Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just have a question about feeding.. I have about a 4 month old Pastel and is being feed one mouse a week. (My mom said thats to much right there). Im preety sure they should eat more. I really just want to do whats best for the snake. P.S. I cant get my SPider to eat! Hes eaten once and just does not look interested. We have tried all shapes,sizes, and color (Literally). We have tried the paper box method and left him in their one hour in the morning and 1 hour at night. What else can I do? Thanks for any help!

Josh
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Got Balls?
1.0 Pastel BP (George)
0.1 Spider BP
0.1 Huge normal BP (Beladona)
0.0.1 Gray Banded king
0.1 7 foot Burmese
0.0.1 Red phase Eastern Hoggie
0.0.2 RES
0.0.1 Musk turtle
1.0 Cat(Higgens)
2.0 Dogs (Boomer,Buster)
1.1 Iggys (Bart, Lisa)
1.1 Beardies
0.0.1 Axthantic Red tail Boa
0.0.1 Prairie King snake
0.0.1 Savannah Monintor

One appropriately sized mouse per week is not too much. If your snake looks thin, bump up to two mice per week. If it is grotesquely overweight, feed a mouse every 12 days or so. Ball pythons are naturally pretty heavy bodied, but a 4 month old wouldn't look really fat unless being overfed. I feed my youngsters either one large mouse per week or 2-3 fuzzies... but I don't know how large your guy is.
I would have to say that in my opinion, one mouse a week is perfect for most young ball pythons.

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~Sara~
5 ball pythons
1.0 Black-lined plated lizard (Lizzy Butt)
0.1 Burmese Python (Pixil)
lots of Rats
1.1 Dogs (Ozzie and Mandy)
0.1 Cat (Isis)
0.0.1 Synodontis Catfish (Big Spotty Fish)
0.1 Convict Cichlid
0.0.1 blood parrot cichlid
0.0.1 African Featherfin Catfish

Ok, Thanks! I think ill keep it a mouse a week.
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Got Balls?
1.0 Pastel BP (George)
0.1 Spider BP
0.1 Huge normal BP (Beladona)
0.0.1 Gray Banded king
0.1 7 foot Burmese
0.0.1 Red phase Eastern Hoggie
0.0.2 RES
0.0.1 Musk turtle
1.0 Cat(Higgens)
2.0 Dogs (Boomer,Buster)
1.1 Iggys (Bart, Lisa)
1.1 Beardies
0.0.1 Axthantic Red tail Boa
0.0.1 Prairie King snake
0.0.1 Savannah Monintor

the snakes themselves are the best at judging what is "best" for them. if he eats one mouse, offer another. if he is not ready, he'll ignore it. if he takes it, he's ready for two. or a small rat. and so on. its really that simple.

until they become adult. then you dont want them becoming obese as their growth slows down. but you have a ways to go till that should be a concern. i only say this as i see folks post about "obese" ball pythons. i've never personally seen this. ball pythons are so finicky that if i see they are in a heavy feeding mode (always the warmer months), i feed them as much as they want - because i know they will slow down or wont each much at all during colder months.

hope this helps.

Don't tell her I said it like this...but your mom's wrong. I've got a pastel born in AUGUST and he's eating a mouse every five days, and I'm about to bump that up to two mice once a week. At four months old your snake can definately handle more than just a mouse a week.

Do you remember what the seller said the spider was eating? Have you tried scenting with hamster/gerbil/mouse bedding, have you tried rat pups, did you try prekilling a mouse and just leaving it in there overnight?

Also, maybe try doublechecking all your husbandry with the spider. Try raising the hot side a bit, or cooling it down a bit, depending on which side of the cage it hangs out the most on. Could be that it's just a few degrees too cool or warm for its taste. Is the humidity up enough? Have you tried adding another hide or two?
I have a male who would only eat mice for the longest time, and recently his cage was bumped up a few degrees due to a warm spell...and he started taking rats! Coincidence, maybe, but definately worth a shot to get your spider eating.

And I'm sure you know this already...but make sure you don't handle it, or at least handle it as little as possible, only when necessary.

Good luck!

~jenny
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"Polysyllabism in no way insures that what you're saying is actually worth being heard." - Blake (an e-friend of mine)

"I have never made but one prayer to god, a very short one: "O lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it." - Voltaire

He has one hide box. He usually is on the cool side of the tank. Ive tried pre-killing, but never tried scenting. I guess ill try that stuff. Thanks for all the help.

Josh
-----
Got Balls?
1.0 Pastel BP (George)
0.1 Spider BP
0.1 Huge normal BP (Beladona)
0.0.1 Gray Banded king
0.1 7 foot Burmese
0.0.1 Red phase Eastern Hoggie
0.0.2 RES
0.0.1 Musk turtle
1.0 Cat(Higgens)
2.0 Dogs (Boomer,Buster)
1.1 Iggys (Bart, Lisa)
1.1 Beardies
0.0.1 Axthantic Red tail Boa
0.0.1 Prairie King snake
0.0.1 Savannah Monintor