ball python not eating

[Broncoman]

I got a new ball python last sunday. The guy I got him from said it was about time for him to eat again, said he ate 5 days ago. So i tried last night. I knew he would not eat but gave it a try anyway. He didn't eat. How long should I wait until I try again?

[rachel132002]

if he's on paper etc try putting a warmed up and dry mouse under there or wiggling it, whatever u didn't do before. Leave it about 2-3days before trying again. I will tell you though, royals love to go off food just for the pure #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^& of it!

Rach

[Broncoman]

Thanks, I will give him a few more days. He is just a baby, about a foot and a half long. I will let him check out his new home a bit more.

[NicoleRussell]

when I first saw the subject line of this post I said "Big Suprise" LOL
I had the same problem with my ball when I first got him. Herp Chick, Brett, Eddie and a few others helped...they should all be along soon.....

[Ed_r]

Yeah no worries yet. As with any problems with any herps first questions we ask are. What are the cage temps, please find out with a digital thermometer. When you say temps are "about" a certain temp tells us nothing. Only thing we can say then is your snake "Might" eat.

What substrate are you using? Specially for a new Ball python the substrate should not be loose, such as cypres, aspen, reptibark, and others of that kind. Put it on newspaper, reptile carpet, soft astro turf, Something that can't be ingested and feed it in the cage to take out any stress from moving containers to eat.

Humidity should be kinda on the dry side 50% tops unless it shedding.

With any new addition to me house, nothing eats the first week. i don't even attempt to feed them (unless its a rescue on its last breath). If its been a week since you got it and it didn't eat, wait til the next week. Missing a week won't kill it, even for a baby. Just don't give into giving it live.

Good Luck

[Broncoman]

I do not have a digital thermometer at this time, but the last time i checked the temp was 85 last night, the Humidity was 50%. He in on cypres, but I did not plan on feeding him in his cage. I have only had him a few days. So I'm not to worried.
Thanks

[Ed_r]

Well temps should be closer to 90 on the hot side. I keep my BPs there and they eat real well for me. What are you using to measure the temps? If the dial thermometers, they are very inaccurate.

Funny thing about BPs is when you remove them from the cage, many lose their feeding response. This is mostly from w/c animals, but still can happen with c/b animals. Thats why if you get it feeding regularly IN the cage, you can get to trying to feed in a feed tub and if it doesn't work, its no big deal cuz the snake has had a few meal under his belt.

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[JuliusSqueezer]

not many ball pythons will eat 5 days after a meal especially adding the stress of moving to a new home. Find out what it ate before though...mouse or rat. It may have a preference. Mice and rats are not always interchangable to a snake's prefered menu. Offering food every 2 or 3 days will set you back. Stressing a ball python is extremely counterproductive.

If you give us an idea of how big the snake is (length and weight), how old if known, past feeding habits, current cage setup in detail, was it wild caught or captive bred?....your question was really rather vague. If he ate 5 days ago. he could be ready to eat in a couple of days or if he's older and bigger...add a week to that....please fill in some blanks Also how did you offer it? time of day or night? in a tote or in the cage? live, prekilled or frozen/thawed?

[Broncoman]

The snake is only about 1.5' long, not sure of the weight. I don't know how old and has not been sexed. I asked about the past feeding habits and he said it was eating well every 5-7 days. I did not ask if the were mice and rats, and I want see him for two weeks. It's a captive bred.
I offer it to him at night with thongs in a tote. A prekilled mice.

[JuliusSqueezer]

thongs may be the problem. My snakes can't quit laughing long enough to eat when I enter my snakeroom wearing a thong lol.