Question

sprice · 03-29-13, 10:09 PM

I have just purchased a female pastel ball python. The people that I purchased her from said that she ate two days before I got her which is great because that falls on my feeding schedule for the rest of my snakes. When cleaning her cage found a fuzzy mouse in the bedding, so I take it that she didn't eat. So on feeding day I gave her a fuzzy live. The size is good for her not to large, but when tried to swallow, she some how fold the head over and so she couldn't get it down. So after a while watching her struggle with this, I had to remove the mouse so she could breathe, I did this as gentle as I could. I gave her a couple days and offer her a F/T pinky which she showed no interest. Tried it again couple later and noticed she moved it but not eat it. Today is feeding day for the rest of the guys, so I offered her a fuzzy and she sat there watching it. I'll leave it with her overnight and see happens. Should I not worried and keep offering her food or should I schedule a vet appointment which I have limited access too?

Sorry the long post just wanted to cover the details.

stephanbakir · 03-29-13, 11:05 PM

Give her a full 14 days and try again on F/T, don't handle her til shes eating well.
I wouldn't be worried, its normal.
Don't worry about her needing to breath, they are built to eat and they wont suffocate trust me, they don't breath like you think they do. (I had a snake take 4 hours to swallow a rabbit, it was having trouble with a shoulder.)

Starbuck · 03-30-13, 03:45 AM

Removing the pinkie from the snake's mouth was probably pretty traumatic :/ as stephanbakir said, they are built to eat like that, and can probably eat things a lot larger than what we feed them in captivity. I'd go with the advice above, you can also try braining/splitting the head of the pinkie, or leaving it in overnight (some snakes are just shy). Best of luck!

Lankyrob · 03-30-13, 05:24 AM

Look at the bottom of their mouth when they eat, they have a breathing tube they throw out so that they can eat and breath. There is a more technical description than this but am tired and brain isnt working!

sprice · 03-30-13, 09:08 PM

Sounds like good advice, will try and let you know what happens. Thank you.