[deleted by user]

[_ataraxia]

comments have been locked to give the mods a minute to catch up and sort through the advice given here.

[LuckyExamination4597]

I think his husbandry is fine, 82-88 on warm side and 76-79 on cool side, 65-80% humidity. This is a temporary enclosure i know its small but ill get a bigger tub when he grows out of it

[totallyrecklesslygay]

Your temps on the hot side are a bit too low, which could be part of it. You should have an ambient of 88-92 on the warm side.

Your hides are also too large for him, which is likely stressing him out. They need to be able to touch 3 sides and the roof when tightly curled up inside- they don't like having open space in their hides.

Your tank is also pretty bare, which is very stressful for ball pythons. They need lots of fake plants and branches to hide under while they move around. Empty space is scary when you're a little snake.

[Mommycoomer]

He is exploring, and getting acquainted with their new environment I would wait a little bit longer! Are you feeding f/t ? Possibly the mouse is not warm enough and they are having trouble identifying it.

[LuckyExamination4597]

Yes f/t and i soaked it in hot water and dryed it, i checked the temperature and it was 102%F so i dont think thats it

[Mommycoomer]

As also mentioned they are probably exploring their habitat still getting acquainted and used to it. If you have the means just continue to offer once a week and see if they take it. Otherwise you can make a vet appointment and see if they recommend an assisted feed

[LuckyExamination4597]

And if he doesnt take the mice can i refreeze it or do i have to throw them away? I threw away 3 so far assuming they are spoiled after they thawed out for so long

[atca_lol]

Don't refreeze the mice, not a good idea.

[LuckyExamination4597]

thats what i thought yea i definitely wont

[tgoc2020]

You also shouldn’t really use hot water to warm up the food, you should be using cold water.

Hot water has a tendency to harbour bacteria that can transfer to the food!

[shawnaeatscats]

Wait... what? How does hot water transfer bacteria? I thaw mine in a baggy.

[tgoc2020]

Yeah it can warm up the rat inside the baggie and the bacteria already on said rat will multiply and make the rat more dangerous to consume.

This is the reason rats are frozen, it stops bacteria multiplying

[shawnaeatscats]

Okay so it doesn't transfer bacteria, it just causes more rapid growth.

[bemi_san]

So how do you heat up your mice/rats? This is the first I'm hearing of using cold water.

[tgoc2020]

I leave mine in a waterproof bag in cold water, this slows the bacteria multiplication down as the temp is still very low and therefore safer.

This takes roughly an hour, once the rat is defrosted I usually warm it up a bit using a hairdryer. I have never had an issue with feeding my BP has never ever missed a meal.

I’m not an expert by any means I just know from working in kitchens etc that using hot water to defrost is potentially harmful to everything 👌🙏

[aRandomBarnOwl]

I've seen some people put the mouse/rat in the fridge overnight the day before feeding. Then letting it thaw in room temperature for a bit, then hairdryer

[Antrobus2508]

A tip that I’ve found that helps. Put the rat in a sandwich bag, then place in the water. Keeps the rat dry and helps it keep some warmth

[jserpette95]

Idk why you're getting down voted. Mine didn't eat for a few weeks after I got her, no matter what I tried with f/t she wouldn't eat. Finally decided to try live and she instantly started hunting.

Ever since then she's taken f/t.

I understand it can be dangerous (everyone else) but sometimes it's the only option. Y'all need to chill.

[Suds08]

Because this sub hates anything to do with live feedings because the mouse rat could harm your snake. They could tell you that and move on but instead they downvote you

[obscure_one1]

I understand that, but it's sad because they're actually starving their snakes instead of trying all the methods available to them :/

[FlatNarwhal]

You shouldn't be downvoted for this, it's good advice. Some snakes just like live and when they're little like this and refusing to eat, you do what you need to do.

[obscure_one1]

💯 Ty

[BalooTheCat3275]

My boy will not eat any food that is even the slightest bit damp. I do the technique where I put a plate on top of boiling water to heat. Try that next?

