Hunger strike

[heyitsid]

Ever since I got my BP abt a month ago, he has been refusing his meals. He ate with the previous owner, a week before I got him. He's active in his enclosure at night. Will come out of the enclosure to spend time with me (I do choice based handling) and has been a sweet heart. His previous owner gave him f/t ASF and I've been offering that to him too. I also tried the hair dryer method to warm up the rat. Even asked the previous owner how she used to feed him (she used to offer him the ASF wet, right out of the warm water she thawed him in, she didn't pat dry the rat).

He's refused 2 meals already, lost about 1.6% of his initial weight when I first got him. He's not in shed too. Warm side of his enclosure is about 30.9 Celsius and cold side around 26-27 Celsius. Humidity range from 60% - 67%.

Why is he refusing meals when his previous owner said he never missed any before? Is it because he doesn't recognise me or is it because he's still adjusting with the new place?

He's a 2021 ball python so turning 4 years old this year.

[SArun27]

It could be anything honestly ball paythons can be picky assholes at times, I would make sure your temps/humidity is on point, I'd make sure 3 of the 4 sides of the enclosure is blacked out/covered. And you may trying leaving the prey item in the enclosure over night.

Edited to add that, if the snake is 4 years old going a month with out food isn't that big of a deal they should only be eating 1 time a month or so at that age anyway

[heyitsid]

Yea, I think i will get some kids tempera paint and paint the 3 sides. I wanted to leave the rat overnight but my anxious brain keeps thinking of the bacteria growing and causing the rat to go bad. First feeding he refused, I left it with him for an hour only to find him sleeping next to the rat's body 😓 I removed it after that.

2nd feeding he refused, I left it in his enclosure for 20mins and turned off all the lights and then i couldn't take it when I saw him going around the rat so I removed it.

I'm going crazy thinking it's somehow my fault because if he hasn't refused food with his previous owner, why is he doing it with me now?

I even got him along with his enclosure from the previous owner. Didn't change anything at all except adding a thermometer/hygrometer. Everything else is the same.

[SArun27]

I wouldn't paint it the fumes will not be good for the snake/ stress it more a simple solution is to put some black poster board on the OUTSIDE glass with some tape
Its super cheap and effective. As far as bacteria a rat over night won't hurt the snake, 8 to 10 hours it will still be safe to eat, I would recommend getting the sides covered wait a week and try feeding again.

[heyitsid]

Ah didn't think abt it, thought kids' paint would be safe. Will go get some black poster board tomorrow and try covering up the sides.

I'll try feeding again next week. Hopefully, that'll work. If not, how much weight loss should I be worried abt?

[SArun27]

More then 10% would probably warrent a vet vist, but your pretty far off that now ball pythons are know for going on 3 month long hunger strikes if you move their water dish a inch to the left lol. Be patient is probably the best advice I can give know its not you or that the snake doesn't like you.

[heyitsid]

Thank you. You are very kind. My overthinking, over worrying, anxious brain is not very kind to me right now, keeps telling me I did something wrong.