ball python wont eat

[cad252]

i have a juvi ball python i bought him in march. there was a mix up an i got the wrong snake i was suppost to get a baby but i got him. he was full of ticks an mites, an to add to it he had an ri. i took him to the vet. by this time he hadnt ate for a couple weeks the vet said there was no reason for him not to be eating. well here it is the end of july an he still has not eatin. i pulled him to look at him an he is so weak. he isnt dehydrated cause he still pees. i have tried assist feeding but he isnt having any of that. i have read about force feeding, but what do u use food wise gatorade an what?

[shaunyboy]

imo force feeding should always be the very last resort

how often are you offering prey ?

do you handle the snake often ?

is there a lot of human traffic near his tank ?

if so do you have a nice quiet spot you can move him to ?

what are your hot and cool end temperatures ?

whats your humidity like ?

its only morelia i keep so,i can't help with the last 2 questions.i put them in as,imo one of our ball keepers will need to know the answers to enable them to help you


i'm not implying anything just trying to try and help work things out with you mate

cheers shaun

[cad252]

everything is where it is suppost to be temps an hummidity. he is in a room with other snakes with hardly any human traffic. i have 17 other snakes, 2 red iguanas, and an african fat tailed geicko an they all eat great but him. we show him food once a week when we feed the rest. he finally showed intrest in the frozen/thawed rats but didnt take it so i went an bought a live black rat and he finally ate. YAY!! i know im not suppost to feed him live rats but if that is all he will eat ill just take extra precastions an make sure the rats dont hurt him. he hasnt eaten in so long that he went into shed right after he ate.

[NennaMeerkat]

I would suggest next week trying a freshly killed rat. Just put the rat in a paper bag and bonk it real good on a counter a few times. The fresh scent of rat rather than the scent of a previously killed rat may still get him to eat. But I am glad to hear he did eat for you, just be uber uber careful feeding live if you decide to do so in the future!

[cad252]

i have tried fresh killed an he didnt want anything to do with it. i have literally tried everything except gerbils, live feeding of a rat, an force feeding.

[LLinz]

Wow.. Must be frustrating! At least he ate... Maybe this was the end to his hunger strike? Keep us updated!

[NennaMeerkat]

Next week still *try* a fresh killed. If you have so many other snakes it shouldn't go to waste.

[citysnakes]

Slamming a live rat against a counter is an inhumane method of euthanasia. If thats how you kill your rodents then its better off being constricted by the snake.

There is no problem feeding live rodents to snakes if you are responsible about it.

[NennaMeerkat]

Slamming a live rat against a counter is an inhumane method of euthanasia. If thats how you kill your rodents then its better off being constricted by the snake.

There is no problem feeding live rodents to snakes if you are responsible about it.

How would you freshly kill a rat for a snake then? Most feeder rats I seen are not handable to break their necks. Just curious.

[Lankyrob]

I have killed rats same way i killed chickens at the farm - firm grip and twist snaps neck and spinal cord. Mind you i was doing this cos they were pests not cos they were to feed to snakes.

[NennaMeerkat]

I have been bitten by far to many non-social rats to chance having to hold one long enough to snap the neck. I like not having sore fingers and infection.

[brylecc1989]

How about a small co2 chamber? You could use the co2 tank from a paintball gun. And don't have to handle the rats.

[NennaMeerkat]

How about a small co2 chamber? You could use the co2 tank from a paintball gun. And don't have to handle the rats.

Does co2 make things cold? Or change the smell of the prey? I know that the scent of a freshly killed is not the same as a frozen. Which is why some snakes prefer freshly killed and won't eat frozen.

[brylecc1989]

Good points i'm not sure about that. Now you got me curious. Ive also seen vids of holding the rat by the tail, placing a ruler behind its head, and quickly jerking it back, dislocating the spinal cord. Instant death and never have to actually "hold" the rat.