We have consulted our pet store about our bald python. We put a small white mouse in his cage with him, but he won't eat it. We take it out and wait and put it back it: We have also tried a stunned mouse. I have read everything on this topic, but many of the alternatives (frozen mouse, use a gerbil) don't appeal to us. Any suggestions?
2006-07-10 04:08:35 · 17 answers · asked by E L 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Wow, these are some of the worst answers I've seen. First of all, Ball Pythons make excellent pets. I keep dozens of them and all of them eat regularly. The most important thing to remember is that they can be picky if their environment isn't suitable or if they are too stressed.
Make sure their cage isn't too big. A young Ball should be in a 10 gallon tank. They require a temperature gradient from the low 80s to the low 90s on the warm side 24 hours a day. They don't require any sort of special lighting. An under tank heater (UTH) is preferable because heat lights tend to dry out the air too much. Dry air isn't too bad other than when they are shedding, but higher humidity can sometimes encourage them to eat. You should also have two hides in their cage: one on the cool side and one on the warm side. The hides should be the same and they should be small enough so that the snake feels their sides touching the hide. The plastic drip trays that you put under plant pots make excellent hides. Just cut a hole in the top or in the side.
Make sure the cage is in a quiet area and only attempt feeding once a week. If you try more than that you will end up stressing him out and he will continue to refuse food. Do not handle him until he starts to eat, as handling will stress him out as well. Give him only a live hopper mouse or rat pup. If you give him a rat pup, you can try scenting the cage about 10 minutes before you place the rat pup inside the cage by placing a little bit of mouse bedding in his cage or placing the rat pup in a paper bag with a little bit of mouse bedding. A rat pup might be better because they don't move around as much as a mouse hopper. You can keep either one in overnight without worrying about them harming your snake. Feed about an hour after sunset as that is their normal feeding time in nature.
Good luck!
I want to edit my reply in response to the comments about feeding in another container. It is perfectly fine, and recommended that you feed Balls in their own enclosure. Ball Pythons are ambush hunters that feel comfortable catching their prey from the safety of theyr hide. By moving them to another enclosure, you are adding another element of stress the may prevent them from feeding. There is no reason to feed them in another container. The most common reason people give is so that they don't associate your opening the cage with food and it will prevent them from acting agressive towards you. However with that reasoning, every time you reach in to move them to their feeding container, they would still associate that with feeding. I feed dozens of snakes weekly in their cage, and have NEVER been bit during feeding or when taking them out to handle them.
2006-07-10 08:50:40 · answer #1 · answered by xyz_gd 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The not eating for 6 months isn't really too long at this time of the year for a male ball python.What is a worry is that you mention about it used to be fat and healthy.Could do with a bit more info as to how much weight he has lost.It shouldn't be loosing too much weight but will loose a little.If he's not as healthy in other ways then you need to make sure he hasn't got any mites or parasites.Find a reptile vet who can do a blood screen for you.If everything is clear then just keep trying with defrost mice or rats.DO NOT TRY LIVE MICE/RATS.If you have a very subdued snake,putting a live rat in there is only going to make things worse.If your snakes responses are slow due to lack of energy from not eating then the rat may just injure the snake.Then you will have problems trying to get a snake to eat something that's just bit back.They do have a degree of self preservation in them.You do need to check that the Viv temps are correct as this can sometimes cause feeding problems.If the snake has the all clear fro the vet and is mite/parasite free then just keep trying to feed once a week.Remember,just because its not eating doesn't mean its not healthy.A healthy snake will not starve itself to death and will eat when it wants to.
2016-03-26 23:40:10 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with a lot of the other answers. It is a Ball Python. There are many reasons it might not be eating: not warm enough, not the right kind of food, not hungry. You need to get a book on the Ball Python and read up on it. I would suggest taking it to the vet and seeing what they think but before doing that try feeding it one gerbil and see what happens. That is what snakes eat whether or not it is appealing to you or not.
