My baby Ball Python WONT eat.?

Question

I got a Baby Ball Python. Aug. 8. The pet store said to feed him the 10th. It is now the 25 and he still wont eat. I've tried two live mice and a frozen one. This is my first pet snake, and I don't know what to do.
Any ideas. Is this normal?

Answer 1

Well yes the can go weeks some cases a year without food!If he don't eat in another month take him to the vet. Don't worry just keep trying.And the dude in head of me is wrong. I got mine a month ago and he is really healthy and never gives me a problem. But you should take him to the vet if he don't eat in a month.

Answer 2

okay, im not saying every answer is wrong, but try to take bits and pieces to heart. first of all, ball pythons are famous for being finicky eaters, and yes, there are some that will go their whole lives eating well but that is not always the case. being in a new environment will probably stress the snake, and it may not eat for the first bit. make sure the levels of humidity are appropriate, and that the snake has a snug place to hide. also, if the tank is to large, the snake could feel overwhelmed if it doesnt have a sufficient hide , and keep the water close, so they dont have to feel like they have to leave safety to drink a little. what was the pet store feeding it? f/th or live? because once some ball pythons start eating live they may not go on to f/t. and yes, like some others said, try to have the least disturbances possible, meaning an opaque feeding container, no noises that will cause vibration (try also to walk around the snake as llittle as possible). although when i started some of my bp, i found they were more comfortable eating in their enclosure, so i only moved them to a seperate feeding container once they were regular feeders. another word of advice, please do not brain the mouse ( fuzzie, hopper) live. if they were feeding f/t at the store, then braining them dead should be the next step. then feshly killed.then live (unharmed). then the vet. if the feeding becomes too much of a worry, then a reptile vet may be able to force feed the snake, while any other issue is being taken care of. and PLEASE never leave a live rodent in the same enclosure as the snake over night. when feeding live, you shoulf try and keep an eye onthe snake, as if the snake is not ready to eat, the rodent may be afraid, or even hungry itself (rodents will eat each other, so dont assume they wont eat anything else) and try an bite the snake, causing harm to the snake, and quite possibly infection. i understand that ball pythons are considered 'begginer' snakes, although i would always advise that if you are the worrying type, they may not be for you, as they can go of feed for a long time. i hope this helps, and you can always talk to a vet.

Answer 3

This could be a number of problems. First, and most obvious, is that an 8" snake can not contend with an adult mouse. The snake was intimidated by it and shyed away. Another thing to consider is that baby balls can be finicky eaters and difficult to get started. If your measurements are correct you have a very young snake which may or may not have taken a meal in captivity. I would recommend buying a ball at least 15-18" so you know it has been started. But since you have the little guy, let's see what we can do. Start with pinky mice -- they are small and easy to swallow, and they don't fight back. Also, stress is an issue. Give the little guy at least a week to get used to its new surroundings. I would say two but a neonate like that will need to eat more often. But at least a week. try slowly putting the pinky near his head. You may even dangle it about an inch or so from his face. And be patient. There are many different approaches to getting a snake to eat for the first time. Some snakes are easier than others, and different methods work on different snakes. If feeding in the light fails, you may try feeding at night. Ball pythons are nocturnal and use heat-sensitive pits in their upper lip to find prey. Your snake may be more comfortable hunting under the cover of darkness, when it is more active. If these fail, try slitting the pinky so that it bleeds. The increased "prey" smell may trigger a feeding response. Once started, feeding should become easier. If your snake has not eaten within a month (hopefully this will not be the case), you should talk to your pet store about an exchange, and look for a snake about twice the size of the one you have. If no results in two weeks, if I were you I would at least notify the pet store of what's going on, so that they do not forget about you. Any reputable pet dealer should be supportive here, as baby balls are notorious for being tough to start feeding. Good luck. ;)

