Juvenile ball python won't eat

[fiveohatch]

I got a juvenile male medium white pied ball last month from Reptiles By Mack. He was feeding on live fuzzies when they sent him out. When I got him I let him be for a week and then tried feeding him F/T hoppers (he's plenty big for them). He had no interest at first and then after about a week and a half he ate one (think it was my 3rd try). I haven't had any luck since and I'm looking for tips.

When I got him to eat before I put him in a separate container with the F/T mouse (sufficiently warm) and he went after it within 20 minutes. I've tried a few times since then with no luck. Tonight I put him in the other container about 30 minutes before feeding and when I introduced the mouse he wanted nothing to do with it. He was hatched 7/30/15 so I'm only a bit worried about him not eating. He was 99g on 10-12 and I weighed him last week and he was at 102g (he had pooped too), so he's not losing weight. I'd rather not feed live, but if that's what takes I'll give it a go.

FWIW, I have another ball that has never given me an issue when feeding (he was on live when I got him too) and his tank is has the same conditions. I just don't know if I'm being overly worried since the other ball I have is a glutton and eats without any issues.

edit: Totally off topic now... that delicious beer how you entice me and make me post pics.

Since you guys likes pics, here are a couple.

Mr. I don't feel like eating the delicious mice:

Mr. I eat the mices without hesitation (he's on adult mice right now). My friend's g/f is holding him there, I have man hands unlike her. Pic is from a couple of months ago. He's at 200g now (was 100g at the first vet visit, he was neglected by a friend's g/f I got him from).

The day I brought him home. My roommate holding him and his kid wanting nothing to do with the new snake. :laugh: Leopard Gecko tanks in the background. She also told me he was a couple of years old when I got him. He was the same size as the pied at 2 months old then. My friend confirmed he had been around for awhile.

 

[schmiggle]

Not in any way an expert, so feel free to take my advice with several pounds of salt But I've read in a few places that ball pythons often decide not to eat for several months for no apparent reason, and that it is quite normal.

 

[fiveohatch]

I've heard that as well. Just seems like he'd want to eat since he's so young still. At least he had the one mouse a couple of weeks ago.

If he goes a few more weeks without eating I may try feeding him a couple of live fuzzies. That's what Reptiles by Mack was feeding him.

 

[14pokies]

Hes just in transition.. He was probably raised in a tub and now you have him in a glass enclosure... I have seen it throw BPs and other species off feed a million times.. Make sure he has a nice dark warm snug hide.. The hide needs to be small enough that he almost touches the sides when hes curled up inside of it.

Keep air temps around 82-86 and and basking spot 92-97and keep the humidity around 60%

For the next few weeks just give him live.. Captive bred BPs allthough usually very hardy can be sensitive to change.. Start working on switching him to F/T prey after you have him eating regularly for a month or two in your care..

Generally if i have a BP that continually refuses F/T i try bridging the gap by offering stunned or fresh killed prey and then offer a F/T prey item as soon as its done swallowing the stunned or prekilled. Most catch on in time and accept F/T with no problem.. Just be patient.

I have bred BPs almost every year for the last 21 years and if i have a snake that needs to have great weight all year i dont hesitate to offer live food if its refusing all else.. just keep the prey on the small side to limit any potential damage that it would cause the snake if the there was an altercation..

In 25yrs i have only had one snake seriously injured by a rat..It was a small mainland retic and was bit threw the throat from the underneath.. It was a gruesome bite but healed in no time.. Allthough i strongly advise against feeding live we can't forget that snakes have been killing there food for millions of years.. Just never leave a rodent in unattended for extended periods of time.

 

[fiveohatch]

Thanks for the advice! I'll look into switching some things up.