# Ball Python will not feed



## Anita (Sep 11, 2007)

Hello I am a new user to the site but have a problem with my recently purchased Ball Python. He would not eat so i had to hold him and encourage him by putting the mouse into his mouth and waiting for him to coil that was about 6 weeks ago. The next time i went to feed him i had the same problem but was only able to encourage him to eat 1 mouse. He has just 2 days ago shed and has not fed now for 3 weeks. I tried to feed him again last night but all i managed to do was make him very angry although he did not bite me. Any advice as he is now quite strong and wriggles so much if i try to hold him and open his mouth with the mouses nose and then he gets out of my grip and curles up in a tight ball.


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## PhilR (Sep 11, 2007)

My advice would be to leave him alone. If he doesn't strike feed, and not all of them do, then holding him down will just stress him more.

He is curling up into a ball because he is stressed and worried and feels threatened.

Leave him somewhere warm and dark and low traffic and then try him again in a week. If he doesn't strike, then try leaving the food in with him overnight. Sometimes that will trigger it.

You could also try him with different prey. One of our males (we have 5) went straight from feeding on medium defrost mice to rats without any preamble. One of the females we have is more finnicky and will only eat if the food's left in.

If he's not losing lots of weight then I wouldn't worry at this stage.


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## jonnysebachi (Sep 11, 2007)

Just remember that ball pythons can be a challenge to the new snake person.  They can sometimes be very picky eaters.  They don't always eat every meal and can skip for LONG periods.  I just had a female that skipped for 6 months.  She is completely fine and lost almost no wt.  A breeder friend of mine says the males can be even more picky than females.  I have a male that eats every other week.  In nature they skip meals due to the challenge of the hunt so dont give up.  They are designed to not starve easily.  Just keep offering weekly meals and stay on a schedule.  Assuming the snake does not have an internal issue, ie parasites or such, it will more than likely be just fine.  Remember to also verify it is being kept at the proper temps.  Good luck with it.


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## Mina (Sep 11, 2007)

I have a supposed male BP that in the last 12 weeks has eaten once.  He is active, happy, healthy, and is drinking.
Previous to this fast, he ate every week with incredible enthusiasm, sometimes getting close to aggression in his hunger/eagerness for food.  Then all of a sudden, he won't eat.
As long as your BP is looking good, drinking, and active at least at night, don't worry.  It will eat when it wants to.  Continue to offer food once a week.  The only other thing you can do depending on the size of your BP is offer different prey.  Offer something smaller than what it usually eats, or try a mouse instead of a rat.  Just be prepared for failure.
Ball pythons are known for being super picky eaters, as long as everything else is okay, the snake looks good, and your husbandry is correct, don't worry.


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## Mushroom Spore (Sep 11, 2007)

STOP FORCE-FEEDING. You are traumatizing him, stressing him out, and probably making it LESS likely that he will ever want to eat on his own. Force-feeding is an absolute last resort when you have a snake that is about to die anyway, not the very first thing you try! 

Try wiggling the dead (you do feed dead, right) mouse nearby with tongs, or put it in a shoebox with him and lock it inside the tank overnight, or learn to brain prey, or scent with chicken broth, or something. There are a thousand ways to try and encourage a ball to eat that don't involve probable internal injuries.

How big is your ball python, and is it a male? It's getting to be that time of year where any male in their second winter or later is probably going to miss some meals. It's an incoming breeding season thing.


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## mindlessvw (Sep 11, 2007)

also check all your husbandry issues...they can be very finicky eaters...you may want to get him to a vet just to have a fecal done to rule anything else out


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## Ted (Sep 11, 2007)

Mushroom Spore said:


> STOP FORCE-FEEDING. You are traumatizing him, stressing him out, and probably making it LESS likely that he will ever want to eat on his own. Force-feeding is an absolute last resort when you have a snake that is about to die anyway, not the very first thing you try!
> .


very true!!

now heres my advice!!.
I have done this with dozens ball pythons for people who couldnt get them to eat
get you a baby chick..many ball pythons dont like rodents..but love baby chicks.
and then what i did was knoch the bottom out of a clay flower pot and turn the pot upside down with the chick inside.
ball pythons get intimiated easily...and many wont feed at eye level.
with the chick inside the pot the python has to crawl up and look down into the pot..putting it at a higher level.
this has worked many times.
eventually we switched the chick for a mouse and even rubbed the mouse for the first few times with the chick.

i fully recommend this..let me know if i was clear..I'm tired.lol.