Answer 4

Ball pythons are great pets, and easy to keep. Some people think they are finicky eaters, but I've NEVER had one go a significant length of time without eating. Many people keep them wrong. Carefully review your housing and care, especially temperature. Ball pythons also need a small, tight, hide box that they can barely squeeze into. A healthy snake will eat if properly cared for. If you still can't get your snake to eat, here are some things you might try:
-Freshly killed mouse. Using a forceps, poke the mouse into the snakes hide-box with it and gently tease the snake into striking. Rub the mouse on the snake's neck area. DO NOT HANDLE OR EVEN TOUCH THE SNAKE PRIOR TO FEEDING- YOU WILL SPOOK IT!!
-Try LIVE pinkies. They cannot injure your snake at this size.
-Try confining your snake with a LIVE pinky in a deli cup overnight.
- Try Brain-casing; this technique almost always works, even when nothing else does. Take a LIVE pinky, and slice open it's skull, exposing the brain. Smear bits of brain matter on the mouse's head, and confine your snake with it in the deli cup overnight. Does this method seem cruel to you? Letting your snake starve to death is worse.
This will become easier once you learn to understand reptile behavior.

Answer 5

First make sure the temps are 85-90*F warm end , 75-80*F cool end , humidity level 50-60% . Use a digital thermometer to make sure the temps . are correct .Use a UTh not a heat lamp .Use news paper as a substrate not aspen or a loose bedding . Have a large untipable water dish and two low dark hides , one at each end of the tank . Do not handle your snake . Feed in the same cage Try feeding him a thawed, warm hooper mouse . I warm mine under a heating pad .Feed in the evening since they are nocternal and would naturally hunt at night . Feed a mouse the size of the largest girth of your snake .Use a pair of forceps . If he doesn't eat it leave it in the cage over night . If your temps . are correct he should eat . You do not want a young Ball Python to go more than a week without eating . I feed mine every 4-5 days .When hes older it can go 7-10 days .

Once he does eat wait 24 hours before holding or he may regurgitate his meal .

Answer 6

All of the advice the others have given is good, but here's a few other things worth mentioning. Is your baby captive bred or wild caught? Captive bred b/p's will be much better pets in the long run, but there's hope even for owners of wild caughts. Is it male or female? Males can be more picky for some reason. Pay attention to all the above posts...there's not much more advice I can add there, but do make sure your snake's cage is located in a quiet area, as well. Much luck!

Answer 7

Is his environment how it should be. In that I mean humidity( 60% humidity)level, temp and such. I wouldnt give live mice I know you might want to watch "the kill" but a scared live mouse can do some serious harm to a snake. Defrost to room temp and then attempt to feed the snake again. Maybe your snake doesnt like to be watched. My husband has several snakes and only ONE of the 6 will allow you to watch it eat. Is it to loud or to bright. Snakes can be tempermental when it comes to eating. Also is it the right size mouse? A baby ball should be eating hoppers. And as much as many people are going to HATE to hear this some times the snake needs to be fed using forceps in order for them to grab onto it. My husband never feeds in the cage they live in but he does have a feeder box and the defrosted room temp mouse can remain in there with the snake up to 24 hrs. And ofcourse you can "brain" your mouse "cut a small hole in its head so its brain is slightly exposed, this is how my husband got his to start eating for him

Answer 8

okay, i'm gonna keep this short, I AM NOT TRYING TO SCARE YOU!! But i bought a baby ball python, and it also wouldn't eat, after 3 weeks or so, he started looking sick, and he got star gazing, and he didn't make it, if i were you, i'll take him to the nearest vest ASAP!!!! but to continue my story, i got a new ball python, that ate great, never skipped a meal, and is still growing.

Answer 9

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I had a ball python...they get stressed out very easily, whenever you move them to a new cage or change something about the cage they stress, in turn they don't eat. So if you move her, she won't eat for 3 mnths, move her again another 3 mnths and so on, eventually she will starve to death. You might have to force feed your snake I would consult a vet, it's very tricky. Ball pythons are not good in captivity at all, pet stores should NOT sell them, if you care about your snake, find out all you can about her and advise everyone you know to never buy one.....My snake ended up dying, very sad.
Good luck!

Answer 10

well he's a baby I'd say instead of a frozen dead mouse or a live mouse give him a DEAD thawed mouse, if not find a breeder in your town see if he knows anything or can give you any food he knows they will eat