Feeding

[ballpython2]

Ok so I got my adopted ball python on6/24/08 I tried to feed him/her a week after that which would have been the 7/3/08...he/she didnt eat then so I was going to try again today. last time i tried with rat pups..With the rat pups I did one by one and all he did was let the rat walk all over him so he basically ignored it..Then I knocked out....and tried again later that night with no success.

today iam going to try with adult mice....Last time I tried was mid day around 12noon..was that bad timing?


Do yall think he'll eat?

Could I have done anything wrong?

The tank is a 55 gallon which maybe too big but then at the same time the hides are the perfect size for him/her to squeeze theirs self in. Water is always available and it is always looking for a way out

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjdynomiteeee/100_0655.jpg

 

[kingfarvito]

Ok so I got my adopted ball python on6/24/08 I tried to feed him/her a week after that which would have been the 7/3/08...he/she didnt eat then so I was going to try again today. last time i tried with rat pups..With the rat pups I did one by one and all he did was let the rat walk all over him so he basically ignored it..Then I knocked out....and tried again later that night with no success.

today iam going to try with adult mice....Last time I tried was mid day around 12noon..was that bad timing?


Do yall think he'll eat?

Could I have done anything wrong?

The tank is a 55 gallon which maybe too big but then at the same time the hides are the perfect size for him/her to squeeze theirs self in. Water is always available and it is always looking for a way out

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjdynomiteeee/100_0655.jpg

could be hooked on mice

 

[reverendsterlin]

lol, welcome to the famous world of the ball python food strike. These snakes commonly stop eating for no reason at all. Yours is new so the move or any number of other things could have started this. I suggest offering only pre-killed prey items (I was a long time snake breeder), and if it doesn't eat it within maybe 45 minutes (speaking of fresh killed prey item) you can toss it in the freezer and offer again a couple of week later. Good thing is once they resume eating they will usually continue for a good while before the next hunger strike. As I said, common problem with this species. Look on http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=79 for tips that have worked on occasion.
Rev

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Last time I tried was mid day around 12noon..was that bad timing?

It probably didn't help. These guys are nocturnal, mine prefers to eat in the evenings/late at night.

 

[ballpython2]

It probably didn't help. These guys are nocturnal, mine prefers to eat in the evenings/late at night.

thanks everyone for all your help come to find out he is on mice so today I gave him four and one by one they disappeared I even have two videos i have to upload and yall can see what happen to, two of the mice lol...

What I did was when i went to petco to get the mice I had the guy throw some mice bedding that they were using for the mice in the critter keeper with the mice. then when i got back home i poured the mice betting close to the snake so he could smell the air and catch the mouse scent and kind of "prepare" to get ready to eat and once he got that smell he was up and alert and moved at every movement I did. Then I fed him.

What I am going to do is next time instead of buying mice (four mine are 9 dollars rat pups are 4.99) Iam going get a rap pup and have them pour a lot of mice bedding in with the rat to trick the snake so i can keep him on rat pups.

 

[reverendsterlin]

What I am going to do is next time instead of buying mice (four mine are 9 dollars rat pups are 4.99)

www.frozenrodent.com/ and http://rodentpro.com/ are both good suppliers and a couple of years worth doesn't take up much freezer space.
Rev

 

[Mushroom Spore]

www.frozenrodent.com/ and http://rodentpro.com/ are both good suppliers and a couple of years worth doesn't take up much freezer space.

http://www.bigcheeserodents.com/ is a good one too.

I wouldn't buy multiple years' worth, though. I tend to find that after about a year in the freezer, maybe a month or two less, the rodents aren't as "fresh" - they smell/look worse after thawing, and my python won't touch 'em. The last few rats in the batch always go uneaten.

However, this IS a ball python I'm talking about, a corn or king or something might be less picky.

 

[ballpython2]

http://www.bigcheeserodents.com/ is a good one too.

