Help Help Help

[rockney]

Can't delete

[BoidKeeper]

Open his mouth and see if there is actually anything wrong. Do you have to feed live mice or do you chose to? A year old ball is not a baby if feed properly and kept at the right temps it should be almost full grown.
Trevor

[Manitoban Herps]

I think she means it is her pride and joy....not meaning it's a baby...he/she should be fine, you should try frozen thawed mice :)

[mykee]

BP's teeth are so small that there is no chance, even with super-human hearing, that you heard one break. Your over-worrying (not a bad thing). Your ball python is fine.

[rockney]

When I said he's my baby I meant my pride and joy , he is not really a baby , he is around two and a half feet . I got him only months ago and when I got him he was eating live , and had never even seen a pre killed mouse . I had wanted a snake that was eating pre killed but I fell in love with him at first sight . He is captive bred and born by the way , I got him from a owner that could not care for him. I think I am over reacting but at the time I was in a full panic attack . He seems fine and is acting very normal , actully is out of his hide box a bit more than usual but not doing any thing out of the ordinary . He has yawned a few times which is normal after eating , and I saw nothing wrong with him . I will keep a close eye on him though just incase . Is there anyway that I could switch him over to prekilled/frozen thawed ? Thank you for your replys it is very helpful .

[marisa]

Yes there are lots of ways you can switch him over!

What I find works for those with good weight, I simply wait for a shed...then skip when I would normally feed once. So let's say shed, then I wait a week or two.

Offer a VERY warm thawed rodent. VERY warm! I use the hottest water from the tap right before I give it to them. Then late at night, simply dangle it near him. Most take this right away.

There are MANY more tricks but that has worked for 4 of my 5 guys. :D

Marisa

[BoidKeeper]

Offer a VERY warm thawed rodent. VERY warm!
I couldn't agree more. This is something that is over looked and people give up have not thought of making sure the rat is warm.
All the ones I've converted I've done so buy leaving them over night in a small dark plastic container with a F/T or a fresh kill. Normally if it is eating like you have to go one step at a time. Get it to eat off of hemostates. Then go to stuned, then F/K. Once it is eating F/K off the hemos with tease feeding you can try a F/T on the hemos. You can also try leaving it alone over night inside a dark rubbermaid with a F/K and if that works try it with two, a F/K and a F/T. You can also try that with the hemos too. Offer a live off of the hemostates then while the feeding responce is still strong offer it a F/T. Next time try a F/T right away.
The key is paitents. It can be a long process. You want it on rats too, not mice.
Cheers,
Trevor

[rockney]

I will try that , I think he will switch over without a problem , he is not picky at all . I once fed him a dead mouse well kinda I accidentaly dropped it on the way to his feeding conatiner and it seemed dead , I put it in there to see if he would take it and he did . I will get him onto rats soon , but all the pets stores have stopped selling them all of a sudden , which is really odd. I think I will feed him a freashly killed one next time , and keep that up till he is taking them well and then switch over to hot frozen thawed small rats . By the way the mice he has been getting are really , really big , but I know I have to get him onto rats soon . Thank you

[rockney]

If he did break a tooth what would I have to do ?

[BoidKeeper]

Like mykee said it would be almost impossible for him to break a tooth because they are so small. You wouldn't have to do anything except monitor for mouth rot.
Trevor

[Manitoban Herps]

Oh, and you probaly realized this but make sure to use tongs or forceps not your hingers to dangle your mouse :)... I mean rat..:p