Need feeding advice..

CARLiTO_ · 02-17-04, 04:36 PM

Hi, i have had my 4 month old BP for about 2 weeks now and it still hasn't eaten. So far, i have tried frozen and alive. I took it out of it's tank but it still did not eat. It seemsed to be scared of the alive mouse. I do not know what to do. I have tried frozen hopper mice and an alive full grown mouse.

Pls help!!

CARLiTO_ · 02-17-04, 04:37 PM

i forgot to mention, the temps are 90 and 75. Humidity is 50%-60%.

emroul · 02-17-04, 04:49 PM

Well, your ball python is still acclimating to his new environment. It is suggested that it not be held or messed with at all for its first few weeks with you. I would leave it completely alone for a couple more weeks, then try to feed it a f/t RAT pup. (The sooner it gets on rats, the better).

Jennifer

snakehunter · 02-17-04, 05:25 PM

Cool side is too low, go with 80 or a little higher.

as for eating, its the season for not eatin', alot of bps are not eating at this time, its called the winter fast, most do it, mine included. the worst part is there is almost nothing you can do, just wait it out

mykee · 02-17-04, 05:38 PM

I'm with Jennifer, forget mice, and give him/her at least two weeks undisturbed to get used to his new environment

blazinreps · 02-17-04, 10:25 PM

i wouldent try feeding a snake a live full grown anything as it could hurt the snake id try a live rat pup somethin that cant do alot of dammage to ur snake.

JuneauNRD · 02-24-04, 11:00 PM

One thing you could try, if you're still not successfull after giving your new BP a few weeks to adjust, is feeding him in a paper bag. I would suggest a rat pup because you wouldn't have to worry about it hurting your snake (this only works with live or stunned prey). Drop it into a grocery sized paper bag, place your snake in after it, and then roll the top down a bit so that the snake is in the dark. These animals are nocturnal and this can sometimes stimulate them enough to eat.
The important thing to remember is to not get upset and rush into force feeding or anything of the sort. As you've heard before, it is not uncommon for BP's to go off food, especially with a change in environment. Give your BP time, he'll come around. Good Luck, JuneauNRD

Linds · 02-24-04, 11:35 PM

2 weeks is nothing. As everyone has already mentioned, your little guy is probably still settling in to his new home. Does he have a lot of security in his environment? Glass tanks don't offer much in the way of security, you may want to cover at least 3 sides. What size is the tank? Is it setup basic or with a lot of stuff crammed in to it? Ball Pythons prefer tighter areas, wide open spaces may lead to stress. At 4 months of age, your snake should be feeding one something larger than an adult mouse.

tHeGiNo · 02-25-04, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Cool side is too low, go with 80 or a little higher.

No it isn't. It is perfect.

Anyhow, as Linds hinted upon, security is key in getting ball pythons, especially at such a young age, to eat. I would strongly recommend acclimating the snake in a small rubbermaid. It doesn't have to be permanant. Once comfortable under your cage, you could move her to her 'permanant' enclosure. Anyhow in the rubbermaid, have two hides one on either side. Make sure the hides are small enough so that the overall fit with the snake is snug, and the top of the hide makes contact with the snakes back. If you refuse to use a rubbermaid, include the same hides into the enclosure your using right now. At this point, give the snake two weeks before bothering her. Don't handle her, don't frequently look at her, infact try to stay away from her. After two weeks, try feeding a f/t rat pup. If unsuccessful, wait another week and try a live mouse. Good luck.