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## ZooRex (Sep 11, 2007)

Checkout this link: http://www.anapsid.org/ballfeed.html ~ Rex


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## ballpython2 (Sep 12, 2007)

Anita said:


> Hello I am a new user to the site but have a problem with my recently purchased Ball Python. He would not eat so i had to hold him and encourage him by putting the mouse into his mouth and waiting for him to coil that was about 6 weeks ago. The next time i went to feed him i had the same problem but was only able to encourage him to eat 1 mouse. He has just 2 days ago shed and has not fed now for 3 weeks. I tried to feed him again last night but all i managed to do was make him very angry although he did not bite me. Any advice as he is now quite strong and wriggles so much if i try to hold him and open his mouth with the mouses nose and then he gets out of my grip and curles up in a tight ball.



ball pythons do best in a good size rubbermaid container because it holds in heat and humidity. all you need is one hide, a water bowl, and holes in the side of the rubbermaid container for ventilation.

ball pythons usually stop eating because the tempetures, humidity aren't correct  and these usually arent where they are suppose to  be if people are using a tank. Tanks aren't good for the ball python snake species.


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## Mushroom Spore (Sep 12, 2007)

ballpython2 said:


> all you need is one hide,


One hide...at each end of the temperature gradient.  One warmer, one cooler. The snake should never have to choose between security and the temperature it wants.



ballpython2 said:


> and these usually arent where they are suppose to  be if people are using a tank. Tanks aren't good for the ball python snake species.


I don't know where people get this, but it can be done. Glass is no inherently better or worse at holding in humidity than rubbermaid. Heat, MAYBE, but I have a cover for part of my tank anyway. The only real difference is that screen tank lids can be annoying, but covering about 80% of it is fine, and also lets the snake have some nice darkness.


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## ~Abyss~ (Sep 12, 2007)

how long can BP go without food I have a juv. and it escaped a little under a month ago. I'm freaking worried. I don't know how he managed to poke a hole thorugh the screen and he escaped from there.


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## Ted (Sep 13, 2007)

abyss_X3 said:


> how long can BP go without food I have a juv. and it escaped a little under a month ago. I'm freaking worried. I don't know how he managed to poke a hole thorugh the screen and he escaped from there.


they can go weeks..sometimes months..it depends.

and never use screen for snakes..it can injure them and is easy to escape from.


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## Mushroom Spore (Sep 13, 2007)

Ted said:


> and never use screen for snakes..it can injure them and is easy to escape from.


First I've heard of it. :? The only thing I can think of is that a screen may be weakened around the edges or have other flaws or just be low quality in general, and a person simply doesn't notice. I have never in my life heard of a snake actually damaging a screen on their own. Pushing up lids, squeezing out of any hole they can, yes, though.


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## Ted (Sep 13, 2007)

Mushroom Spore said:


> First I've heard of it. :? The only thing I can think of is that a screen may be weakened around the edges or have other flaws or just be low quality in general, and a person simply doesn't notice. I have never in my life heard of a snake actually damaging a screen on their own. Pushing up lids, squeezing out of any hole they can, yes, though.


i have seen them try and try repeatedly over time untill the find or make a weak spot somewhere, especially around the edges.
i have also seen many a snake rub their noses blood trying and also have seen them become severely lacerated squeezing out of wire mesh.
sometimes they dont do either..buts to me its not worth the risk.


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## AneesasMuse (Sep 13, 2007)

My former big cornsnake was notorious for finding her way out of screen tops... the tank was designed for them, so I kept replacing them for awhile  :?  Finally, I got tired of her skinned up nose and finding her in very odd places at very inoppurtune times    and cut two peg board pieces to fit in the tank's top design. Worked like a charm!

OP, I hope your BP eats for you soon. I would try Ted's method... it sounds like a winner to me!


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## ballpython2 (Sep 13, 2007)

Mushroom Spore said:


> One hide...at each end of the temperature gradient.  One warmer, one cooler. The snake should never have to choose between security and the temperature it wants.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know where people get this, but it can be done. Glass is no inherently better or worse at holding in humidity than rubbermaid. Heat, MAYBE, but I have a cover for part of my tank anyway. The only real difference is that screen tank lids can be annoying, but covering about 80% of it is fine, and also lets the snake have some nice darkness.


Ok use glass tanks if you want but they are going to cause many problems.  thats the thing why go through all the hassle of coving 80% of a tank when a tank cost more money than a good size rubbermaid bin. and eventually the snake will grow and its going to need a bigger enclosure but ok. dont say I didnt try to help.