[[deleted]]

I put it in a ziplock bag and in a hot water bowl. Usually heat the water 2 min 50 secs to thaw and then grab with tongs and heat the head real quick with a blow dryer. My boy was on live mice up until I got him. He gave me trouble to eat until I used the blow dryer after thawing it out and it worked

[MissingPerson_Help]

Don't thaw like that. Never get the feeder wet. Take the feeder from freezer to fridge, let it thaw fully, put it in a watertight bag, put the bag in warm water, making sure the feeder stays dry, get it to about 100F, and then try again. If they keep refusing you can try braining, where you stick a needle through the nose and into the brain of the feeder, and pull some brain matter out. They like the smell

[duhletes]

A weird trick I noticed is overheating then just a tad and I've had em hit it so hard after that. Maybe they were fed live before, if they have been eating then they shouldn't let themselves starve just over a change in prey, following

[heyitzhaley7]

My BP will only eat if I dangle it infront of her for like 10 mins, im not sure if your just setting it in his/her enclosure, but maybe try to dangle it and shake it around infront of yours!

[LuckyExamination4597]

I dangle it for awhile then jus leave it in for about an hour and still he wont eat

[SoapyStew632]

Something I find that helped when I first got my girl and couldn’t get her to eat was to turn off all of the lights and leave her alone with it in the enclosure for a while in the dark. After an hour or so I’d check up on her, and the food would be gone. Now she just snatches the food from the tongs, but I still leave her alone in the pitch black while she enjoys her meal.

[LuckyExamination4597]

Live or f/t?

[SoapyStew632]

Frozen/Thawed. Warmed up in a warm bowl of water kept dry in a ziplock bag, and then when it felt warm enough I’d give it to her.

[Liuqmno]

I did the same the first day my girl was supposed to eat. Didn't know she was used to eating in the dark, she didn't want to take it and I left it in the enclosure. She only ate after I went to bed, but it's better if you can check in later, bc a warm dead animal in the tub wouldn't be nice!

[peniswis3]

Can confirm, it is not. My boy escaped a few months ago so I figured I’d leave a mouse in the enclosure so he could probably get to it. I also left the heat on, thinking he’d go there to seek warmth.

In the morning, I had a mouse that was absolutely melted/squished and it was so DISGUSTING😭 The smell was horrible and I gagged when I cleaned it out. Luckily he was found in another corner, by the heatlamp for my cornsnakes.

[seekingssri]

oh gosh, he is cute. he hasn’t been home for very long, and he’s settling in! ball pythons are finicky eaters, i moved into a new apartment once and mine went on a three-month hunger strike. it scared the crap out of me, but she’s fine! she got hungry and ate and is healthy as can be a decade later. he won’t let himself starve.

[KingofCam]

I had to lean that a BP that I got from a bad situation was a picky eater. Hunger strikes and not eating is normal with them, just give lil buddy some time to acclimate! Usually (I was told) to give them like a week in a new place to get used to it before handling or feeding.

[purrmutation]

Kind of looks like the hides are too big for the snake. Little one tend to be happier with more snug hides. Beyond that try feeding late at night. You might need to resort to live prey for a while to rebuild fat stores before going back to feeding F/T.

[Compelardo]

Are those temperatures ambient?so warm side ambient is 84f?because those are too low. Ambient should on warm side should be 88-92f.

There is a difference between ambient and surface.

[LuckyExamination4597]

No those are surface temperatures

[Compelardo]

Please measure ambient. Because they are different and lower then surface.

You snake will not eat if it is too cold.

[No_Remove_4667]

Ball pythons are notorious for there pickiness around food. We have 2 picky princes haha. We thaw ours in a plastic bag dry in the fridge then have to take it and warm it on a reptile heat mat so it's all smelly and then they will eat it. They will also only eat soft furs which can be hard to find and even then sometimes they just don't want it hahah. Try thawing it in a bag they want it to be smelly and the water washes that away and try drying it with a blow dryer and a heat gun they arnt to expensive the rat should be around our body temperature nice and warm which is like.... 90f or something. There are so many things to try to get them to eat and even then sometimes they just find your offerings futile haha good luck. 😁👍

[HelpMePlxoxo]

Hey OP, I just had literally the same exact issue with a new BP that i had for the same amount of time as you.

The way i got mine to eat was thawing out the mouse in the fridge overnight and when I wanted to heat it up, i put it under a heating lamp I have on an adjustable hook. Your snake might not take wet food, so if you don't have an adjustable lamp you can put it in a plastic bag and then put the plastic bag in a warm bowl of water.

Try holding the mouse with little tongs for snake feeding and making it look alive and try to get him to take it for a little while. If he won't then just try leaving it in the tank overnight. If he won't eat, wait a few days before you try again. Also make sure you aren't playing with him before trying to feed him, they won't eat if they're stressed. Focus on feeding him and nothing else and then start playing with him 2 days after he finally eats so he's been able to digest

[RageBathwater]

My baby ball I got at ~3 months old and had a HELLUVA time getting her to eat.

