My Ball won't eat

[BigDan35]

I have had my baby Ball Python for about 1 1/2 weeks now. It is about 1 1/2 months old. I got it from a reputed reptile specialty shop. I have it's enclosure set up just right and everything like that. Right temps on both sides, right humidity, 2 hiding places, good bedding.

I tried feeding it a live pinky/fuzzy about 4 days ago. I tried feeding it in it's enclosure...didn't work. So i tried feeding it in a smaller tank....didn't work. I tried for hours. So I waited about 4 days and bought a frozen pre-killed pinky. I thawed it out at home and put it under a heat lamp to heat it up for awhile, tried feeding the snake for awhile....didn't work. So the next day I tried buying another live pinky/fuzzy...left it in the snakes enclosure for a good 4 - 5 hours and nothing.

The snake shows absolutely no interest in the food at all. What is the problem? What can I do? I'm starting to think about just taking it back to where I got it.

[BostonMacK]

Try waiting a week or so and retry him. If you offer him food every day or two it is going to reinforce what he's already doing. He may not have settled in to his new home yet.

Can you explain his setup? What type of cage? what are his temps and humidity? Substrate? It really helps to explain your setup in it's entirety.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I have had my baby Ball Python for about 1 1/2 weeks now. It is about 1 1/2 months old. I got it from a reputed reptile specialty shop. I have it's enclosure set up just right and everything like that. Right temps on both sides, right humidity, 2 hiding places, good bedding.

Can you be more specific, I know you bought him from a "Reputable Pet Shop" and I would assume you set him up also according to their recommendation so I will ask

How big is your BP, how big is your enclosure?
What are your temps and humidity, what type of device do you use to measure them?
Can you describe your hides?

There are many reasons why a BP can refuse food however since you have a young BP the problem is likely husbandry related.

[BigDan35]

He is about 1 1/2 months old and I haven't officially measured him but he looked to be about 18 inches long or so.

He is in a 10 gallon glass enclosure...using Reptile Bark natural reptile bedding. Hot side right now is 91 degrees and cool side is 82 degrees. Humidity is 50%

And I'm using an under tank heater pad and a ceramic heating bulb on top...they level the hot side temperature out throughout the day to 90-94 degrees

[darkangel]

I think you should leave him alone for a week or two with no handling, no attempted feedings, only interaction being to change water, etc before you try again. Once he's comfy he'll eat.

[joepythons]

Is it possible its a captive hatched baby? The "reputable shop" you bought it from did they guarentee it to eat? Please remember this time of the year alot of the pet stores have these captive hatched babies that never eat.This more then likely includes the "reputable" shops also.

[SatanicIntention]

How are you measuring the temperatures? What type of hides does he have? Where in the house is the tank located? Do you have the screen top covered with foil/tape(or plastic wrap) and the sides covered with dark paper to keep humidity and to provide security?

[Evan Jamison]

Was the snake eating before you purchased it? Are you offering mice pinkies/fuzzies or rats? Is the enclosure in a high traffic area? Is anyone handling the snake right now? How are you measuring temps/humidity?

The more info you can give us, the better we can access the needs of your snake and give you the correct advice to get him feeding regularly.


-Evan

[xdeus]

A few more Q's.... what was the shop feeding it before: F/T or live Rats or mice? Find out and only attempt to feed what it has been eating until he starts to eat regularly for you, then you can try to switch if you like.

[Evan Jamison]

Is it possible its a captive hatched baby? The "reputable shop" you bought it from did they guarentee it to eat? Please remember this time of the year alot of the pet stores have these captive hatched babies that never eat.This more then likely includes the "reputable" shops also.

CH babies are not bad snakes, and selling CH doesn't make a shop unreputable. Selling non-feeding WC adults does, but not CH. In my experience, most CH eat readily, and once established are no different than CB.

-Evan