Feeding problem

[ptbmaniac]

I have seen this topic over and over and over again,but I am going to ask again.How do I get my baby Ball to eat? I've had it since late april or early may and it has only ate once,around the 2nd week I had it.The snake is around 15 inches long.It hasn't lost any weight yet so that is good.It does drink alot though.I did have a heating problem where my ball wouldn't go on the hot side.I have now fixed that.The hot side is 90-92 degrees and the cold side is around 78-80 degrees.And it is in a 20 long.I also took it to a guy that knows alot about ball pythons and has over 40 of them,and he said it was a very healthy snake.Anyway,I use frozen mice if that helps.Anyway I have tried every method I have seen for feeding.I have tried a seperate container,paper bag,in front of the hide,inside a paper towel roll,placed numerous places throughout the tank,I just can't get it to eat.It does play with it from time to time.I have tried pinkies which dosent even intrest the snake,fuzzies which is the only thing it has ate,and adult mice.I have tried feeding it at all times of the day and night,lights on and off.It just will not eat.What else can I do?

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

OK you mentioned many attemps, one that may work with almost all those methods is timing as well. 80% or so of my BP collection in the past ate late at night, basically around 11pm or later....literally if your BP is is the dark for a certain amount of time then present the prey in dim lighting and see if they predator instinct kicks in. If the BP is out cruising it might be a good sign for this attempt.

Other things that work are:

Warming up frozen thawed food to 90F and bit higher.
Braining the prey item (literally split the head open (scent is a strong method to food).
Scenting the prey item with rat or mice scent.
Chicken broth dipping has worked as well.
Live feeding will start feeding (I hate this method and should only be used as a last option).
I heard gerbils work as well, but again this can turn bad if they refuse to eat anything other than gerbils.

Again all these methods in conjuction with what you already tried with timing should work for the most part. As long as its healthy and all its parameters are met.

Question to help better understand your situation and maybe get more feed back from more members here is:

Is this a CB or WC ball python?
If CB where did it come from a shop, show, or breeder?
If CB breeder have they offered you information and help?
Again have they offered a exchange?

If it is a WC then those are the hard ones to get feeding but all these methods still work just need to be patient.

Last resort if force feeding.

Goodluck.

[ptbmaniac]

First off I usually try feeding between 11pm and 12:30 am.It is a store bought snake.I have tried to split it the mouse open and the snake still didn't eat it.The only mouse that it ate was almost cooked in a microwave.It took that right away,but I know that your not supposed to use the microwave for thawing so I stopped doing that.

[Lagoon]

you could try covering the front of the tank with a towel and try feeding it in about a week from the day you do this but you can not move the towel from the front of the tank. you can still continue your regular schedule like changing the water but this will have to be done in the day time. this has worked for me maybe it will work for you try it out and let me know.

[ptbmaniac]

I read that BP like eat gerbils and hamsters in the wild.I was wondering if I was to scent the thawed mouse by rubbing it on a hamster if maybe the snake would think it was a small hamster and eat it?

[pythonmdk]

if it has been that long maybe try a live mouse, a hopper, not adult and see if he takes that, then slowly switch back to f/t, that's a pretty long time for a baby to not eat, sounds like it is most likly a CH snake to me. The first time it ate the other mouse may have been a fluke.
john

[ptbmaniac]

I don't know where to get a live hopper? I can't buy a live adult because my GF would want to keep it as a pet.

[pythonmdk]

if you did go with an adult I would recomend stunning it by flicking it on the head and watching your snake until it eats it, I'd say just don't tell your girlfriend about it and only do it to get the little guy eating, I'm not a big fan of live but sometimes it has to be done to get them eating and for a young snake going for 3 months + without a meal is getting on the desparet side. What about the guy with all the snakes does he breed his own rodents? maybe you could try getting one off of him. I wouldn't go with the scenting with hamsters or gerbils yet you may get him hooked on them instead of mice. Also when you can switch to rats but it would probably be easier to start him on mice though. Anyways good luck hope you get your snake to eat soon.
John

[nita]

If they go that long then I would go with live. I have some that only eat live and rather than have them starve I give live. Also on my baby CH's I got I first offered FT rat fuzzy's the ones that wouldn't take that were offered FT mouse fuzzy's and anyone else is offered live mouse fuzzy's all but one that was in shed ate within the first week.

[ptbmaniac]

Ok I have tried scenting a mouse,I tried a live fuzzy,and a baby girbil,and The snake will not eat.This is driving me nuts.If there is anyone in the Long Island area that would like to take the snake I will be happy to give it to you.I do not want this snake to die,because I don't know what I am doing.I have always wanted a ball python,but I don't want my first one to die on me.If there is anyone that is a hobbyist and would like to try and save this snake please reply.

[Lagoon]

you could try covering the front of the tank with a towel and try feeding it in about a week from the day you do this but you can not move the towel from the front of the tank. you can still continue your regular schedule like changing the water but this will have to be done in the day time. this has worked for me maybe it will work for you try it out and let me know.also try not to bother the snake for about a week that means no taking it out or trying to feed it every other day they get stressed out.
try this before you give up

[Linds]

You say you have seen many other posts like this, then you would see that a 20 gallon tank isn't necessarily the most suitable enclosure for a 15" Ball Python ;) Honestly, if you are having problems, try housing your baby Ball in a small, semi-opaque rubbermaid shoebox. Don't bug it, don't handle it until it is feeding well.

[skinarama]

I had the same problem and a buddy told me to try different colored mice. Turns out my lttle guy had to be fed late at night, live, and black mice only. I didn't think that they could get so picky, was I wrong!! Good luck and may the force be with you!

[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

[ptbmaniac]

I have called around and nobody sells live fuzzies or hoppers,only adults.I know that it cannot get an adult in his mouth.It does seem to like movement though.He loves watching my fish,and birds.Is I know they are supposed to eat mice or rats,but is there something else that I could try???

[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]

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.