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## GOE_Rescue (Sep 13, 2007)

We have several ball pythons and get them when not feeding the best way we have found so far is live rat pups that have been brained or live african soft fur rats ( about the size of a mouse)using those 2 methods we have never had a bp that didnt feed after a week or 2


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## Mushroom Spore (Sep 13, 2007)

ballpython2 said:


> thats the thing why go through all the hassle of coving 80% of a tank


Yes, I find placing a black towel over part of the tank is a great deal of stress and hassle for me to deal with. It takes hours out of my day.  



ballpython2 said:


> eventually the snake will grow and its going to need a bigger enclosure but ok. dont say I didnt try to help.


Uh, my snake is ALREADY in a big enclosure, thanks.

Also, you didn't try to help. :}


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## Ted (Sep 14, 2007)

AneesasMuse said:


> My former big cornsnake was notorious for finding her way out of screen tops... the tank was designed for them, so I kept replacing them for awhile  :?  Finally, I got tired of her skinned up nose and finding her in very odd places at very inoppurtune times    and cut two peg board pieces to fit in the tank's top design. Worked like a charm!
> 
> OP, I hope your BP eats for you soon. I would try Ted's method... it sounds like a winner to me!


thanks, and i ended up doingthe same[with the pegboard].
my only real complaint is that they can warp fairly easy and may not fit real well,..i have used thick plexiglass with appropriate ventilation holes drilled in it, and gotten nice results..they too, can warp, though, if not thick enough.
either can be reinforced along the edges, without too much trouble, though.


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## Anita (Sep 14, 2007)

Ted said:


> very true!!
> 
> now heres my advice!!.
> I have done this with dozens ball pythons for people who couldnt get them to eat
> ...


Thank you Ted, this sounds like a very good idea, my ball python does show signs that he is intimidated by the mouse when i try to feed him as he pulls his head away from it. 
I have questioned the pet shop owner about the method he told and showed me to use and he told me that this method was not what he would call force feeding and causes little or no stress to the python. I explained to him that obviously it was causing my python stress as he curls up for a few minuites when ive tried to feed him this way, which is causing me stress as well as i do not want to harm him in anyway mentally or physically and asked how he used to get him to feed before i purchased him. He said he had no problems getting him to strike feed and he used to place the food in his favourite hiding place. This i had already tried without success but your idea sounds as though it may work. i will try with a defrost mouse first and if he wont feed i will then try a defrost baby chick. I can not use live bait as it is illegal the united kingdom.


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## Anita (Oct 2, 2007)

*My Ball Python still will not feed*

Sorry Ted i tried your method without success. These are the other methods i have tried over the past weeks, leaving mouse in with him overnight, using different prey (rat pups, browm mice, black mice etc), dipping the prey in chicken stock, dipping the prey in tuna juices, braining the prey before feeding, wriggling the prey so he thinks its alive, using small forcepts, ive even tried rubbing the prey in chicken blood, putting him in a box with the mouse (baby chicks a way too big for him yet) and leaving him in a dark room overnight nothing is working. Its been weeks now since he has fed as ive taken all of your advice and not force fed him. He has now shed during his fasting period and i thought that he should now be staving hungry but no he still refuses food. Has anyone got any other methods i can try. Please do not suggest giving him live prey as it is illegal in the United Kingdom. His husbandry is fine i keep it as close to specification as i can temp 80 - 90  during the day 70 - 75 at night he has 2 hides one on the cool side and one on the warm side humidity is 40 - 50 % all the care sheets indicate that these are right. He has no mites and the vet says he is healthy with no internal problems. Ive even tried not handling him for several days before feeding him but he still refuses to eat. I leave week intervals between feeds so i dont stress him out. Please help as i feel i may have to take him back and give up as i will not allow him to die.


