What can a Baby Ball Python eat besides mice?

Question

Bought a ball "20 inches" two weekends ago. I have bought three pinkies and it never ate any. Tried several attempts and several theories like dipping them in chicken broth. Want 2 feed it but the food store is 30 miles away, don't know if it would eat a pinkie even if I got there. So what else is there? I was considering finding bugs since I live in country. Please help because the snake appears to be getting thin. Also he has a place on top of his head that looks like he should be shedding, kind of bluish looking in the right light. Other places seem to be a little dry, but his eyes are clear. I didn't notice this until one day his cage got real wet inside because his water area leaked and I kept filling it. Don't do that anymore. This is my first snake and I've put so much money into the pet and needed materials, that I can't afford to take it to a vet for two more weeks! And no vet around here will see anyone unless they have the money to pay that day.

Answer 1

Wow, I can't believe some of these answers. First off, Ball Pythons will not eat bugs... ever. The pinky mouse is much too small, even for a new born Ball. Get at least a hopper. First off, though, find out what it was eating before you bought it. It may have been a captive hatched one that pet stores typically have and it may have never had a meal. If that's the case, try a live mouse hopper or a rat pup.

However, before you attempt to feed it you have to make sure the cage is set up correctly. They require a temperature gradient from 80-82 on the cool side to 90-92 on the warm side. This should be heated using an under tank heater (UTH) and a thermostat, or a light if you must, but never use a heat rock. Also, your snake should have two hides on each end of his enclosure. Another trick you can try for young snakes is to fill their enclosure with crumpled newspaper. This will provide a more secure environment for your snake.

If everything is set up okay, then just leave it completely alone until it starts to eat. If you handle it, you will stress it out and it won't eat.

Try to feed no more than once a week and offer the mouse/rat about an hour after the sun goes down. If it doesn't eat, just try again the next week.

Good luck!

Answer 2

a 20" snake probally will eat small live mice. The chicken broth I think would not work. They may eat small birds or chicks but mice is the best bet. Pinkie mice may be a bit small. Very young hopper mice may work. Another thing was he fed mice pinkies or rat pinkies before purchase? They smell differnt. I had a boa that would only eat white mice no browns or spoted. Snakes will go quite some time without eating at times. It may only accept live mice are you feeding frozen thawed? They will not eat bugs. Keep the cage dry it could have some water burns if it laid in a wet area. Laying wet will cause some serious skin rot. If he still is not eating in a couple mmore weeks, I do not know what else to do but keep trying. A vet can force feed with a pinkie pump that mushes the pinkie and forces it into the snake but this rarely helps alot and cost money. Personally myself if it would not eat and still won't eat after a while save your vet money throw him in the freezer and get another ball they are super cheap on the net. It probally is sick or somethimes they just won't eat right from birth.

Answer 3

If this is your first snake, you might be in over your head. Ball Pythons are VERY finnicky, and are definitly not a beginner snake. But since you are into it anyway, try this. With a 20" ball, you should be feeding it hoppers or small mice to begin with. Also, make sure they are warm... a little warmer than room temperature. Next, remove the snake from it enclosure where it usually lives. You can use a small box, or most people use a heavy brown paper bag. Place the food in the bag, then place the snake in the bag and keep it in a separate enclosure (any box you can secure a lid on is fine) over night. Being that you've only had it for a short time, it will take some time to get used to it's new surroundings. Give that a try. I've owned several snakes, including a ball. I also have been in reptile rescue and have been a consultant for a few local pet stores. Good luck.

Answer 4

Speak to your parents first, at 13 they have a duty of care for you and they should say what goes in their house, if they agree then the snake is as much their responsibility as yours and you wouldn't have to get transportation every week, you can buy bulk and freeze them. Most reptile keepers do this ans as long as the container the mice are kept in is sealed there should be no problem keeping the mice in your existing freezer. All that said, are you sure a Royal/ball python is for you, they can make good first snakes but can be difficult to get feeding again if they stop eating which they do usually between October/November time till February/March. If you were under the impression that you may be able to feed it lettuce or something, you obviously don't know enough about them, there are some good sites on the internet and some really good books out there 2 good ones come from the herpetological library and t rex. I have kept and bred Royal pythons better known in the US as ball pythons for 15 years and I would not recomend you get one, the majority kept in captivity (of the normal phase) are captive hatched and the high gold colouration is found in Ghana, there are quite a lot of captive bred ones around but you can never be sure, all my first ones were captive hatched. I know of a case in the UK where an adult male was diagnosed with African tick fever which he caught from a tick only found on wild caught Royal/ball pythons. All the captive hatched ones I have added to my collection had ticks especially around the eyes when they arrived. I don't want to frighten you but may I suggest you get a corn snake instead, they come in lots of different colour morphs are easy to keep and are good feeders, they make a perfect first snake and are cheaply priced, even some of the nicer colour morphs are quite reasonable these days. All these are captive bred and provided you get one from a reputable dealer you should have no problems. Also you could look on the internet for a company who will deliver bulk pinkies/mice etc to your door. Whatever your decision, read up first and good luck.

Answer 5

Well about the shine on its head that is alwais there it is just the color of the scales. Also if it is a willd cought snake it might never eat on its own to start and you probley will need to force feed it. Do not try force feeding eness you have done it before go to a local herp socitty or look on the web for a breeder near you. they will probly do it for you. They will not eat bugs!! Buy you can try girbles since that is what they eat in the willd. also a 20in snake can eat full grown mice. Dont trust the pet store when it comes to advice they dont know what they are doing and will lie to sell stuff!!!!!
One more thing. Ball pythons can go for a long time with out eating so enless it was starved before you got it it should be ok till you get it to the vet (the vet can also help force feed it)
Good luck
~Samuel

Answer 6

xyz_gd is exactly right....

Also, do not leave the mouse in with the snake for more than 15 minutes at a time. . If the snake doesn't eat in that amount of time, remove the mouse. Leaving it in longer than that will cause the snake even more stress. Don't try again for at least 7 days.

Keep trying with small mice. Pinkies are way to small. And you don't want to switch to gerbils because Balls are very picky eaters and if you get it started on gerbils you will have a hard time switching to mice later and you will be spending big money on gerbils to feed every week.
Balls are notorious for going off feed for long periods.
Make sure you leave your snake alone for at least 7 days to let him settle in to his new environment before handling or trying to feed. He should eat after that.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

This actually may be a matter of temperature. I used to have a ball python, and in the beginning, the heat bulb wasn't strong enough. It refused all food, including mice, and I believed it to have "mites". However, upon taking the advice into play of raising the temperature using a heat bulb, it ate within the next day. If you are far enough out in the country were the bugs don't have a risk of being sprayed with pesticides and such, you can try to use large crickets. I, however, recommend crickets from a petstore, if possible.

Answer 8

I don't think that you can do anything else for him. My husband had the same problem and it died, but he didn't even have any pinky mice either, so the snake should be eating the mouse, just call the pet store and ask them about it

Answer 9

you can try to force feed him. Just push it slowly, his reflex's will take over...

Answer 10

crickets