Okay, I have a ball python, and she's just not eating. I got her at the end of August and it's November now & she's only eaten once!!!!! And I had to hold her on my lap. Now, she just doesn't seem interested. I'm so confused & have no idea what to do. I don't want to go to the vet's quite yet, but she's so skinny that her skin is hanging. I'm scared she's gonna die. Please help me here!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(
2007-11-11 08:17:46 · 14 answers · asked by phangirl'sbffl 2 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
If she is that skiny as you describe you need to take her to the vets and have her forcefed. I do not reccomend you doing this yourself, only someone with true snake experience. How she got this way is another issue. Are you keeping her in the proper temp and humidity? You must seek a vet or she will die, she is dieing.
2007-11-11 08:21:31 · answer #1 · answered by Boxer Lover 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ok, to start off with DON'T PANIC. I have a 6 and a half month old Ball. She did the same thing as you have described. She went three weeks without eating. I took her to a pet store. There they forcefed her a mouse and she has been eating since. Their are alot of factors here. Try these few steps before rushing to the vet. Make sure her cage is MAINTAINED between 80 and 90 degrees (snakes will go into breeding mode, which they don't eat much through, if the cage is too cool). My ball actually forgot how to eat. That's why she had to be forcefed. Sometimes, it takes a forcefeeding for them to figure out what to do. Also, balls can technically go upwards to three months without feeding. But, please don't panic. I paniced to for nothing. Take her to a pet store for a force feeding. Good Luck!
2007-11-11 19:37:30 · answer #2 · answered by Mandy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ball pythons are reputed to be able to go for extended periods of time without food; wild-caught ball pythons have gone for a year or more without food until finally enticed to eat lizards and other snakes. This is not a healthy trait and must not be a reason for selecting this species. This should also make you suspicious when a pet store tells you that their ball pythons are eating well! Try her with different types of food, apparently they are quite fussy!! If you are really worried, best bet is to take her to the vet!! Good luck!! Try the link below, its got some interesting facts about these species of snake!!! XXX
2007-11-11 16:23:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
She sounds dehydrated. Does she soak regularly? Where did you get her from? A huge number off ball pythons are wild caught, and riddled with parasites. Its common for ball pythons to go a few months without eating, but if they are losing body mass, like yours is, they need to see the vet. You're first step is going to be to get a fecal sample to the vet ASAP. She might need to be force fed with a pinky pump.
Secondly, what is you're set up like? Does she have plenty of places to hide? Whats her temps on the warm and cool side?
When you feed her, are you feeding live or f/t?
And snakes don't shed for 3 months, so don't listen to that idiot.
2007-11-11 18:23:07 · answer #4 · answered by kittenslayer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow, you should have dealt with this issue a couple months ago.. Are you keeping one side of her enclosure warm with an UTH? Does she have a hide on both the cool side and the warm side?
You can try scenting a pinkie using tuna juice from a can of tuna in water.. If you're using frozen, defrost it in warm water so the pinkie is warm and lifelike, then dip it in the tuna juice and put it right in front of her late in the evening.. Leave the room and check back in an hour to see if she ate, but, make sure it's dark and quiet in the room.. You can also try tying her into a pillowcase with the pinkie in there with her overnight.. Sometimes for some crazy reason that works..
If she doesn't eat, you have to bring her to a reptile vet that will know how to forcefeed her or she will definitely die..
2007-11-11 16:27:50 · answer #5 · answered by Unknown.... 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We had one a few years ago and had the same problem, now you should know that they can go for a very long time without eating as long a they keep drinking your pet should be fine. you could try live food vs. frozen food. our snake would not take live food because she was bitten by a pretty good size mouse. if you are really scared for the snake you should take it in for a vet check. also make sure the enviorment is good for your snake. good luck!!!
2007-11-12 03:16:58 · answer #6 · answered by d.harris37 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you keeping her at proper temperature and humidity levels? What was she eating before you got her, Live or Frozen?
Did you bring her to the vet when you go her to have her checked for illnesses or parasites?
If she's not warm enough, she won't eat. If she's used to live food, getting balls to eat frozen can be tricky. If you didn't have her checked out, go do it now. Take her to the vet anyway, why on earth would you want to wait if it's been months already? If she's that skinny she might be suffering from malnutrition now, and need special attention anyway (fluids, force feeding, possibly antibiotics depending on how bad she is).
2007-11-11 17:01:16 · answer #7 · answered by Chiappone 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
balls can be picky but here a few methods that might get him/her to take a mouse,braining slit the head of the mouse to expose some blood and leave in tank over night,scenting use a lizard to rub the mouse off before feeding,soap i have heard can be good wash in soap rinse thoroughly and offer.if all fails live mouse if not a gerbil most picky balls will jump at the smell of a prekilled/live gerbil.try moving snake to a small enclousure many can be nervous and will be too stressed too eat.hope all goes well
2007-11-12 14:15:27 · answer #8 · answered by reptilekid1988 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok dont worrie...she is probly shedding...she is not gonna die...raise the humisity by putting her in a large rubbermaid container with some holes and some papertowel,,,and a bowl of water ...and put a small under the tank heater under it and ...try feeding her a mouse live in the rubbermaid and .she will eat...and plus its breeding season and most snakes wont eat durring breeding season.....u should call or email these ppl and ask them about it
www.reptilesrus.ca
they r very knologable about reptiles...and hey can help u with almost anything about reptiles so go to there site and ask them about it....u can email them at...
reptiles-r-us@hotmail.com
and ask them...
they r great
hope this helps
2007-11-11 16:58:40 · answer #9 · answered by reptilian_queen1 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i am no expert... but i do keep a Brazilian rainbow boa,
i do know that once they stop eating or start being sick it is very difficult to get them started again, i would take it to a good vet just to be safe.
i do know of some snakes that stop eating during the winter months, then just start again,but i would get it checked anyway.
good look.x
2007-11-11 16:24:14 · answer #10 · answered by lovebug 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