Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got a baby ball python from a breeder at a reptile show on saturday. He is a little over a foot long, seems to be healthy, sleeps during the day, gets moving at night. Drinks from the water bowl, hasn't gone in it yet. Breathing is fine, no white marks or indication of parisites, everything seems to check out, EXCEPT....

When holding him, every now and then he will open his mouth, kinda like he's yawning, I've looked into his mouth and there doesn't seem to be any signs of redness or discoloration. He has not eaten yet, however being brought into a new enviornment, I wouldn't expect him to. Right now I have frozen fuzzies for him but he doesn't seem interested. After I let it thaw, and get room temp, i'll place it in with him. He knows it's there, stopping right over it to flick it's toungue for a scent a few times but then ignores it. I ment to ask when I bought him, whether he was on live or frozen (he had frozen for sale, so I guess I assumed). I don't really want to waste any more frozen ones and I don't really want a live one that he's not going to eat.

Is this something I should get worried about (cuz I am)?

You need to leave him alone for at least a week or two.No handleing no feeding. Just let him be. I would imagine at that size he is eating live. I would try live first make sure he is eating good then switch to ft.

Frozen fuzzy what? A ball that big, should be eating adult mice or similiar sized rats, maybe pups or weanlings!

First, stop handling him. You need to let him settle in for a week or two before messing with him. Second, room-temperature food is not going to be appealing to a baby ball python that knows by instinct to look for very warm food. Warm it up to about 98 degrees (body temp of a rodent) and then offer it to him. You may have to use tongs and make it wiggle a bit to simulate it being alive. They're not keen on taking cold dead food that's just laying on the cage floor.
-----
~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

As to the opening of his mouth, he pretty much is yawning. He's either realigning his jaws or just yawning. My snake does it every so often. I think it's cute.