I wouldn't buy multiple years' worth, though. I tend to find that after about a year in the freezer, maybe a month or two less, the rodents aren't as "fresh" - they smell/look worse after thawing, and my python won't touch 'em. The last few rats in the batch always go uneaten.

However, this IS a ball python I'm talking about, a corn or king or something might be less picky.

thanks for showin me those sites but i cant use those frozen/thawed prey until i get my snake on pre killed. do yall think he'll do prekilled if wait two weeks to feed him again and give him a dead mouse since he is stuck on mice? Or do you think he'll eat a dead rat pup if he's really hungry? how should i go about this? because i know rodentpro is a GREAT company i used them before when i had my corn snakes.

 

[reverendsterlin]

thanks for showin me those sites but i cant use those frozen/thawed prey until i get my snake on pre killed. do yall think he'll do prekilled if wait two weeks to feed him again and give him a dead mouse since he is stuck on mice? Or do you think he'll eat a dead rat pup if he's really hungry? how should i go about this? because i know rodentpro is a GREAT company i used them before when i had my corn snakes.

did you offer pre-killed already? I seldom had problems moving from live to pre-killed, usually it was the move to F/T that could slow things up. But I would always offer PK first and if need be use some tongs to give a little motion if the snakes doesn't show interest (works with F/T as well). The two years comment was just to make the point, plus larger orders offset the shipping better. And I had a freezer that kept temps below zero which lessens freezer burn well below what a regular home refrigerator/ freezer does (as well as 79 snakes that could suck down 2000 various sized mice and rats far too quickly lol).
Rev

 

[ballpython2]

did you offer pre-killed already? I seldom had problems moving from live to pre-killed, usually it was the move to F/T that could slow things up. But I would always offer PK first and if need be use some tongs to give a little motion if the snakes doesn't show interest (works with F/T as well). The two years comment was just to make the point, plus larger orders offset the shipping better. And I had a freezer that kept temps below zero which lessens freezer burn well below what a regular home refrigerator/ freezer does (as well as 79 snakes that could suck down 2000 various sized mice and rats far too quickly lol).
Rev

I tried live/prekilled rat pups he wouldnt take either but then again i tried that only after a week of just getting him but leavin him alone. so what ill do is wait two weeks get one rap pup prekill it and see if it eats it.

you have 2,000 snakes? what do you have??

 

[reverendsterlin]

I tried live/prekilled rat pups he wouldnt take either but then again i tried that only after a week of just getting him but leavin him alone. so what ill do is wait two weeks get one rap pup prekill it and see if it eats it.

you have 2,000 snakes? what do you have??

lol, read closer and you'll see I bought mice/rats frozen 2000 at a time. when I was breeding snakes,
Cornsnakes (Kathy Love and Rich Zuchowski lines)
Milksnakes
Red-tail boa (not a breeder)
Argentine boas
western hognoses (local from near Alamagordo NM)
Mexican Black milk-snakes
mountain kingsnakes (local Black Range area NM)
western diamondbacks (local from Las Cruces NM)
black-tail rattlesnake (not a breeder)
mojave rattlesnakes (western AZ)
banded rock rattlers (western Tx)
mottled rock rattlers (local Black Range area NM)
west african gaboon vipers
mexican moccasin (not a breeder)
but all that was before the heart attack and went with my T's, scorps, and pedes
Now I'm back into the inverts, and I may get another rattlesnake or two if I come across some while I'm out collecting. Just don't have the energy to get a bunch of snakes again. But I do miss breeding corns, great way to stay up on genetics.
Rev

 

[Cjacques]

Go to your local reptile show and buy some African Soft-furred rats. These are like candy to Ball Pythons. Dont bother trying to breed them thought cause they are a huge pain in the ass lol

 

