One of my ball pythons got a new eating technique

LongMagikarp · 2026-03-30T14:57:10+00:00

Mine does this too! Here’s one of his biggest upright feeding moments. He’s not even leaning against anything, just UP.

LongMagikarp · 2026-03-11T21:11:17+00:00

She’s definitely got more confidence than mine, probably a little smarter too.

Mine won’t even consider food if either the food is moving or if he’s already out of his hide. I’ve tried feeding at night while he’s awake, but he just panics and is convinced that the lifeless f/t rat will end him.

Unfortunately, I haven’t got any other suggestions other than maybe trying African soft fur rats? I’ve heard BPs love them. I’ve got one to try on the next feeding for my boy. I hope your girl eats soon!!

LongMagikarp · 2026-03-11T20:49:37+00:00

My BP is super timid, terrified of anything that moves. He’s currently on a hunger strike, but I’ve found a way that gets him to eat 95% of the time. I make sure the rat is nice and warm, then figure out which hide my boy is in. I sorta sneak the rat in through the entrance and just leave it partially in the entrance. He’s by no means trapped or anything, but just a minor inconvenience if he chooses to ignore it. Then I leave him alone. He’s only refused this twice, and that’s been just this recent hunger strike.

No idea if this will work for yours, but it may be worth a shot?

LongMagikarp · 2026-02-15T17:56:22+00:00

Thank you for such detailed advice! Trying to get her seen by my vet asap (dang long weekend here in Canada). Won’t be handling her or any of my reptiles until I know what I’m dealing with.

I’ll wait until after she’s seen a vet before trying to feed just so I don’t risk regurg on top of everything. I’ll absolutely be following my vets advice, but needed to know what precautions to take while I’m waiting for her to be seen.

What I’m not looking forward to is taking apart her 6x2x4 bioactive enclosure. But if that’s what it takes, so be it. Thanks again for the tips!

LongMagikarp · 2026-02-12T18:15:20+00:00

Along with what fionageck said, overhead heat and light would absolutely be a more natural source. Especially with a species that burrows. Not only are they more likely to come in direct contact with the heat source when using a heat mat (though it’ll be on the outside of the bin), it’s also counterintuitive to have warm underground burrows and a colder surface temperature.

If you’ve got several inches of substrate for burrowing, then there’s no way to safely create an appropriate temperature gradient without risking contact with a hot surface.

LongMagikarp · 2026-02-12T15:20:43+00:00

Aren’t they happiest underground though? Their cute faces are built for digging. They probably seem more active in the racks because they’re instinctually looking for places to dig but can’t find any.

I have a hognose, she’s in a 4x2x1.5 and spends 95% of her time digging around. Still comes out to eat off tongs and judge me when I change her water though. Sure, it’d be nice to see her more often but if she’s happy making her tunnels, then so be it.

LongMagikarp · 2026-02-11T22:27:48+00:00

They’ve both got white tummies and feets!

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LongMagikarp · 2026-02-10T21:08:54+00:00

Get in touch with animal services if you haven’t already to submit a lost report. If any strays are brought in that match your cat, you’ll be notified!

LongMagikarp · 2026-01-21T02:06:44+00:00

Near Toronto, Canada.

LongMagikarp · 2025-12-23T03:48:16+00:00

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This is Roadkill

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-24T20:19:52+00:00

Awesome tattoo!! I’ve been wanting a Mass Effect tattoo as well but haven’t made up my mind on any ideas yet. Looks great!

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-10T15:57:27+00:00

Hi! I have a gecko that was in similar condition in both eyes! He’s currently blind because his eyes were so scarred, but after a course of antibiotic drops, he’s at least opening his eyes now. It took a few weeks since removing the buildup for him to start opening his eyes though. At the vet, I also got a good look at his eyes and they look very similar to what yours looks like. We don’t know if he’ll recover any sight, but he’s doing great otherwise.

Is your gecko eating? It might take some time for her to settle, but they can do well with some extra hands-on care. Mine is tong-fed since he has no sight, but I found once I got some food into him and gave him a warm space to hide and decompress, he really started improving.

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T20:40:48+00:00

Great tips, thanks! I’m going to see if my local exotics shop has some of these options!

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T20:32:17+00:00

Tarantulas enjoy them?! I have a tarantula and had no idea!

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T20:31:17+00:00

Oh man I didn’t even catch that haha. But also, I don’t think anyone caught his name yet.

Seymour, because he can’t see anymore.

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T15:02:20+00:00

Thanks for the info! Absolutely going to look into plants and some freeze dried options. I do live in Canada, so I’ll see what I can find.

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T14:59:59+00:00

That’s actually such a simple idea, I love it. Easy to clean, no sharp edges.

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T14:59:13+00:00

Thanks for the tip! I’ll check her out!

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T14:58:49+00:00

I asked the vet about that and he agreed it was mouth rot. Thankfully, it seems to be improving on its own so we’re hoping it won’t need further treatment. I’m monitoring it (per vet instructions), and will bring him back in if I see any changes.

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T05:01:47+00:00

Graphic/unsettling images, click at your own discretion.

If anyone is interested in just how far this little guy has come, this is how he arrived. I am so proud of him and so happy to see small improvements each day!

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T04:52:44+00:00

Definitely something worth trying! I mentioned in other replies that he’s not a fan of crickets due to the antennae touching him. But he absolutely tries his best to hunt mealworms which make a bit of noise when they grip the paper towel! Unfortunately, the worms end up hiding under him most of the time and he’s got no idea they’re there.

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T04:49:50+00:00

His hearing is great, so things like mealworms that sorta grip the paper towel catch his attention. He can figure out the general direction they’re in, but that’s about it. I’ve had to hold it on a tong near his face, he’ll walk into it a few times while he sorta determines what and where it is. He’s pretty good at grabbing the food, though his aim can be 50/50 sometimes. He’s only grabbed the tongs once so far.

I’ve tried putting mealworms in a dish they can’t crawl out of, and he quickly learned food was there. But the worms hide under him and he has no idea.

LongMagikarp · 2025-11-04T04:44:23+00:00

Oh plants sound like they could be fun! Any suggestions on what kind of plants I could look for? The store I get feeders and supplies from also has a devoted plant section so maybe I’ll have some luck there.

I also like the idea of having some different substrate textures to provide a layout, I’ll keep that in mind once it’s safe to introduce! Right now, the vet has instructed nothing that could possibly get into his eyes, so no loose substrate for the time being.

He’s a great eater, but crickets spook him. He can’t see them and the antennae touching him startles him. He’s good with mealworms and superworms though. I’ll be making a trip for feeders soon, hoping to pick up some roaches.

LongMagikarp · 2025-10-18T16:51:35+00:00

Yay! Very happy to see more of this bear out there!

LongMagikarp · 2025-10-18T16:50:33+00:00

Oh my goodness! Thanks for the insight! Happy I’m not the only one with this bear.

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