Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well I have tried to feed the snake 3 times now and he just ignores everything. I have tried to put towels around the cage, i have tried pre-killed and live, but he just ignores everything. I am going to wait a little while longer and then see if my herp friend will force feed him for me. I am posting some pics, just wanting some opinions, you can read my previous post from the other day down the forum a little ways.

[img]D:profile.cuMy DocumentsMy PicturesKodak Pictures2004-07-29100_0147[img]

You can't link to photos on your hard drive. If you can get them on a website, you can link to the web address.

Ok sorry for the blurry pics, but what I was wanting to point out is the fold in the skin near his tail. Thanks for the pic info.

I can still see that that snake look 1/2 dead. Nay, 3/4's dead.

Here is what you need to do. Buy a live fuzzy baby rat(4 or 5 days old). Buy a package of small lunch paper sacks from your grocery store. Place the snake inside the paper sack with the live rat overnight. Fold the top of the sack down and staple it shut a couple times so the snake cannot get out. Baby ball pythons have to feel non-threatened in their environment to eat. Just remember to use a really small paper sack. If this does not work, try braining the rat. Take a rasor blade and cut open the skull case exposing the baby rats brain. This has been known to convince reluctant feeders to eat. Only use force feeding as a last ditch resort because force feeding is very stressful to the baby snake and will speed it's death.

I saw the pictures down below, yes your snake is starving. How old is it? has it ever eaten? for anyone? It needs to eat soon.

Mark

I saw the workers at the local pet shop put the snake in another enclosure with a mouse to be eaten; however, I did not see the snake actually eat. When I came to pick the snake up the next day I asked if the snake had eaten and they said it had, but honestly I don't believe them. He is way too skinny to have eaten just 9 days ago. Plus his movements are very shaky. I am going to try the two suggested methods listed above tomorrow when I can get my hands on some fuzzies.

I doubt that it has ever eaten, not if it's that skinny. Also, has it been drinking? does it have easy access to water? Can it find it's water bowl? dehydrated snakes look like that too. You might want to try soaking it in a container with about a 1/2 inch of water just to make sure. Also you can try assist feeding, take a dead mouse and use the nose of the mouse to open the snakes mouth, then just kind of get the snakes teeth caught in the mouse and then set it down to see if it'll swallow on it's own. I would suggest a smaller mouse like a small fuzzy or even a pinky so you don't shock it's digestive system with a big meal.

Good Luck.

Mark

The snake has eaten. I decided to try a grey mouse to see if he would take it, plus I put it in his cage in the middle of the day. He took it almost immediately.

I can only speculate on why he ate on this attempt. First, maybe he didnt recognize the albino mice I was using as food. Second, he seems to be more comfortable in his surroundings lately.

In respect to the grey mouse subject, does this mean that he it is possible that this snake is a wild caught baby? I have heard that wild caught balls can sometimes not recognize white mice as food.

In response to the previous post he does have access to water and he has been drinking thankfully.

Just glad he's eating... now watch him CLOSELY... if he regurg's the food.. you will have to feed him again almost immediately... don't handle him until the lump from the meal has gone down... try to give him a couple of days to digest, unless he regurg's the meal.

Good to hear he's eaten. And yes, that last pic is where I could really see his body shape, that snake looks like he is a gliding dead ...

Sooner he gains weight, the better.
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1 Ball Python
1 Rock Python
1 Bullsnake
5 Cats

Love 'em all ...

What do you think caused him to finally start eating. Was it getting used to his new surroundings, or the different colored mouse?

Hard to say... could be that he's adjusted to his environment now.. could be the time of day you fed him.. could be the colour mouse... not really sure.

Want my honest opinion?

With a problem eater like him.. the next feeding he has... do the EXACT same routine again. Feed him a grey mouse, in his tank, middle of the day like you did with this one...

If he eats it again... stick with that. Just stick with what works...
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1 Ball Python
1 Rock Python
1 Bullsnake
5 Cats

Love 'em all ...