Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I recently rescued a ball python from a daycare center. The daycare center didn't feed the little guy for about 4 months.

When I received this snake he was very dry to the touch. I soaked him for about 20min. And set him in the tank. I offered a mouse but he did not seem interested.. It has now been about 1 week and he still has not eaten.

I have a few questions as to how I can get this little guy some weight on him and healthier.

1.) Temp? I cant seem to get the tank above 84* I have a Ceramic Heater lamp as well as a UTH... is this 84* okay? it gets about 72 at night. I can add more heat if needed.

2.) What methods can be used to coax a snake into eating? I have offered a mouse. and let it sit for about 1 hour in the tank if the snake didnt take it I remove the mouse and try again a day or 2 later.

What is the set up in the enclosure? A couple of nice tight hides would be the first step to making the snake feel secure. At least 2;one on the cool end and one on the warm end. A warm end temp of 84 is fine but you should get the night time temp up to at least 75. The next thing to check is humidity. It should be around 50-60% humidity. Ceramic heaters tend to dry the air and snakes out so if you can get the temp up anouther way that would be good. Screen tops are no good but if that's what you've got you can cover part of it with plastic to retain more moisture (if humidity is off)You also might want to make sure the snake is in a low traffic area of your home. Once you have it nice and comfortable, leave the snake alone and offer food once a week. If it doesn't want mice try rats. If it doesn't want pre killed or thawed, try live (supervise this). One thing you could try that I've had luck with is leaving a dead mouse or rat at the opening of the hide over night. More often then not it won't be there in the morning. Good luck.
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I eat human infants. They, like everything else, taste like chicken. What?

First, post this on the Ball forum...that will help.

IMO, there is no point in trying to rush him to eat. BPs don't do rushing.

You said he was dry, was he dehydrated? Was he covered in layers of shed?

Soaking 20 minutes is nothing. Set up a humid hide for him with a plastic container full of damp moss or paper towel, put this in his enclosure. Let him use it for a week or two.

After the week or two of humidity and temps THEN try feeding him. I would start with something best and work to worse case....in my mind that is start with a F/T and leave it overnight. Try mice, try rats, try prekilled. Worse case try live. Only try something once a week, NOT day after day.

As to your temps....how are you measuring them? Where are you measuring them? Lay the thermometer where he is laying and go from there. Don't measure air and don't measure something stuck up the wall.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny