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Last night was my second try to feed Penelope and it was so unsuccessful,that I've found mice in the middle of her hug(looking like she was trying to warm him up,not to eat him) and they were sleeping together...It's a nice scene for some cartoon or so...She is in (approx)65 gallon tank,so I decided to remove the branch,one hiding spot and a water bowl,in order to prevent mice to hide below it,like it was night before.But nothing worked.She seems not interested.Last time she was fed by the guy from whom I bought her and it was 18 days ago,he gave her 2 mice.She is around 10 months old and he says that she is used to eat live prays,not pre-killed or froz-th ones...I left mice all night long with her and nothing happens..Does anyone have idea what I could try more? Thx to you all.Alex..
P.S. pic of her tank(she's hiding in a box on the left(warmer)side...)

She need to just get used to her surroundings.10 days is not that long.I know it seems like it. balls can take some time to adjust to new places. I would not try again for a few days.As lond as she has water and heat.Do you have under the tank mat for her. And a hide over the mat? A 65 gallon tank will be hard to maintain the heat the right way , with out a UTh.
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1.0 Het for pied
0.1 Het for Pied
1.5 normal balls
1.1 bearded dragons
0.1.0 Sulcata tort
1.3 kids
1.0 husband
To many little critters list

In my opinion she needs to go in a smaller enclosure to feel more secure... a 65 gallon tank is way too big even for an adult ball.

It is not a good idea to leave a live mouse with a snake for a whole night as a mouse can severly injure/kill your snake! Also, get that spotlight out of the tank TODAY before you at end up at the vets office with a burned snake.

You did not mention if our using a heat pad and i do not see one in you picture. You should switch to undertank heat and move her to a smaller enclosure and be patient, she will eat.

~ Mike

That was concern also, 65 is way to large. A 20 long would be good size, you need to get plexi glass and cover about 80% of the top to much air you will not be able to maintain the humidty properly. Get a Uth and a hide for the cool side and a hide on the hot side. I personally do not use lights they tend to dry everything out to much and then you have horrible sheds. I would also reccomend a surround on three sides of the tank. The more sucure they fell the better. Balls are not the most avtive snake so they really do not need alot of stuff in the tank. The plant will probly get killed.
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1.0 Het for pied
0.1 Het for Pied
1.5 normal balls
1.1 bearded dragons
0.1.0 Sulcata tort
1.3 kids
1.0 husband
To many little critters list

I apoligize you dont have the plant that was a few post down.. Sorry about that.
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1.0 Het for pied
0.1 Het for Pied
1.5 normal balls
1.1 bearded dragons
0.1.0 Sulcata tort
1.3 kids
1.0 husband
To many little critters list

I agree with Mike. The tank is to large. If you can't get a smaller one you could put two or three hides in there and it would make it seem more secure to your snake, give it more places to hide . Also, balls do sometimes take a while to acclimate to a new home. He can be safely left to himself for weeks if need be. Just change out the water when needed and clean up any feces or urates as that happens. Otherwise leave him alone. I would go a week between attempts to feed.

It's not a good idea to leave live food with a snake overnight. They can do great damage, even a mouse. I wouldn't worry about a mouse hiding from him either. If he were hungry he'd hunt it down no matter where it was . Good luck and be patient.

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

I agree with putting her in somehting smaller. Good luck!
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Dave
Phila, PA

www.DNReptiles.com
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Having a snake that doesn't want to eat sure can be frustrating! It took my new baby blood python almost two weeks after arriving to start eating, and ever since she's been kind of hit or miss each time. My ball python, on the other hand, nearly doesn't wait for food to hit the bottom of the cage before she's starting to swallow it.

Don't loose heart. If your new snake was eating well before you got her, she'll eat well again eventually. Here are a couple suggestions:

1. Try feeding her at night and without any lights on. Since you are using live mice at this point, don't wait too long before checking on your snake. If he/she doesn't kill it in about 15 minutes, take it out and try a few days later. Both my ball and blood python will eat readily at night but usually not during the day.

2. Try a smaller enclosure. A 65-gallon tank may be freaking your little snake out right now. It could be like trying to eat all by yourself in the middle of an empty football stadium. A smaller tank would provide more security for your snake. I figure feeding has to be the most dangerous time for a snake--it's most vulnerable to predators with a mouse stuck in its throat. So, make it really cozy. A 10-gallon tank or 20-gallon tank with hides is big enough. (Lots of breeders keep small ball pythons in plastic Sterlite shoe boxes.

3. Make sure there's enough heat to raise your snake's metabolic rate. It's just one more variable you can cross off the list. (But, don't make it too hot. I use a human heating pad under my tank, so the floor temps are around 85 degrees on the hot end.) Have the other end of the tank be room temp to provide a thermal gradient.

Good luck! He/she will be okay.

Absolutely, go smaller. About a 30 qt. rubbermaid or similar.
Hide area, aspen bedding, and small under cage heat pad.
No hot rock or overhead movie lamps. Put cage in a quiet dark area. Offer rat pups if you can, df. preferred. Give 10-14 days to get used to new digs. Handle prey with forceps, not hands. Save the 65 gallon and breed your own rats for now.

Mike

First of all,I want to thank to all of you good people for helping me with your advices.Concerning the tank,it is a big-one,but I bought it on the recommendation of the breeder from whom I took it, coz he explained to me that that size is the proper one for the grown-up ball,so I thought that it will save me money if I buy that size in the beginning,than to buy it few,from smaller to bigger..Concerning temp on the hot end(one hiding spot present) is in range from 86-90F and on the colder one(also one hiding spot present)is in range of 78-82F.During the night,when light is off,temp drops to 75-77F,which is my room temp.A big problem is coz I live in Serbia,where having reptile as a pet is common like using metric system in the states(very,very rare...),so I have only that guy(breeder-works with snakes,lizards,tarantulas...)to consult with.Because of good temps in the tank,he told me that Uth is not necessity..His opinion is that she feels over-frightened coz we handled her a way to much,even few hours before first try of feeding and that I should wait for few days without even looking at here and than try again.He never experienced problems when offering live pray to her and her broths and siss...That will be my next try and if it fails,I think to try with pre-killed or later fr.-th. I asked him if I should move her to smaller enclosure,to make it easier for her to deal with mice,but at this point,he thinks that I shouldn't do so,coz it will take her time again to adopt to new environment...Have to wait and see what happens next...Once again,thx to you all!!Alex.

... you did not mention removing that spotlight... as i said in my last post i would remove that today! it is not safe to keep inside your enclosure!

say that a UTH is not needed if the ambient temps are good. A snake needs belly to help digest the meal properly and efficiently. Without proper belly heat the meal will take much longer than usual to digest which could lead to a whole host of problems. I would also bump up the ambient air a little. Try that with a much smaller tank and you should have success!
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In Loving Memory of the best Brother God gave me
Sgt. Arnold DuPlantier II
(Army National Guard, Charlie Rock Co.)
06/03/1979-06/22/2005
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