Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi, i have two questions for you ball python fans. I purchased a ball python baby (not sure of age hes about 15-17inches) from a exotic petstore here in town. The first week was fine i didnt feed him until one week in which he ate a live fuzzy, my wife didnt like him eating live and i know frozen is better but i just wanted to see if he was going to eat or not. Next week i fed him a thawed fuzzy which he ate after a little coaxing. Now the problem is ive had him for 3-4 weeks now and he hasent defecated. Another problem is his body is nice and plump but behind his vent or after his vent his tail is SKINNY i mean like no meat only bone I dont know what couuld be wrong with him he refused food about five days ago im going to try again tom. His temps are correct and he has water aval. at all times any ideas? Ive heard about soaking him in warm water to make him defecate which i will try tom.

He is probley going into a shed, He will probely go after his shed.. They are not regular, and may take weeks to go. Is the belly slightly pink or eyes look kind of blue,if so wait to feed after shed. I have a few that will eat will in shed but some will not..

Okay, first - there's no age where a ball python eats a prey item as small as a fuzzy. After two feedings of hoppers my hatchlings were big enough to eat full grown mice, which is what your snake should be eating.
Second - the tail is naturally skinny after the vent. I doubt you really have much to worry about, although if you'd like to disprove me and post a picture, that'd be a much better example.
Don't worry about him refusing food. Like Melinda said, it could be going into shed, or the temps might not be exactly to its liking, might not be humid enough, or the sun, moon, and stars might not be aligned in the exact perfect positions for optimal ball python digestion. Who knows. They do this kind of thing with frustrating regularity.
As far as pooping - have you ever worried about how long it takes you to digest and then poop? Snakes just digest slower. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, my large female only poops maybe once a month or so. Great big smelly turds that can be larger than a chihuahua.
Don't soak it unless it does turn out to be going into shed and you don't think your humidity is high enough. Leave it alone until it starts eating again.

Good luck!

~jenny
-----
"The python has, and I fib no fibs,
318 pairs of ribs.
In stating this I place reliance
On a seance with one who died for science
This figure is sworn to and attested,
He counted them while being digested."
~Ogden Nash

jenny.thegreenes.org

"If you're happy and you know it,
Bomb Iraq!
If you cannot find Osama,
Bomb Iraq!
If the terrorists are frisky,
Pakistan is looking shifty,
North Korea is too risky,
Bomb Iraq!

Well i didnt know that he should eat larger than fuzzys, thanks ill get him full grown mice, On a side note the temps in his cage are 75 cool end 90 warm, 30-40% humididty...his eyes are not blue because I thought he was going to shed soon also, ill try feeding him the two fuzzys I have left in the morning, my panther chameleon has given me less problems than this python but ive owned balls befor and know they can be picky and they are hardy so im not toooo worried but thanks for the replies so soon =)