Feeding problem

[steelnink]

If you can't get hoppers, you could try small gerbils, or rat pups.
Sometimes it's better to get them feeding, before worring about prey imprint.

[Princess Erica]

I've heard of people feeding baby chicks, but that's the only non-rodent meal I've ever heard of a ball taking... I'm not sure if there are other species you can try feeding, as they are almost solely rodent eaters. I think when your ball gets hungry enough, he'll eat. Until then, you just have to relax and not worry so much-- they're animals, they've got survival instincts, he'll eat when he needs to.

[Edmond Y]

IMO if you see it is around 15 inches, then it can eat an adult mice without any problem. Just give it a try but better feed him after you put off the light and wak away from the enclosure. Don't watch him, some snake just don't want to eat while people watch them or the light is on.

[sapphire_moon]

if you feed an adult live mouse, do NOT walk away from the enclosure. That mouse could seriously injure your snake, you should be right there to stop the mouse if it should attack your snake.
Or stun the mouse so it is still twitching, still don't leave, I've had "dead" mice "come back to life" after hours of laying very still.

[Kathy Shaw]

Try putting him in a smaller container. I keep my hatchlings in shoe box size rubbermaids. You have to drill or burn air holes in them and secure the lid with tape or rubberband or something.
Put a hide in it.
Adult mice will be to big for a 15 inch bp.
Feed live mouse hopper the more active the better chance it will attract your snake. A dark color one is best. You may have to drive some where to get them a reptile show is a good place to by them. Stop in at all pet shops and ask them if they have any breeding mice. Look in all the cages at pet stores for pregnant mice. Look in the paper for local people who raise Rodents. Sometimes schools will have classroom pets that have babies they want to get rid of. Wildlife rehab centers or zoos may be a scorce of live feeders.

[cristine]

Originally Posted by steelnink

This info is better off here.....
I've read your post about the stubborn bp, don't give up just yet.
I've dealt with my share of "pain in the ***" bp's, and most of the methods people have offered and you tried, usually work, BUT, i have also owned bp's that these tricks didn't work.
Here's one, that as last resort, should kick-start the feeding response.
Get a live hopper, place it in a feeding box, let it run around for awhile, it'll start hopping all over the box.
Handle your bp for awhile,[untill its comfortable in your hand], then lower your hand, not the bp, into the box.
If the hopper is running around good, but when it makes it's little stops in the corners, place your hand, with bp wrapped around it, over it and see what happens.
Sometimes even the slightest movements on a baby bp's level will scare the **** out of it.
Feeding from above, should make him feel secure enough to strike.If the hoppers movement is still making him feel uneasy, here is the alternate to the first.
Place the hopper on forhand, locking its tail between your fingers, so movement is to a minimal, lower your hand [bp] onto the other[hopper], i'll warn you now, you might get tagged, as the extra body heat given off , or the little guy could hit the hopper first time.

I have used this method many times, and it works when all else fails.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes

try regular pet stores, a fuzzy a few hours old , in a very quiet room with NO TRAFFIC especialy closed off with doors. good luck.Steelink has great ideas.