how long it's been since you got this snake. We often advise not to offer food for at least a week or two from the date of their arrival, due to the stress of shipping/new home, AND to avoid meal refusals. The handling & fall surely made this worse (harder for him to settle in) but it hasn't been an outrageous amount of time since he last ate for the breeder- that was around the 10th from what I can tell in your first post???

But DO make sure you find out WHAT the breeder was feeding him! Mice or rat, what age/size, live or fresh-killed or f/t? And by tongs or drop-fed if dead prey? Best results come from doing what the snake has learned to expect from prey.