Good luck.
2006-07-11 04:31:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I see this several times a week. Number one, ball pythons suck, 85% of them won't eat and won't ever. Most of them that not bought from a reputable breeder are wild caught or wild cage bred juvies in poor condition. Take it back to the pet store and ask for a refund. I can pretty much gaurantee you if he has not ate by now he won't. Force feeding is an option but is not worth it. ALWAYS ask to see a snake eat before purchase from a pet store. If he was eating frozen thawed that may be all he will eat. Some will only eat brown mice. The number of balls that are imported and die in the USA annually is sickening. I see them on the net for $12 a piece. If you want a good snake buy a corn snake or Rainbow boa. If you want larger go with a red-tail boa.
2006-07-10 05:54:49 · answer #4 · answered by dogdude1969 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ball pythons are very picky eaters. And like all reptiles their environment needs to be perfect for them to be healthy. Most likely your snake was wild caught. Wild caught Ball pythons will rarely take to captivity and may not eat mice. Because they don't see a mouse as a food source. I would check out some care sheets and maybe a few books at the library. Make sure the environment is proper. That would be a good start. Here are a couple good care sheets you can look at. And one that deals with ball python feeding problems like yours.
http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html
http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/index.html
http://www.anapsid.org/ballfeed.html
2006-07-10 06:50:56 · answer #5 · answered by Boober Fraggle 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dont worry i had the same problem with my ball python but the worst thing ever is to put the food in its cage or feed it in the area it calls home for one everytime you open the cage it will soon begin to think its time to feed which could result in getting bit another thing live mice or watever you are using to feed do not ever leave a live mouse or watever in there my opion do not feed live to your snake snakes dont know the difference between live and frozen just when you thaw the frozen on put it in a plastic bag and let the bag soak for a while in hot water never micorwave frozen feeders when feeding it try in a tuper wear container with a lid place the food then the snake and close the lid leave for about 15 minutes if nothing happens try again in a couple of weeks the vet or any one with ball python will tell you the same thing ball pythons are very picky eaters i have heard of one goin up to 16 months with out eating but remember when they do eat keep them on a very strict schedule or they will stop eating again trust me dont worry mine went almost a year with out eating snakes can do that AND NEVER FEED LIVE PREY ITS NOT A PRETTY THING if the snake doesnt want to eat the mouse might start to eat him you dont want that
2006-07-11 11:30:22 · answer #6 · answered by turtlesducky 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's BALL python just to let you know.Anyways you should NEVER feed the snake in the cage he lives in! Take him out and put him in something else(bucket,bathtub)your snake will always think it's feeding time when you open the cage and he may strike.As for the not eating thing..his cage may not be warm enough for him..what's the temperature in there? p.s.If you don't want to use a gerbil try a brown mouse instead of a white one.
2006-07-10 04:09:51 · answer #7 · answered by Courtney L 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ball pythons are very picky, and they will go through periods of not eating. Don't force the food on the snake it will stress it and
it may not eat.
NEVER feed your snake in the tank where it lives, it is better to buy a plain 10gallon tank and leave it empty and just for feeding.
This way the snake might not mistake the hands coming in his living habbitat for food. But all animals are capeable of biting.
Best of Luck just give him/her a little time to regroup it's self.
Balls are wonderful pets, we have 4 and I would not trade them
for anything.
2006-07-10 11:42:44 · answer #8 · answered by american_angel068 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Be a resposible pet owner and take him to the vet. Next time do extensive research on an animal before you bring it into your home. I know the idea of having an exotic pet or any pet for that matter is appealing but you have to think about everything that goes into caring for it and the commitment involved. Hope everything works out.
2006-07-10 04:14:58 · answer #9 · answered by dreamweaver_316 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's ball python not bald and it is from the wild if it cost you less than 100-150 dollars and in the wild they eat gerbils not a white mouse!! Good Luck
2006-07-10 04:13:05 · answer #10 · answered by Bekah 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