Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Alright, just a simple question about leaving the snake in a brown bag over night with a f/t mouse to prompt him to eat. I have read this several times on here and thought I'd give it a try. I feel like it shouldn't be as complicated as I'm making it though. I've had my guy for almost three months now and from the first week he would take a mouse a week ravenously, and even two when I tried it after the first few feedings. I didn't know you shouldn't feed when they are about to shed at the time and he ate right before shedding even without a problem. He's an '03 baby and a little over 200 g I believe. About three weeks ago, the pet shop I use didn't have any adult mice but recommended I start with rat hoppers anyway and sent me home with one. He refused his meal for the first time and since hasn't eaten anything. I've tried live and f/t ( he had taken both before) and thought I'd try the brown bag before resorting to going and asking for some gerbil bedding. My question ( yes, I'm finally getting around to it) is how to keep him in the bag. I left it standing in his tank and he climbed out. I shut it by folding and crinkling and he climbed out. Is there a trick to it? I'd be grateful for any and all advice. Thank you for putting up with my ramble!!!

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I just shut the top of the bag in the lid of the enclosure. You should be careful, though, about using this method with a rat bigger than a crawler. Once their teeth come in, they can do some damage if left unattended!
You may just want to wait a couple weeks before you try to feed him again. Try not to stress about it.....it'll drive you nuts!

Good luck!

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Randy
www.ball-pythons.net

DON'T EVER PUT A LIVE RAT OR MOUSE IN A BAG WITH YOUR SNAKE. The brown bag is used to get your snake to start on dead food. You're looking to get your snake injured or fearful of it's prey if you put him in with alive prey inside of a bag. Think over some of the ideas given to you and use common sense. Good Luck

Ball pythons may refuse to eat from time to time. And that's OK. Mine refused to eat for two feedings and I thought, well maybe it's that time of the year so I was ready to wait it out offering food weekly till it ate. I offered food once a week and it refused 2 times. But just this week when I offered it ate and quickly too.

I feed mine in a separate feeding box, shoebox sized rubbermaid. I always observe closely because I do feed live.
If you need to use a brown paper bag, you can fold the top and staple it shut, but I've never used this method. I assume that the food is dead if your leaving it in overnight. I would be temped to poke a few small holes in the bag for air ventilation.

Yes, it was a f/t mouse that I put in the bag...I'm a little too paranoid to feed live even when I'm watching every second much less leave it with him. I tried shutting it in the top of the tank and that worked, of course then he was able to push his head through the one of the little holes in the bag and crawl out lickity-split. Obviously he had other plans of what he was doing for the night. I'll just relax, give it some time and try not to fret. Thanks again for the help, if he's still not eating in a month then you all might have a crazy-with-worry newbie on you're hands!!!!
- Shelby

0.1 gorgeous normal ball python
0.1 fluffy kitten
0.1 massive doofy chocolate lab
0.1 psychotic gelding
0.1 adorable boyfriend
0.7 crazy roommates
Looking at my stats makes me feel like I should be suffering from testosterone overdose