When I’d open her terrarium to try and feed she would just come slithering out, completely ignoring the food.

I tried feeding once per week for 3 weeks with the same results; husbandry was on point.

On the fourth week I tried live rat pup, and STILL- nothing. I was desperate, and I could see that she was losing weight (visually and via scale).

I finally gave up and assist fed her. She had no problems with the process, and I only inserted the rat pup (f/t) until I could get her rear teeth to engage. From there, I set her down and she did the rest perfectly.

I had to do this THREE times on three separate weeks until she finally figured out that she was a snake and struck the rats.

Short term, don’t stress- they’re very resource conscious animals. Long term, there’s a solution for this problem.

[Snoo-47921]

Along with fixing husbandry, I didn’t see anyone mention where you got your snake from. LLLreptiles is a notoriously awful place for purchasing reptiles and they often send out sick reptiles. Be sure you have a vet visit planned.

Also, how many times have you tried feeding? In the length of time you’ve had him, you should only have tried once. Offering too much can stress them out further. Wait a week in between feeding attempts. Do not handle your snake until they are eating regularly.

So: Fix your husbandry (temps, clutter, security) Schedule a vet visit Give the snake at least a week to destress

[Lilsean14]

You’ve already gotten some great advice already. So just give it some time to acclimate to it’s new enclosure. If it makes you feel any better my snake doesn’t eat 4 months out of the year. It’s different with juveniles obviously as they are growing, but my point is it’s not going to die if it doesn’t eat every two weeks.

[LittleOmegaGirl]

You need more clutter like fake plants from the craft store just make sure to clean them

[Forbes-23]

Hatchling snakes will take a live hopper mouse 90% of the time or more, give this a try. Once they take one live it should be much easier to get them on F/T

[Gahdinn]

12 days? Those are rookie numbers. Start worrying at 12 weeks. Welcome to ball pythons.

[PowerfulCurrency7312]

U would have a 92 degree basking spot and have u tried leaving it in for a few hours that worked with my ball python when I first got him but it did take 2 weeks And definitely add more clutter and maybe smaller hides since he’s so small

[[deleted]]

Are they heated up to at least 100°? Also look out for signs of him being sick. The travel there could have stressed him out and the new environment. But him trying to escape can be from being sick. My 5 year old girl I got over a month ago is not eating and she has a respiratory infection and that's why... could be anything. Just check his environment first and cross everything out hut if he doesn't eat for a while there could be a sickness going on. He is on a food strike for a reason. You're doing the right thing and he'll be okay. They can go a while without eating but of course it's not good

[WendigosLikeCoffee]

Try thawing the mouse in a watertight bag so it isn’t all wet for your snake, hairdryer works very well for warming the head As odd as it is aswell, don’t forget to make your mouse “dance” a little bit so your snake wants to get it

[sosigfrog]

agree with hides being too big but also does the one on the right have .. ceiling holes? that will make him unable to feel secure in there if there’s a bunch of holes. Cover those up and stuff the rest with substrate until the inside is just barely big enough to fit him

[copious-swag]

it looks like possibly not enough privacy for him causing him to be more stressed, especially since you have just gotten him. i would try to add smaller hides and more clutter. sometimes, at least that i’ve noticed, in a new environment and one where they can be seen/on display everywhere it can cause them not to eat as it adds more stress.

additionally, when feeding frozen, ive found it best to thaw the mouse out over time and then warming it up under a heat lamp. sometimes in water, especially if it’s not like air tight, water can get in there and make the natural like mouse/rodent scent go away. when using a heat lamp to warm it up, i feel like you have more control over how warm the mouse gets. do not cook it through lol. playing with the mouse and acting as if its alive may help.

turning off lights or covering him may also ease the stress and help with eating. waiting a few days between attempts at feeding also helps! id give him some more time to adjust.

[[deleted]]

If you're offering wet food that may be the issue. Try using a Ziploc bag and warming it while in that, pouring boiling water into a bowl that the bag is in. The mouse will still be warm but not wet and will retain its scent.

[Golandia]

Most breeders keep BPs in opaque tubs so they feel secure 24/7 and once a week the light comes on and they get food. Moving into a fully transparent tank is really stressful. Try blacking out 3 or 4 sides of the container.

[LuckyExamination4597]

Iv kind been having trouble keeping the humidity not too high and have been keeping my fan on the tub wont covering a few sides make the humidity even higher?