Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey i just got into bp and i just bought one that is about 1 foot long. Ive had it for now two weeks in a 10 gallon fish tank. But people tell me that it is better for them to build or buy a box that way their humidity level is higher and i have less problems with them. But my problem is that my snake still has not eaten......so should i wait till it eats and then move it or just move it and then feed it cause i feel if i move it then its gonna go off feed and not eat.....well for now im just going to wait to see if it eats before moving it unless ne1 comes up with ne other ideas.....thank u

Well, your eventually going to have to upgrade to a larger cage or tank. It's difficult to maintain proper heat and humidity in tanks. It can be work trying to find out what methods will work best to remedy the situation for you. I think it's worth it to have a nice display tank. Of course you can always get Visions, Boaphiles, etc and still have a nice display with less work.

But first, what are your temps and humidity now? You may not need to worry about it at the moment. As far as your bp not eating: what are you feeding it and what was it eating before you got it? If you've only had for 2 weeks it may still be acclimating. Have you been handling him? Some bps go off feed this time of year. Need more info...
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

i keep it in my room where it is usually 70-80 degrees. i keep a bowl of water in its tank to have atleast some humidity in there. Ive stopped handling it for about 3 days now cause i was informed i have to stop handling it if i want it to start eating. The guy at the store told me it only ate live white mice and that if i had any problem to take it in and he would feed it in front of me to prove to me that it ate before he sold it to me. I have found some stuff to make the humidity higher but im still thinking bout having it eat and then moving it. right now it its not going under its wood where it usually is which is kinda awkward but i dont think i should be worried about that since the temp. is fine....please write back as soon as possible thank u

What about the temps in the cage - both the cool side and the warm side? You can't go by your room temp. You need to have thermometers in the cage to measure the actual temps your bp is experiencing. You also need something to measure humidity. If you're not providing the right temps/humidity this could not only affect the health of your bp, but be causing stress that is keeping it from eating.
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

What are you feeding?

How are you feeding?

What's the average relative humidity?

What are the temps your keeping it at?
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-Iman

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well i feed it the white mice that they gave me at the store that i bought it at. They told me that iot usually ate those mice and that it wouldnt eat frozen mice yet. I keep it in a 10 gallon aquarium with a bowl of water and a piece of wood where it can hide under. Under the wood i have a heating pad that keeps it warm in temps around 75-85 or even hotter. For the humidity i just keep a bowl of water with a lot of water and a towel over the top of the aquarium that way the humidity is high....i dont think that the environment that it is in is a problem.. i think it is a another problem...nebody witih any other ideas please reply....thank u

I disagree. It is totally possible that it is the environment. Your warm side where the UTH is should be 90 degrees. You need to know exact temps. What's the temp on the cool side? What exactly is the humidity? You should have a hide on each side so that your bp can thermoregulate in a hide if it likes. As far as tank size - you'll eventually need to go bigger so maybe you should go ahead and do it now. And when you do provide the right temps and humidity (and be sure you measure them so you know exactly what they are)and the right number of hides then maybe that will get it to eat. But regardless of whether you move it now or not, you need to get the temps and humidity correct right now. I'd probably take it in to the petstore just so it does get something to eat while you work on the environment.
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

alright then i sure those were the exact temps.....i have the heat pad to keep it warmer....for the humidity that might be a problem..and how oam i suppose to measure that?? since u know all this stuff y dont u help me out

Get a thermometer to measure the temperature - I recommend a digital kind with a probe. Get a hygrometer to measure the humidity. There are also cheap stick on kinds you can buy but I've heard many advise against them. You can get combo thermometer/hygrometer set ups. Your petstore should be able to help you. You want to measure the temp on top of the substrate above the UTH to see what the temp would be if your bp were lying on it. You want it to be 90 degrees on the warm side. Also measure the tempo on the cool side.

I don't mean to harp, but it is possible that the environment is a contributing factor to your bp not eating. I'd say make sure you have all of it straight, make sure there are at least 2 hides (one on each side), make sure your cage is not in a high traffic area, leave your bp alone for awhile, make sure it's not in shed, etc. If you're still having problems, maybe its just going off feed like many do this time of year. Again, see if it will eat at the petstore. As a previous poster asked, how and when are you feeding it? There are many methods to enticing a BP to eat (cover tank, feed at night, feed in bag, etc) that are available on many care sheets.

Good luck!
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

ok i get out early this week cause i have testing at my school..so im going to try to go as soon as possible to the pet shop and see what i can find for my pythons environment...i only have on hidding spot so oim going to try and find it another one...im gonna get the thermometers and then post up the results...if its not warm enough or humid enough what should i do??

what are you using as substrate?
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

that wood stuff...but i think im going to change it...but im not sure yet...im going to wait to settle down and then make all the changes....do u have AOL INSTANT MESSANGER OR AOL....cause u seem to know a lot and i would like to talk to u quicker if u do then please send it to me that way we can talk faster and easier thanx

I don't have any of the instant messengers, but I do check my email quit often (once before work, at least 3 times at work and a zillion times when I get home). Hopefully some others might chime in who can help in that way.

Also, make sure your hides aren't too big. They like to be able to ball up and fit snug in the hide.

I'll watch for your posts.

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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

THANX. yea i have a small piece of wood where the snake can hide under. it is not too big and its perfect for her.

Great. Keep us updated as to what you find out about your temp and humidity readings. A pic of your setup can also help others make suggestions, etc.
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

Here one good care sheets that was recommended to me:

http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/#FEEDING

A good book to pick up (has a number of feeding strategies):
"The Ball Python Manual" by Philippe De Vosjoli
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"

ok thank u. i have decided that im going to see if it will feed in its tank that way i dont have to take it to the vet and have it fed there with tubes or w/e. If it doesnt eat it then i guess im going to have to. but im pretty sure that im getting its new cage for christmas if not ill just stasrt fixing up the 10 gallon. thanx

today something really got me frusterated. my friend got a new reticulated python and it ate the 2ND DAY!!!!!!! im so jelous..i wish mine would eat.....and the thing is that his tank is probably worse then mine....he does not know half the thing that i do.........i dont even think he knows that snake gets really big..

hey guys yesteray i bought a mouse and put it in the bps tank and the bp immidiatly went after it! all problems are gone and thank u for ur help...

now that it has eaten can i handle it how often i want??? or should i gradually start to handle it??

If you haven't already you might want to weigh your BP. If it starts to lose weight the not eating may be a problem. When I first got my BP the vet told me that she would be very concerned if my little one still wasn't eating 3 months after I got it or if it lost a lot of weight. She weighed it for me and I bought a scale to monitor its weight.
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0.0.1 Ball Python
1.0.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"