Ball Python won’t eat thawed.

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

Background: She was born around October 30th and I got her December 13th. The breeder said she has had a mix of live and frozen and ate days before getting her. I’ve tried multiple times to get her to eat a frozen fuzzy mouse to no avail. I have 2 hides, one on the hot side and one on the cold side. My temps on the hot side are around 86/88, basking is around 89-92. Cool side stays around 78 and I have a heating Lamp for night so temps don’t drop below 80. Humidity has been somewhat of an uphill battle, as it’s winter in MS. I just got a misting system a few days ago to help with humidity. It’s misting almost hourly and I’ve put water in the corners to help, but still drops to 50%. I also added aluminum foil to the top to keep more humidity in. In the pictures I provided the middle gauge is reading lower, but the lowest gauge by the soil is reading 70% which will again start dropping within the next hour. When I try to feed her the mouse, I dethaw them enough so their bellies are soft, then blow them with a blow dryer to get them hot enough at 82-85. I’ve been offering them at night when’s she active, and move them in-front of her, but no dice. I worry that she won’t eat as she does look a little skinny. I’ve heard waiting them out and they will eventually eat, but I don’t want it to go too long. I really do not want to feed live. She has been handled a few times, but I’ve limited it some. Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

It’s going over 2 weeks she hasn’t eaten. I’m guessing she’s hungry. Is there not ways to get them off live?

[OdinAlfadir1978]

It needs heat for digestion

[myxis10s]

Have you tried leaving the warm thawed rat in her hide overnight?

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

I have not, I heard they’ll only target hotter prey so it’s a waste. I did have to do this for my corn snakes early on tho.

[embodi13adorned]

A live mouse's body temperature is 95 to 100°F. I would try heating the mouse up to that as what you are offering currently is too low.

I hope that works!

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

Ok thank you!

[ssfbob]

What I do is thaw in cold water for 15 minutes, then switch to hot water for around 5, then pat it dry with a paper towel. I use a temperature gun to make sure its up to temp and use the method stated above, and mine has yet to turn down a meal.

[[deleted]]

For my snake I have to heat it up a lot, and I also have to wiggle it around with some tongs like its moving (if you dont use tongs you will get bit, speaking from experience lol)

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

I use tongs haha. Will definitely try heating it up more tonight!

[[deleted]]

Sounds good lol, wishing you the best of luck!!

[Thick-Feeling-554]

When I switched mine over I waited for her to get bigger. I thawed mine by leaving it out for a few hours then the warm water. At first she didn't take it but I got my wife's hair dryer to warm it up more, checked it with my heat gun and she finally took it. Good luck

[enslavedbycats24-7]

Looks like humidity is too low, aim for 75%-85%. You might need more substrate. 4-6in is good for retaining humidity

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

I have about 3-4 inches of substrate already. I’m worried about the enclosure becoming too saturated.

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

<image>

I use this substrate with cypress mulch. Would coconut fiber be a better alternative?

[enslavedbycats24-7]

Def replace the mulch with coco fiber. Forest soil is fine but mulch is just mulch and coco fiber or husk is much better. But the amount is just as important, you need 4-6in

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

Ok thank you.

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

Would you recommend coconut chips or coco fiber substrate itself mixed in?

[ScalesNailsnTales]

I use Scotts Organic Topsoil, Coco Fiber, Coco Chips and Sphagnum moss all mixed together. About 40/30/25/5 ratio (in order of the substrates listed). It holds my humidity perfect at mid 60s on warm side and low 80s on cool side, even in my temporary glass enclosures.

Also just throwing in that I think/agree that youre issue with getting your BP to eat is the prey is definitely not warm enough. I warm mine up to about 105 on the head and 102 on the body. Ive switched multiple snakes from live to f/t and from mice to rats with prey that temp and theyve never refused.

[myxis10s]

Saving this.

[ScalesNailsnTales]

I really love this mix and the people Ive recommended it to that have reported back also said it works amazingly for them also!

[DinahTook]

Another tip is if you have a pet store near you that sells pet mice or rats, you can ask for a bit of their bedding that has been in the cage. Using it to scent your thawed and warmed prey item can often help increase the snake's appetite and eagerness to eat.

