New Ball some questions

RTB0608 · 09-16-09, 09:26 AM

I just bought a baby ball python on Sunday at a reptile expo. The snake is about 14 inchs long and as thick as my middle finger. The guy that i bought him from said he was born in July and is eating one live fuzzy mouse every week. Someone told me that the snake might not eat for a week or two since its been moved into a new environment, but 2 nights ago i dropped a DEAD fuzzy mouse in the tank and he hasnt ate it yet. Should i wait longer and feed him a live mouse? and when is a good time to swtich from live to dead mice? thank you

Will0W783 · 09-16-09, 10:16 AM

Describing your enclosure set-up, size, humidity and temperatures will help us to determine if your husbandry is correct. The first thing you want to do is make sure your environment is as perfect as possible to ease the snake's stress. Secondly, moving is stressful to a snake, especially one as shy as a baby ball python (BP). So it is best not to try to feed it or handle it at all for the first week. I know this is hard because you'll want to play with it- baby BPs are so precious. But leave him/her to settle in. Once the snake is displaying signs of hunting at night, such as coming out of its hide box, cruising around the cage and exploring, offer it food. Did you ask the seller whether it was eating live or frozen/thawed? This is an important distinction. If the snake is used to live, it won't eat a dead prey item without some work on your part. If it is used to frozen/thawed (f/t) or pre-killed (p/k) then you wont' have to work on it. Snakes can be changed over to f/t but you want to make sure it's eating reliably for you to begin with. Then start by offering a stunned prey item a few times. Once it is taking those, move on to fresh-killed. Brain the prey- smash its head so that it will die instantly and brain matter/blood will be spilled a bit. This will usually excite the snake enough to take it. Try that a few times, then start offering a non-brained one. Once it's taking the p/k reliably, start offering f/t. It might take it a few times to catch onto the idea, but it should. You should be feeding no more than once a week. Your temperatures should range from the low- to mid-80s in the cool end of the tank to a 92-95 degree F basking spot. It is important to have a gradient of heat in the tank so the snake can thermoregulate, as they are cold-blooded. Also you should have a water bowl big enough for the snake to comfortably curl up in to soak. They will soak before shedding, to cool down or warm up, and to hydrate themselves. You want about a 50-60% humidity in the cage as well. This can be accomplished by lightly misting once a day or by having a second water bowl set up directly under the heat source so that it evaporates and humidifies the tank. Hope this helps- feel free to ask if you have any more questions. There are a lot of really knowledgeable people here on this forum. Mykee and Aaron_s are two of the people here who seem to know the most about the most different kinds of snakes. Good luck with your new baby. Post some pictures of the snake and its enclosure! Take care.

RTB0608 · 09-16-09, 01:24 PM

Well i asked the guy and he said its eating alive mouse once a week but i tried a dead one just to try it. so should i just make the switch to live? thats the only thing i need to know

Will0W783 · 09-16-09, 02:08 PM

You want to get your snake to eating frozen/thawed, but it will probably take some time. There are articles online about how to do it but I gave you the basic outline. I've successfully converted an adult, picky-eater ball into a reliable f/t rat feeder, so it can be done. The best thing you can do for your snake is not to try to feed it at all or handle it at all for the first week. Just make sure it has water. After that, try the stunned prey, then the fresh-killed/brained, then the fresh-killed not bloodied, then the frozen/thawed/brained, then finally intact frozen/thawed. It might take a while, but try to get him to eat f/t. It is much much safer for your snake. Also you will want to switch it from mice to rats as soon as possible, as they can get used to eating mice and then refuse rats later on when they are a much more appropriately-sized prey item. I would start with a live rat pink first, then once he's eating rats, go through the process of switching him to f/t.

mykee · 09-16-09, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTB0608

Well i asked the guy and he said its eating alive mouse once a week but i tried a dead one just to try it. so should i just make the switch to live? thats the only thing i need to know

Really?
You think that's the ONLY thing you need to know?...
Until the animal is eating and settled in to it's new environment and your conditions as opposed to the breeders, you feed it what it was eating.
It's far more important at that age that the animal EATS then it eating what YOU want it to eat.
We look forward to the additional million or so questions that you'll have.

Will0W783 · 09-16-09, 02:33 PM

You really should describe the enclosure and temps/humidity you are keeping the BP at. Those are very important parameters and a bit too cool or too hot and the snake will not be likely to eat, no matter what you offer it. We are here to help; no one is going to call you stupid or yell at you, but the more information you give us, the more people can help you ensure you have the ideal environment for your new little snakey.

**Aaron_S** · 09-16-09, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

no one is going to call you stupid or yell at you,

Are you sure about that? You don't know some of us very well do you?

Will0W783 · 09-16-09, 06:22 PM

True, you do tend to do that to people....

Will0W783 · 09-16-09, 06:24 PM

Just kidding. But posting that is more likely to turn a new keeper off to this forum than to make them feel comfortable asking questions. Isn't the purpose of this forum so keepers and enthusiasts can learn and share information and successes and strategies? I for one would rather be a bit too nice than not nice enough to people, but that is just me.

**Aaron_S** · 09-16-09, 06:51 PM

The information is ALREADY on this forum. Multiple times. Why answer the same questions over? They could easily do a search on this forum or google it and forum links will pop up.

pyythonboa · 09-16-09, 06:56 PM

i like this willow person

RTB0608 · 09-16-09, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

Really?
You think that's the ONLY thing you need to know?...
Until the animal is eating and settled in to it's new environment and your conditions as opposed to the breeders, you feed it what it was eating.
It's far more important at that age that the animal EATS then it eating what YOU want it to eat.
We look forward to the additional million or so questions that you'll have.

Hey you dont have to act like i dont know **** because i do i was simply asking a question no need to assume i dont know anything sorry that i wanted to make sure.

citysnakes · 09-16-09, 10:37 PM

to the OP, keep the bp on live for one or two more feedings and then try a f/t thawed rodent. dont just drop the thing on the floor and expect the snake to eat. shake the f/t rodent around a bit and make it seem live and the snake will probably take it.

i dont know about this braining technique but it sounds pretty unnecessary especially for a hatchling ball python...

RTB0608 · 09-17-09, 08:06 AM

thanks citi and willow

la613 · 09-17-09, 02:45 PM

when i bought my bp it didnt eat for a couple weeks and i was tryin to feed it f/t it was on live before u have to take steps to get him on ft but if u put a live on in there and keep an eye on it it should eat it might still take a couple weeks to get settled in