[ballpython2]

lol, read closer and you'll see I bought mice/rats frozen 2000 at a time. when I was breeding snakes,
Cornsnakes (Kathy Love and Rich Zuchowski lines)
Milksnakes
Red-tail boa (not a breeder)
Argentine boas
western hognoses (local from near Alamagordo NM)
Mexican Black milk-snakes
mountain kingsnakes (local Black Range area NM)
western diamondbacks (local from Las Cruces NM)
black-tail rattlesnake (not a breeder)
mojave rattlesnakes (western AZ)
banded rock rattlers (western Tx)
mottled rock rattlers (local Black Range area NM)
west african gaboon vipers
mexican moccasin (not a breeder)
but all that was before the heart attack and went with my T's, scorps, and pedes
Now I'm back into the inverts, and I may get another rattlesnake or two if I come across some while I'm out collecting. Just don't have the energy to get a bunch of snakes again. But I do miss breeding corns, great way to stay up on genetics.
Rev

Does anyone sell rattle snakes online?? or you HAVE to catch them?

 

[reverendsterlin]

glades herps sells venomous http://www.gherp.com/gherp/pages/venomstock.htm , if your over 18 and if it's legal in your State. I caught all my rattlers, blacktails, westerns, prairies, dusky, and mojaves are all too easy to find and catch (I did rescue in 3 counties), as well as too low priced to sell around here. The mottled and banded rattlesnakes made a few dollars as did the gaboons (these were actually a bit scary even for me lol) got those and the cantil through hot shows in Texas.
Rev

 

[ballpython2]

glades herps sells venomous http://www.gherp.com/gherp/pages/venomstock.htm , if your over 18 and if it's legal in your State. I caught all my rattlers, blacktails, westerns, prairies, dusky, and mojaves are all too easy to find and catch (I did rescue in 3 counties), as well as too low priced to sell around here. The mottled and banded rattlesnakes made a few dollars as did the gaboons (these were actually a bit scary even for me lol) got those and the cantil through hot shows in Texas.
Rev

How do i find out if hot ones are legal in Boston,Mass?

is there a list of some sort i can find online of where they are and are not legal at?

 

[Mina]

I have an adult male BP, and he only eats 8 to 9 times a year. I offer food every week, but he usually refuses.
He is active at night, he drinks, pees, and sheds. He looks good and is very healthy. So even though I don't like it, I've stopped worrying about it.
I've been told males do this, so is there any chance yours is male?

 

[Mushroom Spore]

How do i find out if hot ones are legal in Boston,Mass?

Google: massachusetts venomous snake ownership

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwpets.htm

Unlawful: Emerald Tree Boa, Green Tree Python, African Rock Python, Reticulated Python, and all Anacondas; Black Rat Snake; other rare species, any other snake not specified as lawful. Possession of ALL venomous ("poisonous") snakes is prohibited.

 

[ballpython2]

Google: massachusetts venomous snake ownership

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwpets.htm

Unlawful: Emerald Tree Boa, Green Tree Python, African Rock Python, Reticulated Python, and all Anacondas; Black Rat Snake; other rare species, any other snake not specified as lawful. Possession of ALL venomous ("poisonous") snakes is prohibited.

thanks very much spores...so much for that idea lol...

 

[ZooRex]

Unlawful: Emerald Tree Boa, Green Tree Python, African Rock Python, Reticulated Python, and all Anacondas; Black Rat Snake; other rare species, any other snake not specified as lawful. Possession of ALL venomous ("poisonous") snakes is prohibited.

Wow, never moving to Massachusetts.

My male BP eats every week, and is always out hunting afterwards. My female eats about every two to three weeks, once she went eight.

 

[ballpython2]

Wow, never moving to Massachusetts.

My male BP eats every week, and is always out hunting afterwards. My female eats about every two to three weeks, once she went eight.

Even though it says we cant have anything if i did really want one of those id get it anyway. people always go to New hampshire or Rhode island and get what they want then come back to boston with it lol... I think i want an ETB...Do these have a nasty attitude? :evil: