New to bloods. Feeding tips?

redeemed1 · 12-14-09, 04:05 PM

Hey everyone. I got my first blood python a little over a month ago. Its a juvenile high yellow phase. Came from BA Reptiles at a reptile show. I've got experience with ball pythons and a hogg island boa, but this is my first venture into blood pythons.

I just can't seem to get the guy to eat. He's in a 20l aquarium with mid 80 temps and high 70's night. 2 hides + a water bowl he gets under too. Cypress mulch for a substrate, which he borrows in alot. He's active, friendly, just doesn't eat. I've tried mice, rat pups, alive (with alot of supervision) and prekilled. I hate thawing out rodents, so I haben't gone f/t.

I've fed him in a seperate container, in his cage, and in a dark container that I left him in with the prekilled mouse for an hour.

I've gone through all my tricks that I learned with balls.

Help!

05chev · 12-15-09, 04:02 AM

When I first got my blool python I left her alone for the first week and then tried to feed her. I tried everything you did and nothing worked (every three day for about two weeks). So finally to took a hopper rat and bumped it into the snakes face first two times she tried to get away, third time was the charm. I've only fed mine 4 times and this is the only way she'll eat, a little pissed off and the appetite comes. I'm no pro with bloods this just works for mine.

citysnakes · 12-15-09, 11:12 AM

careful with the face bumping thing as it can do more harm than good in the long run. you dont want to condition a snake to fear feeding time, this will make it only that more stressful on the both of you.

OP, if you want your blood to eat you should try raising your temps and keep em up 24/7. keep your warm end at 88-90 and cool end at 80 with no night drop. find out what it was eating before it came to you(rats, mice, f/t, live?) and start offering that prey item to your blood python inside his enclosure, only at night time at the same time, once weekly. also stop any handling and disturb him as little as possible.

good luck.

redeemed1 · 12-15-09, 02:06 PM

Thanks alot. I'll get those temps up and see what happens!

05chev · 12-16-09, 12:19 AM

I just fed her for the 5th time and no bump. She just went for it, I was also changing her from mice to rats. I hope she keeps eating like she did today. This way worked for me.

marvelfreak · 12-17-09, 04:54 PM

I got a baby borneo that i have to put it's rat fuzzie right outside her hide an leave it over night.{pre kill} When she ready she pop her head out a nail it. I also found she eat faster if i put in mice fuzzie. She eat 2 to 3 mice fuzzie or one rat fuzzie.The mice she'll have gone in 30 minutes. The rat over night.Don't worry it get hungey enough it'll eat. Best of luck!