Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My female normal Ball Python laid 7 eggs on April 10th.
All 7 hatched the week of June 2nd. I put them in individual tubs in a rack system (heat etc).
After their first shed (with 1 to 2 weeks), 1 accepted a f/t hopper mouse.
Within 2 weeks, 2 were eating readily every 4 to 5 days. I have sense sold them to some co-workers who are thrilled to bits with them.

The other 5 have still not eaten. They are active, curious, but when I gently dangle the f/t mouse (at ~89/82F). They don't look skinny yet.

When do I start to worry? Should I attempt pinky mice, pinky rats? Should I force feed them a pinky mouse? (as seen on numerous YouTube videos on how to do that gently).

I don't have ready access to live hopper mice, and I would rather avoid feeding live. I want to sell them to people having them feeding on f/t. The parents only eat live and compared to my other f/t eating snakes, it is a major drawback.

Thanks for your help,

Yvon

Feed Them Live! They switch over to f/t pretty easily at that young age. But it's important they eat ASAP. After a few meals they will develop a stronger eating response, and can be switched over then.

Caveman

I will actively look for live hopper mice!

Thank you for your feedback.

Yvon

Try heating up the frozen a little more. A mouse has a high body temp. Your hand is 98 degrees. Little balls also eat better with cage temp jacked up a little, 85 or so. Turn it up a half hour before you feed. Good luck. Kurt d.

more...89 even....

use a hair dryer to heat the fuzzy mice right as you are to feed them...then you will either let them in there to be eaten , OR you can tease them into eating...pythons will eat if teased...but balls turn off usually...so it's hard to tease them...use a hide...tease them at the doorway ...

and as Caveman says...Live....I fed live always...balls are just that way...
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........JY

Just an update for everyone who was so helpful.

All's good:

One of the 5 ate a f/t hopper on Wednesday. And all the 4 others ate live fuzzies today.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers!

Yvon