Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a Spider Ball from a guy recently that I am having some issues with. Normally I check the BOI before I buy something from someone I don't know but for some reason I didn't with this guy. He seemed liked a nice guy and talked the talk that I needed to hear. (Another story for another time)

I have had this guy for about 3 months and I have had to assist feed him since I got him. He looked a little on the skinny side when he arrived but he was alive and made the trip. I put him in quarantine in a sterilite shoebox like I do with my others and I waited a week before I offered him any food. I was told he was eating hopper mice but he looked way to skinny for that so I placed a fuzzy in his tank. I left him alone in the dark for about 30 min. or so and went back to check on him. He didn't eat so I removed the mouse and let him be. I tried again about 4 days later and same results.

I am now assit feeding him twice a week and he has put on weight. but he has yet to deficate on his own. No urates or fecal matter at all. I warmed his shoebox to 88 degrees to see it that would help but it didn't. I have soaked him and managed to gently work some urates out of him and also managed to get him to deficate by using a small enima.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I would love for this guy to start getting established on his own but not sure what else to do.

Not sure about him not deficating but this might help with the feeding. I raised gray banded kings in the past and they are very hard to get started on feed. This worked part of the time....Take a small safety pin and brain a frozen thawed pinky or live you decide. you put a small hole in the skull and push some liquid from the mouse. Put him in a paper bag with the snake and leave overnight.Might help !!

I tried this as well. I didn't leave him over night, maybe I should try that. Thanks for the advice.

I would try leaving a live rat pink/fuzzy overnight. It will more than likely be gone in the morning.
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John Vandegrift

Really hard to say from only the info described. My first thoughts were you are stressing him out and not giving him time to adjust by force feeding him and trying to help him goto the bathroom. Again, I don't know the whole story.. maybe that needed to be done, but to me it sounds a little too soon.

Things to try? Good advice so far. Live fuzzy (or w/e size) overnight is always good. Try a mouse or rat. I would also suggest leaving him alone. Trying to get it to eat often can stress out more then just leaving it alone.

What kind of setup? Shoebox is it in a rack? Try adding a hide for it if it doesn't have one. You said you tried raising the temps to high 80's.. make sure it has a low side as well. Leave him be for a few weeks and stop messing with him. Try and feed once a week and leave him be.

I am sorry to hear about your problems with him. Spiders are very cool snakes. Goodluck with him, hopefully he'll kick in soon.
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Morph Evolutions
www.morphevolutions.com

I would have to agree it's hard to tell but my first thought was stress too ...

Leave the snake alone for a couple of weeks - don't try to feed it, handle it nothing. Contact the seller and find out exactly how (and what) he was set up and fed -- and then try feeding it how it was used to being fed.
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Tosha

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Morph Evolutions
www.morphevolutions.com

Well, tried the f/t split-brain pinky last night, (I haven't assit fed him in a week and a half) but no luck. The only thing I didn't try with the pinky was placing him in a brown bag, I ran out at some point and didn't buy anymore. I will try that next week and see what I can do with him.

I will keep this up for a few weeks but if he doesn't show interest, I might try some nutra-bac and see if it will help induce his appitite.

I have tried what the guy said he was eating on a side note. I have also tried rat pinks and geribel pinks and furries. I did all of this before I assit fed him. I am just looking for some new ideas on what to try.

How does the snake look right now? Does he look normal weight and good tones? Or does he appear thin and have a sunking in feeling to him?

If he appears to be relatively normal looking, my advice would be to offer him food once a week and leave him be for awhile. He can easily go four weeks (if healthy and okay weight). Offering food often or multiple items can cause even more stress then good.

May even want to leave him alone for 2 weeks without interacting with him and then slip a live fuzzy or appropriate size in with him overnight and just leave him alone.

Also, what time are you feeding him? Balls often become more active once the lights go out.. if you haven't tried yet.. try feeding him in the dark later in the evening.
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Morph Evolutions
www.morphevolutions.com

He looks a lot better now. When I got him his skin was loose and he he just generally didn't look good. I haven't messed with him, other than making sure he has fresh water, for about a week.

I try to feed him in the evening and have tried even around 2 A.M. He just doesn't seem to want to eat.

I am going to give him a fuzzy in another week or so and see what he does.

Thanks for the advice,
J_

Sure, no problem at all. I am glad to hear he is looking better at least. Might also want to try soaking him in water.. if the skin is loose or what not, could be a sign of dehydration. If he's dehydrated, he more then likely won't eat either.

Goodluck. Keep us posted.
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Morph Evolutions
www.morphevolutions.com