Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 23

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Subadult snake Serpentine99's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Chester County, PA
    Posts
    309
    Country: United States

    Question Ball Python Question

    One of my friends got a baby ball Python for Christmas and i saw it today and he said it hasnt eaten since, im pretty worried about it and i was wondering if you guys could give me some advice about feeding these things, since i know many of you have some of these snakes yourself. That way i could go over his house and try to help him get it to feed or just tell him what he should do. Thanks
    Quadruple Sport Enthusiast
    Wrestling
    Track
    Soccer
    Cross Country

  2. #2
    Edgy Exotic Reptiles EdgyExoticReptiles's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Bay Area
    Posts
    1,483
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    has he tried live?
    Quote Originally Posted by Serpentine99 View Post
    One of my friends got a baby ball Python for Christmas and i saw it today and he said it hasnt eaten since, im pretty worried about it and i was wondering if you guys could give me some advice about feeding these things, since i know many of you have some of these snakes yourself. That way i could go over his house and try to help him get it to feed or just tell him what he should do. Thanks
    Email:reed@edgyexoticreptiles.com
    http://www.edgyexoticreptiles.com



  3. #3
    Basilisk (The King of all Serpents) enigma200316's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    northeastern, PA
    Posts
    1,915
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    pythons can be extreme when it comes to eating, some won't eat live, some won't dead, they even can be picky with color, or fur of food....
    you can try mixing up diff. things like color, and live or dead.......
    also pythons sometimes won't eat for weeks between meals....... so at this point I wouldn't worry to much unless there is something visually wrong like mites, or respiratory problems............I had one that was 5 feet long one time eat a large rat and didn't eat again for 8 months no matter what I tried...........so like said I wouldn't worry just yet, and try those diff. things or you could just take it to a vet..........................
    these are my opinions and I'm not a vet, but I do have experience with them.................................
    Justin

  4. #4
    thamnophis puniceus Lori P's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    3,704
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    They sure can be very difficult feeders. Do you know what the baby was raised on-- mice pups, rat pups, live, or f/t? I've found that once they start on something, it's hard to get them to switch. You may have to go back to what it was eating and start from there.

    It's not unusual for them to go a month without eating. When I got my baby, Sguiggles (sorry Greg) she didn't eat for me for 3 weeks, and that was with the breeder holding my hadn through the whole thing. And even now, in order to get her to eat, she has to be in just the right mood, the mouse has to be just the right temp, and I have to dangle it just the right way or she won't go for it!!!!

    Has he been leaving the snake alone to settle in? They are often quite shy, too...

    Hope others far more experienced than I can help you, but maybe this gives you a start... :-)
    Lori, New Hope Rescue-- rescuing equines and others
    www.newhoperescueva.com

  5. #5
    thamnophis puniceus Lori P's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    3,704
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    I wonder why they are so difficult?! I'm incredibly lucky with Fluffy, my first ball python (the one who started it ALL!! lol) in that she eats both mice and chicks and never misses a meal unless she's in shed. But Squiggles is a whole different ball game.

    You're right about the fur thing, too-- Squiggles ate fuzzies for a while and then started refusing them, and out of the blue I tried a small mouse and wham, that was it. Never ate fuzzies again. Like she wanted more fur all of a sudden, lol.
    Lori, New Hope Rescue-- rescuing equines and others
    www.newhoperescueva.com

  6. #6
    "Third shed, A Success" tikichick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Austin, Texas - YEEHAW!
    Posts
    481
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    Have they tried isolating the snake with the food, say in a paper bag or small container (with air holes), overnight?

    The food should be the same size around as the largest part of the snake's body. Some snakes will eat things that are huge, but these seem to prefer tummy sized prey.

    Mine prefers to eat female mice over male mice, but I've found that getting the f/t mice around 70 - 85 degrees and dangling or walking it along in front of him works regardless.

    I recently visited a friend with a large bp that hasn't eaten in a month. She was offering food to him in the cage and the cage has two hides and a small water bowl, aspen bedding, vines, and hardly anyplace to move around. I suggested a larger enclosure, bigger bowl so he can soak, and to remove the hides and water at feeding time and put some newspaper over the aspen. Mine will move around a lot when he's eating and needs space to do the constricting and getting the mouse in his mouth. So he's got about the equivalent of 10 gallons of free space at feeding time to do his thing.

    I hope it eats for them soon
    "Mai kolohe i ka mo' o o lele ka pali" -
    Do not bother lizards or you'll fall off a cliff.

  7. #7
    Subadult snake Serpentine99's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Chester County, PA
    Posts
    309
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    Thanks guys, im going to ask him today what hes tried and what he hasnt, also if he is feeding it live or dead, but apparantly i dont have to worry too much at this point. i wasnt sure exactly how long they could go without eating so thats why i asked, thanks again.
    Quadruple Sport Enthusiast
    Wrestling
    Track
    Soccer
    Cross Country

  8. #8
    Basilisk (The King of all Serpents) enigma200316's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    northeastern, PA
    Posts
    1,915
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    not a problem, any time, thats what we're hear for............
    Justin

  9. #9
    Moderator adamanteus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Cheshire. (Near Manchester).
    Posts
    10,633
    Country: United Kingdom

    Re: Ball Python Question

    Someone touched on the handling issue already. I have found that newly acquired Python regius (we call them Royal Pythons in the UK) settle to eating more quickly if they aren't handled. But then I'm not a great advocate of unnecessary handling anyway.
    James.

  10. #10
    Basilisk (The King of all Serpents) enigma200316's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    northeastern, PA
    Posts
    1,915
    Country: United States

    Re: Ball Python Question

    Quote Originally Posted by adamanteus View Post
    Someone touched on the handling issue already. I have found that newly acquired Python regius (we call them Royal Pythons in the UK) settle to eating more quickly if they aren't handled. But then I'm not a great advocate of unnecessary handling anyway.


    I call them that as well James, it just seems the are commonly known as Ball Pythons...............
    Justin

Similar Threads

  1. my new GIANT albino burmese python!!!!!
    By brandon0133 in forum The Garter Snake Lounge
    Replies: 71
    Last Post: 12-02-2007, 09:47 AM
  2. i need to find URI medicene for my ball python
    By brandon0133 in forum General Talk
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 11-27-2007, 09:53 PM
  3. my new GIANT albino burmese python!!!!!
    By brandon0133 in forum General Talk
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 11-18-2007, 08:26 PM
  4. Merauke Green Tree Python
    By 0TG in forum The Garter Snake Lounge
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 08-19-2007, 06:55 PM
  5. Python Hatching (live cam)
    By abcat1993 in forum General Talk
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-31-2007, 04:08 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •