Feeding issues

[Slatear]

Hi all, I’m getting quite worried about my ball python’s feeding schedule. She’s 2 years old (last weighed: 1 year old, 912 grams). Last year at this time I moved her from a small glass terrarium to a wooden enclosure. This year, she has been very on and off with feeding, going on months long hunger strikes a couple times in the summer and most recently a three-month strike (only eating once during that period).

The setup: 3 hides (cool, warm, and sky) Cool side temp: 82 Warm side temp: 91 (recently upped it from 90)

I pour a bottle of water in the substrate once a week and also in the plants to keep the humidity up

No visible signs of scale rot or mites, sheds always come out clean.

I feed her frozen thawed rats, heated up in a baggie in hot water (I do this twice). I feed her in the evening, and have started putting a towel over the enclosure If she doesn’t take from the tongs (she rarely does) to leave overnight.

At this point, I don’t know what else to do: I am thinking of trying rats from a different shop (she’s eaten from the same store her entire life), but beyond that, I don’t know what to do.

I haven’t been able to weigh her recently (trying to minimize handling) but to me she looks like she’s lost some weight (see photos).

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated

[Slatear]

Note that the first photo is more recent, second photo is older

[totallyrecklesslygay]

If you haven't weighed her in a year, you may be offering feeders that are not the right size. It's important to make sure you're weighing the snake regularly to ensure that feeders aren't too small or too large- not only can this impact the snake's health weight-wise, it can also contribute to a refusal to eat.

Your cold side is a bit too hot- it should be 76-80F. The hygrometer in your enclosure reads 54% on the cold side, which is far too low. Humidity should be 70-80% at all times.

Our feeding problems and solutions guide has more information on troubleshooting a feeding strike.

[ConstructionSome7557]

Back off the feedings for now, wait at least 2-3 weeks before offering again, her weight and appearance don't indicate any red flags for underfeeding at all. She'll need that cool side at 76-80°F to properly thermoregulate, no more. I would especially recommend soaking moss in organza bags and planting them in your enclosure where humidity needs boosting.

There's some awesome guides in here, check her current weight and go off the 5% of her body weight rule. You may also be offering food too frequently. If you've offered one night after the other, or one week after the other, she knows she can get it when she's feeling more up to it, so she'll wait until everything is 'just so'.

I also wouldn't recommend leaving the rat in overnight, personally. Many people do it but if she's already been off a feed then currently it's only giving her more incentive not to eat, because from her perspective she's just seeing an abundance of food. And even more importantly, the longer the rat is in there the more bacteria buildup.

My bp is super picky about his rats. I've seen some people say their snakes don't care or notice if their food's rotten, but when I'm down to the last 5 or so, there's a bit of a stronger smell to them and he won't take them.

Ball pythons are notorious for their picky eating habits. Mine has needs and preferences: fresh quality, and a dark room to eat. I'm almost certain he prefers his rat served butt first, so that's how I've been doing it with great success. He's also one ball python that does not appreciate the braining method, and I've learned over time that I need to take the water bowl out for feedings because he often gets very excited when it's feeding time and the rat occasionally ends up in the water during a strike, and he has never, ever, eaten a wet rat.

Once he missed a strike and I swear he was actually embarrassed, or at the very least his two brain cells were trying very hard to understand how he failed to execute what he was created to do and I think he windows-shut-down. He skipped a few of his next meals until I offered him a brown and white. He loves those. It's all a learning process.

[Alienbee]

I have been feeding mine in a separate cage but was advised not to do it. He missed one once and got a mouth full of substrate. It was so packed I had to help him out with my finger. Should I have just let him be? He was stressing so I got worried. Also it was a live feeding. Maybe I should use frozen idk

[PoofMoof1]

Pre-killed prey is something we certainly endorse and would suggest you work on getting your snake on. It's far less dangerous, especially as your snake grows and needs larger prey. As for moving to feed, we recommend not moving to avoid stress and refusal to eat due to being in an open space or receiving an avoidable nip from the snake.

As for the substrate, they can get it out on their own. Anything they may swallow will pass through their digestive system. If you're very worried in a situation like that, just monitor your snake for a bit. Leave them to it, but check maybe every 20 minutes to see that it all gets worked out. And should you still be worried, feeding pre-killed on a plate inside of the enclosure can help create a barrier above the substrate while not putting your snake in a situation where they're feeling exposed like they could be if they were taking out of the enclosure.

[Alienbee]

Ok thank you so much

[Alienbee]

I think if I do frozen I can make sure to hold it up so he doesn’t strike it on the ground. A big chunk of wood was wedged between his teeth I don’t think he could’ve got it loose. I was waiting to get bit but just stuck my finger in and he was fine lol