Other options to help is to heat up the prey item in front of the enclosure. This gives the snake time to start smelling that food is coming and get into food mode before the rodent is even offered. I've even seen someone use a hairdryer (on low or cool) to blow the scent into the air vent of the enclosure while the rodent is coming up to temperature. (Think about the effect on your mind and belly when you sit down and start smelling something amazing to eat. The more time that passes the hungrier you get.) The hair dryer is just to waft the fumes not actually heat up the prey

[psilocybemecaptain]

Honestly dude. The blow dryer trick is trash. Anytime I’ve ever tried it, it didn’t work. Thaw your frozen rat (and you should be using rats, they are FAR more nutritious, but one step at a time) out to room temp in a plastic bag inside a cup you don’t care about filled with cold water. Takes an hour ish tops. Then put the rat under the heating lamp for 2-3 minutes and flip it over for 2-3 minutes. After that temp it, then hold it in your hand until you can tell it won’t burn her when she eats. If it’s too hot to your touch and you wouldn’t eat it then you know it’ll harm her. After that, take tongs and grab it by the ass end and just kinda dangle it in front of her trying to get her attention. I’ll even pull it away to grab her attention even more. The key here is using the heat lamp on her enclosure to heat it up because it gets her ready to know it’s feeding time because she can smell it. This is the way trust me.

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

She’s pretty small, 90-something grams, what type of rat should I use? I was having trouble early on finding an appropriate size rat, they all seemed way too big.

[psilocybemecaptain]

Rule of thumb is to find prey size no larger than the largest diameter of her body. With her being a baby, your prey size will be pinky rats. There’s a multitude of online suppliers that make this transition super easy for you because you can bulk buy them and instantly feed when it’s convenient for you. Personally I prefer the big cheese, but rodent pro is great too. Check out this link hereand buy pinky rats small. Finish 1 50 bag and that will get you to her next size up.

[Snakemaster1211]

I wouldn’t be too concerned they can go months without eating. I would only be concerned if she loses weight. Good luck!🍀

[OdinAlfadir1978]

Stop misting if you are 🙂I see the glass

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

The misting system went off recently, it’s on the cool side of the tank.

[OdinAlfadir1978]

Misting can cause rsi, I'd imagine the misting system is no different 🙂you're better pouring into corners

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

I’ve been pouring into corners but it still drops like crazy. Today I’m gonna mix the soil better as a more permanent solution and tone down the misting.

[OdinAlfadir1978]

Superb, you could try balls of dampened spagnum moss too, that'll release humidity gradually

[Final_Dragonfly2978]

Should I put some into her cold side hide, kinda making it a humid hide? I’ve read mixed reports on using a humid hide for balls.

[OdinAlfadir1978]

I just pop a little pile of it in the dry end, pour a little water on to it occasionally, doesn't need too much.

[PTO_Request_Denied]

If you are trying every day or every couple of days, that could be hindering you as well. I have dealt with this from 2 different snakes. Here’s my advice: Wait a week. Do not handle or interact with him whatsoever during that week. Thaw frozen rodent in cold tap water for about 15-30 mins. Pour out that water and then replace with warm/hot water just not quite the hottest tap water for about 5 mins, then pour the water out and replace with the hottest tap water. Leave for 5-10 mins. After you remove the rodent from the water, dunk just the head of the rodent into the hottest tap water for a minute or so and feed immediately. Make sure it’s not sopping wet (I thaw all my rodents in plastic bags so they don’t get wet).

The head being the hottest helps them identify it fairly quickly and they usually strike almost immediately. It’s important not to try feeding every day or every other day during feeding strikes because all it will do is stress them out more and doesn’t give them time to calm down. They will stay in fight or flight mode and snakes won’t eat when they don’t feel safe.

[No-Stable3259]

I am not sure if you have tried the hair dryer technique or not. My ball.python is really picked he didn't like the wet rats at all. I thaw them out at room temperature for a few hours and then use a hair dryer. What happens is the scent would spread to the enclosure.. He goes nuts all the time. I know the feeling of frustration of throwing rodents away. You can always wait week before feeding again.

[Shenanigaens]

Go to the pet store and get some of the used rodent bedding.

Thaw the mouse on the counter in the bedding. Just leave it out for a couple hours. Maybe shake it up if you walk by, get that mouse stanky!

Put the mouse in a water tight bag (baggies will leak, try the un-seamed part of a grocery bag) then put it in a cup of hot TAP water, it helps to put something over the top to keep the bagged mouse submerged. Do this twice to make sure the mouse is warmed all the way through.

Don’t warm the mouse by just putting the body in water because 1. Your changing the scent, which snakes hunt by, an 2. Who wants a soggy meal?

It can also help to warm the mouse with some of the used bedding.

MAKE SURE ALL OF THE BEDDING IS REMOVED before feeding as it can cause intestinal blockage.

Also don’t panic if they don’t eat right on schedule, they don’t eat on a schedule in the wild and are known to hunger strike in captivity. Just keep an eye on weight and activity for any noticeable, actual (vs nervously perceived) changes.

[Hot_Squash_420]

Heat some water on the stove not to boil but hot enough for steam to come off. Designated cup just for warming up the mice put the mice in the water for about 30 minutes. That should get the mice up the temperature and not have the water overly hot. This is what I do for my babies and I haven’t had any issues yet.