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## Ted (Oct 2, 2007)

Anita said:


> Sorry Ted i tried your method without success. These are the other methods i have tried over the past weeks, leaving mouse in with him overnight, using different prey (rat pups, browm mice, black mice etc), dipping the prey in chicken stock, dipping the prey in tuna juices, braining the prey before feeding, wriggling the prey so he thinks its alive, using small forcepts, ive even tried rubbing the prey in chicken blood, putting him in a box with the mouse (baby chicks a way too big for him yet) and leaving him in a dark room overnight nothing is working. Its been weeks now since he has fed as ive taken all of your advice and not force fed him. He has now shed during his fasting period and i thought that he should now be staving hungry but no he still refuses food. Has anyone got any other methods i can try. Please do not suggest giving him live prey as it is illegal in the United Kingdom. His husbandry is fine i keep it as close to specification as i can temp 80 - 90  during the day 70 - 75 at night he has 2 hides one on the cool side and one on the warm side humidity is 40 - 50 % all the care sheets indicate that these are right. He has no mites and the vet says he is healthy with no internal problems. Ive even tried not handling him for several days before feeding him but he still refuses to eat. I leave week intervals between feeds so i dont stress him out. Please help as i feel i may have to take him back and give up as i will not allow him to die.


am so sorry to hear that you are still having problems.
at least you are trying!
dont fret, and dont give up!
snakes can go super long periods without food, and generally wont starve themselves to death, if suitable prey is offered now and then.
at this point my only advice[unless i can recall more methods ive used] is to just keep trying what is working even the slightest for you.
i'm not sure who would have advised that you dip the prey in stock or tuna juices. 
they arent fish eaters, so thats a bit odd to me.
theres a good chance that the snake is over stimulated right now and would like to be left alone a week or so.
i would try leaving it totally alone for a week or two and then re-introducing a fresh killed mouse that is smaller than its head[width].
my fingers are crossed for you!


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## Mushroom Spore (Oct 2, 2007)

Anita said:


> 70 - 75 at night


This is really cold for them, I've never heard of letting temps get THAT low. Maybe this is your problem? I keep my boy at the same temps day and night (undertank heater). If they're getting too cold, they won't eat--instinct tells them not to, because they won't be able to digest if it's cold, and the food will rot inside them.


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## Anita (Oct 2, 2007)

Ted said:


> am so sorry to hear that you are still having problems.
> at least you are trying!
> dont fret, and dont give up!
> snakes can go super long periods without food, and generally wont starve themselves to death, if suitable prey is offered now and then.
> ...


Thanks for your quick response, i was surprised at the tuna juice as well it was a suggestion that was on a UK care sheet for non feeding ball pythons and at this point i am prepared to try anything. I have just tried the box method again only keeping him in it for 3 hours but no luck, although when i released him i was looking at the pictures of snakes posted on this site at the time and offered the mouse by hand again when he actually struck at my hand and bit my thumb causing me to drop the mouse but he still didnt feed i dont know if the bite was meant for me or he just mistook my thumb for the mouse but i wont give up i guess this bite is the first of many i will receive.


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## Anita (Oct 2, 2007)

Mushroom Spore said:


> This is really cold for them, I've never heard of letting temps get THAT low. Maybe this is your problem? I keep my boy at the same temps day and night (undertank heater). If they're getting too cold, they won't eat--instinct tells them not to, because they won't be able to digest if it's cold, and the food will rot inside them.


I have been going by UK websites care sheets for temp guides and humidity i have an undertank heater that stays on all the time and a red reflector lamp which is on all day. If my snake is too cold why does he not use his hide on the side of the tank that the heat mat is on. He always uses the colder side of the tank to lie in. I cant say he uses his hides as he doesnt he sleeps out in the open either by the glass doors at the front of his his tank or at the back but never in either of his hides. He plays in the hides during the evening if i dont get him out but he never sleeps on the hotter side of the tank. I guess i have an abnormal Ball Python or he just feels very secure out in the open.


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## mindlessvw (Oct 2, 2007)

you really may want to get him to a vet as well...they can carry all sorts of parasites or have other issues you are not aware of...i would highly recommend that...


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## Anita (Oct 2, 2007)

mindlessvw said:


> you really may want to get him to a vet as well...they can carry all sorts of parasites or have other issues you are not aware of...i would highly recommend that...


Have already been he has been given the all clear. He is very active in the evening/night time doesnt shy away or curl up in a ball, however he did when the vet handled him but i put that down to him being a stranger so no other issues other than he wont eat. Even the vet said he expected my python to respond by curling in a ball so i had to hold him to relax him so he could be examined until he felt safe so the vet could do it properly.


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## ShawnH (Oct 2, 2007)

I see you took it to a vet I hope that the vet was a qualified exotic animal vet and was familiar with snakes.  

Ball python juvis are notorious for being finicky feeders.  The  most succesful methods I have used is to just place the mouse in front of the snake and leave the snake alone for about 6 hours with the mouse.  Or dunk the mouse in chicken soup and introduce it to the snake.  

As long as the snake is drinking water there is no extreme urgency to him fasting.  

