I have a ball python i just got him a bout a month ago and now its feeding time and he wont eat ??

Question

I have a ball python i just got him a bout a month ago and now its feeding time and he wont eat ??

Answer 1

You python might not feel secure enough to feed. Try again when it is dark, with the lights of the room set to off, or very dim if you have dimmers. If your snake accepts prey and starts constricting, cover his tank or feed tub with a towel and leave.

It may also not be interested in the prey you are offering. I hope you're not trying live prey because it could get badly bitten. For pre killed and frozen/thawed rodents,first make sure its is thouroughly thawed and warm (use a hair dryer to warm it up if you have to) or you may want to get a toothpick and wiggle it inside the rodent's nose to get some blood to come out.

Assuming you have feeding thongs, forceps or hemostats, hold the rodent a little bit back from its middle and tap your snake's tail with the nose of the prey. Let him take a flick at the rodent's nose so it can pick up the blood scent. Some people do 'the dance', which is basically wiggling the rodent and move it with the thongs as if it were walking. I've personally never had to do this, as tapping works just fine for me on my shy feeders.

If that doesn't work, get a misting bottle (One that has had no chemicals in it!) and spray a little chicken broth on the rodent. I don't recommend dipping the mouse or rat in the broth, just spraying its head lightly.

Still not working? Try a gerbil, hamster or African soft furred (ASF). Only pronlem with this is that your snake may not want to eat mice or rats afterwards, so if you have a vacumm sealer, kill the animal and scent (rub it against) the mice or rat, then freeze the hamster or whatever you used in a vacumm sealed bag for re-use.

Ball pythons can sometime fast for weeks, even months. If your snake is loosing no weight or body mass, don't worry and just wait a few days until trying to offer food again.

Answer 2

Ball Pythons are really finicky and may take a long time to eat. You may try feeding it on a bi-weeky basis but it may take MONTHS for it to eat. You may also try covering your aquarum/ cage during feeding time. I had a female that did not eat for almost a year but was perfectly healthy otherwise. Once she started to eat she was a voracious feeder. Good Luck!

Answer 3

Don't let him eat live, just warm up the frozen rodent and dangle it in front of his face, it can be intimidating but use tongs if you have to.

Answer 4

if the python as had a previous owner he might have been fed live food. if this is the case try leaving the mouse/rat in warm water for 5 mins before putting it into the tank. it worked with my rescue corn sanke now he eats weekly no problem!

hope that helps n dont worry straight away when i took in my snake he hadnt eaten in 7monthes!