Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Someone I work with just got a ball and is having problems getting it to eat. I have not seen it but she said its about 10", acting normally (moves around in cage, seems alert and moves calmly when handled), does not appear to be sick although from the description it sounds like it has some stuck shed on its tail. It has a heat light with a water dish, and she said it has soaked only once or twice and does not appear to be in shed. She has had the snake for 3 weeks and it has not eaten, which does not concern me, but as far as feeding methods she should be trying...I suggested f/t in a paper bag overnight, live fuzzy in a paper bag overnight, and f/t fuzzy in chicken broth(this worked on one of my bloods, I dont know if it works on balls). She has tried these, but when leaving the snake in the bag with the fuzzy she only left it in for 1 1/2 hrs with no luck. The thing that concerns me is that she got it from a very shady pet store, a friend of mine that use to work there admits that they sell sick animals or in some cases, keep animals that they know are sick and purposely let them die so they can send the carcass back for a refund from the dealer. The store told her the snake was eating f/t pinks when she bought it but they also told her it needed a heat rock and heat light, but that she could shut everything off at night and it could stay at room temp, so why should she believe anything they said? I know what methods work for my bloods but I've never had a ball...what else should she try as far as feeding, short of braining.

She needs to not handle it so much right now. Tell her to get a live fuzzy and give it to the snake, Leave it be in a low traffic area. No chicken broth. If it is visable losing weight she should take it to the vet for parasite ck. She will need a stool sample. If it is only 10 inches it sounds like a very young baby. If it is from a shady pet store it could be a import and this time of the year they are loaded with parasites. If she can not get it to eat and it is getting really skinny she may have to assist feed it. If you need help please email me anytime.

I would suggest she:

1. get a small 15 qt rubbermaid/sterilite tub, small tight fitting hide, small water dish, and a small UTH on a thermostat.

2. put tub in dark quiet corner of her house.

3. make sure proper temps and humidity are set.

4. do not disturb snake for a week.

5. after a week buy live hopper mouse and monitor the feed.

6. If the snake does not eat - leave alone and try again a week later.

Double check that proper husbandry is being maintained and the snake is not visibly ill and the snake should start feeding once settled and secure. If snake does not start feeding - check back for assist feeding techniques.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

Insert Silly Quote Here

Put the snake in a tub in the bottom of a closet with a large fuzzy mouse and leave it, and if that doesn't work, put the snake in a small paper bag in the tub and put it in the closet. I have never had one refuse after tryig these two methods.
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Happy Herping,
Jody Barnes
Royal Kreationz

1.0 albino
1.2 het albino
1.0 het caramel
1.0 het pied
0.1 poss het. pied
0.4 normals (beautiful pastel sibs)

Anyone have a theory as to why the paper bag works? It is simulating a rat burrow that does the trick? I have a new cinny girl that I am trying to switch over to F/T. She has eaten once when I left the rat pup in over night, but refused the next feeding a week later. I'm going to try the paper bag next.

TIA,
Jennifer

Just a follow up for anyone that cares...

I tried the paper bag trick tonight and it worked. I thawed the rat pup to room temp and heated as usual. Tried the zombie dance - no go. So, I put the rat and the snake in a paper lunch bag and put them in a smaller tub in the rack. I didn't need to tape the bag closed. Came back 3 hours later and rat was gone. Yeah!

I think she is a little shy and probably liked the small paper bag. And it probably does bring out some instinctive behavior - I would think raiding rodent dens is one of the ways they hunt in the wild.

HTH,
Jennifer