If the snake is kept with other snakes in the same enclosure he may be stressed , but from the way it sounds he is alone. 

Is it possible that the snakes digestive tract has become impacted by a peice of bedding like a wood chip or corn cob that he was kept on while at the pet store?  

Has the snake been thoroughly examined for internal and external parasites?  (That includes a fecal exam.)

Try putting the snake in a larger or smaller enclosure.  
I wouldn't worry so much about the snake and wouldn't consider force feeding unless the snake starts appearing very malnourished and lethargic.  


Hope this helps you in some way.


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## Mushroom Spore (Oct 2, 2007)

I just realized something--I did a ctrl-F search of both pages of this thread, and found no mention of whether this snake was captive bred or wild-caught. (Also this thread's been going so long I couldn't remember anyway.)

If this was a wild-caught ball python baby, we could have a serious problem. A lot of those WC babies never eat and just up and die.


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## Thoth (Oct 3, 2007)

If you are using f/t prey item, oddly enough with my balls, if they don't immediately go for a prey item warming it up helps encourage feeding (I estimate about 105 or so degrees but that is just by feel).

Also mine for some reason only feed every other week.


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## titus (Oct 3, 2007)

It's unlikely that it's a WC snake more likely is that it's a farm bred import. How old is the snake exactly if it's a young one your reaching a critical point where it needs to eat at all cost. The most succesful method I've used is to open the snakes mouth and place the feeder item in then pinch the mouth shut while placing the snake back in it's cage. You may have to repeat this two to three times. But most continue to eat the prey from thier on thier own. We had a hatchling from this year we used this method for three weeks, Shes been eating on her own since than. This method is less stressfull than force feeding and doesn't lead to regurgition as often. I've found it a very good meathod for snakes as a last resort for hatchlings that haven't fed for 6-8 weeks.


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## PhilK (Oct 3, 2007)

Snakes are essentially a mystery as far as skipping meals randomly goes!!
If it's healthy, don't fuss!
If not, try 'braining' the rat (putting a pin/nail into the braincase. Increases smell to snake), or leaving it in over night, or as a last choice for an emergency.. try giving it live? I don't recommend that one really...
Any and all of the suggestions so far have been great.

Didn't read thread fully so apologies if I'm rambling about stuff that's been established or is now off topic!


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## Anita (Oct 6, 2007)

Ted said:


> am so sorry to hear that you are still having problems.
> at least you are trying!
> dont fret, and dont give up!
> snakes can go super long periods without food, and generally wont starve themselves to death, if suitable prey is offered now and then.
> ...


Hi Ted,

Just thought i would let u and all the others that posted ideas on how to get my Ball Python to feed know that i have just successfully got him to strike feed  None of you are going to believe this but i tried using a normal household peg to grip the mouse while wriggling it infront of him :? but as you said use what ever method works and this did. Thank you all for your help and i will keep you all posted on how he gets on. Thanks again


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## Ted (Oct 6, 2007)

Anita said:


> Hi Ted,
> 
> Just thought i would let u and all the others that posted ideas on how to get my Ball Python to feed know that i have just successfully got him to strike feed  None of you are going to believe this but i tried using a normal household peg to grip the mouse while wriggling it infront of him :? but as you said use what ever method works and this did. Thank you all for your help and i will keep you all posted on how he gets on. Thanks again


most wonderful news!
i knew it would feed..sooner or later.

hopefully you should have no problems in the future.
I'm happy for you!
dont forget to post some pics of your snake!


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## Anita (Oct 6, 2007)

Ted said:


> most wonderful news!
> i knew it would feed..sooner or later.
> 
> hopefully you should have no problems in the future.
> ...


I have posted 1 but its a bit blurred as i took it with my mobile phone camera and they dont download very successfully but will try again. Ive seen the couple of your snakes pics posted they are both lovely snakes by the way


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## Ted (Oct 6, 2007)

Anita said:


> I have posted 1 but its a bit blurred as i took it with my mobile phone camera and they dont download very successfully but will try again. Ive seen the couple of your snakes pics posted they are both lovely snakes by the way


oh!..well i better go check it out!

and thanks for the snake compliment.


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## titus (Oct 7, 2007)

Great new, I'm glad you had luck getting Him/Her to feed. Hopeful the next feeding will go without problems.


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## Anita (Nov 4, 2007)

Just an update on my Ball Python he/she is feeding well now havnt had a feed refused again as yet and he/she has just gone into his/her second shed cycle since i got him/her. Thanks again you guys you were great support when i needed it


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