Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, I am a new Ball Python owner, and I am looking for some advice. I just got this little guy a week or so ago, and I haven't been able to get him to eat. Now, I have heard that this is normal for these animals to be erratic eaters, but he's so young, I am afraid he will get sick or die. He looks healthy from what I can see, but I am no expert. I am wondering if I should take him back to the store where I got him or continue working with him and hope that he improves. My family has become very fond of him, and I have too, so we are not really wanting to give him up. My concern is that the store has sold me a sick snake that is going to die and I will be out the money. The store owner tells me that the snake was eating before I bought him, and that I should just leave him be and let him adjust before trying to feed him. What do you folks think? Thanks in advance for your help.

Well I'm far from an expert but a week in a new home without eating is not at all out of the ordinary.

You should try to leave him alone to adjust to his surroundings and then try to feed him at a very quiet time, perhaps at night while it's dark.

Have you tried frozen or live? You may need to try live just to get him going.

I'm sure others will have more advice but I hope this helps.

We need more info. How are you keeping him ...EXACTLY? How big is the "little guy"... EXACTLY. What, and how have you tried to feed him....EXACTLY? Are you 100% sure he is not in shed? Once you answer all these questions, we can tell you what to do.

ps. Exactly... means every little thing.... with ball pythons, little things make a difference.

The snake is 14" long, the pet store owner tells me that the snake is 2 months old. I have tried feeding him live pikies, pre-frozen pinkies that have been thawed and then warmed in hot water. He will not take the food from me, so I tried leaving the food in the terrarium and then covering the tank up so that it is dark. I've left it in there alive and dead, and still he seems afraid of the food and will not eat it. His home is a ten gallon aquarium with a cardboard box hide, a watering dish and I have him on sand that the pet store recommended when I bought him. The temperature inside is 85-90 degrees in the hottest part of the cage, and 75-85 degrees in the coolest area. I have a heating pad under the cage and a 70-watt heating lamp on top for temperature regulation. I hope this info is sufficient, if not, let me know and I will try to answer any other questions. Thanks again.

do you know where the pet store got him from? And you said the pet store said that it had eaten, did they say what they gave it? Live vs Dead? I know with ours he is much older but coming into the new enviornment he stopped eating at first and we had to make the meal "dance" for him for quite a few minutes even though he had only eaten frozen / thawed prior. Sounds like you are giving it great effort and care on this. The snake's lucky to have you!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

1) SUBSTRATE:
I wouldn't use sand! Try Aspen bedding, Cypress mulch, or Newspaper. Sand can cause problems, God forbid your animal gets a Respiratory Infection, and has mucus coming out of it's mouth now you have a muddy mess in you snake's mouth.
2) HIDE BOXES:
You should use 2 hide boxes, one on the hot side and one the cool side. Make sure your python just fits in the hide boxes, a snug hide will make it feel more secure.
3) Heat:
Your heat sounds good. But you should get a thermostat, just to make sure the hot side doesn't get to hot! Big Apple Herps sells an affordable one that works good. Follow link:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/Reptile_Supplies/Product/Electronic_BAH_Series_Thermostats_924105.html
4) FOOD:
Pinkie mice are way to small for a ball python. Try this, wait a week or two, then offer your python a Live Hopper mouse. Give it to your python at night in the dark, but don't leave it in the cage for more then an hour. Make sure it always has fresh clean water.

Also Don't pick it up until it eats!!! Unless you absolutely have to, like to clean the cage or something like that.

I hope this helps. Good luck, and keep us posted on its progress.

Jay Cassidy
Caveman Reptiles

Give him a week or so to settle into his new home. That means no handling - I know its hard to do with a new pet, but trust me, it's what he needs. After a week, offer him a live hopper mouse, but be prepared that he may refuse it. If he does, give him some more settling in time and offer the mouse again in a week. Technically dawn and dust are the snakes natural feeding times so try feeding him, then. If after a couple of weeks of trying this he is still not eating, then it may be time to consider other measures, but it sounds to me like he just needs some settling in time.
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Tosha

"Of course, this is just my opinion...and I believe I am God." -- Christopher Bianco

8.20.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
1.0.0 Angolan Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.3 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Get him off that sand. I don't care what the pet store says.

I don't think that's the reason he is not eating, but sand is not a good substrate for a ball python. Good luck.