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Advice please? Im worried

Okay, so, I KNOW that I don't seem like the best for advice... but... here's something to think about. Before you try live (seeing as how I'm the reason you don't want to, I understand) try chicks or baby rabbits. It's something I will have to look into, seeing as how the scent of mice may forever turn my snake off of eating now. Royals come across a lot more than mice in the wild. Yours just may not like mice. *shrug* and the stunned//fresh-kill for twitching is good advice. It worked with one of my corns. If your snake HAS eaten non live, he'll continue to do so. I wouldn't be concerned.
 
firesprite said:
Okay, so, I KNOW that I don't seem like the best for advice... but... here's something to think about. Before you try live (seeing as how I'm the reason you don't want to, I understand) try chicks or baby rabbits. It's something I will have to look into, seeing as how the scent of mice may forever turn my snake off of eating now. Royals come across a lot more than mice in the wild. Yours just may not like mice. *shrug* and the stunned//fresh-kill for twitching is good advice. It worked with one of my corns. If your snake HAS eaten non live, he'll continue to do so. I wouldn't be concerned.
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Good advice. My BP can and go months without eating this time of year Luke, it is worrying to see one of your snakes go on hunger strike. As firesprite has already said, you could try a chick. Sometimes when my BP is on hunger strike i can tempt her with a chick. If she refuses wait 10 days and try again.
 
I gave up trying to feed f/t to my ball pythons. They are just too weird in feeding. I know some keepers have gotten them onto f/t, but it usually took a lot of warmed mice, playing "cat and mouse", and a lot of wasted f/t rodents.

I have about 3 dozen or so balls, mostly around 2 - 4 years old. I did try the f/t feedings for a while, but just couldn't spend the time and money to occasionally get a couple to eat a f/t rodent, and throw the rest away.

I know other breeders who also feed live for the same reason. So far, after a couple of years, I have never had a problem with live. But of course, I don't leave them very long unattended either. It is a risk, but a very small risk. BPs are just not like corns, or even boas or many other pythons. They go on and off feed for months at a time, even under perfect conditions and with live rodents. With f/t, it seems they are even more unpredictable.

For now, you could always offer a rat that is too young to defend itself. Then you won't have to worry about the safety issue until the snake is bigger. Maybe by then you can get it onto f/t. As also mentioned, you can try other animals that can't defend themselves as well, such as chicks or baby rabbits. But I have noticed that BPs often seem to prefer mice (or maybe those African Soft Furred Rats - just got some of those myself.)

Good luck whatever you decide.
 
It is unresponsible (IMO) to try to do everything yet not live just because you are against it. If you can't take it why do you even have snakes? Some snakes are born picky especially BPs. I would quit stressing the snake with methods to put f/t in it's mouth and try a live mouse.. if it doesn't work try a gerbil that is stunned or if you can get your hands on some, ASF rats.
I have fed live before, I actually HAVE to, to my adult Ankh. And I have NEVER had a serious injury or a bite. (close calls but that's why you need to watch them for a while killing the mouse/rat) Spike loves f/t one day then live the other day if you do it for too long.. That's Ball Pythons for ya..
 
The temps are 90 in the middle? That means his basking area is probably way too hot. My balls cage is 90 at the hottest point, you might consider rechecking your temps, you don't want to cook him.
How are you feeding in his cage or out? My ball is a super eater but even she won't eat outside her viv.
How are you thawing the mice? straight in hot water or in a bag? He might not like wet/dry mice, try the opposite. Also, remember that balls like there food pretty darn warm. Try heating the thawed mouse with a blow dryer just before you offer it to the snake.
He could be really shy too. Next feeding day wait until dark, just before you go to bed. Heat up the mouse, put it on a paper plate and sit the plate close to where the snake is and go to bed.

I see no problem feeding live as long as you always watch to make sure if the prey is taken but at this point I would try yet. The snake isn't loosing weight and if you start to feed live you probably will never get it to eat F/T. Same goes with feeding a different species of food that might be difficult to find or expansive to buy like gerbils. You could try a young rat though. I know mine prefers rats to mice and yes, you can feed him "pet" mice/rats, there is no difference.
 
Well thanks everyone for the advice. I think im gonna try to feed him a live mouse/rat next time then. At least he will have some food in him.

SnakesRule1234 said:
It is unresponsible (IMO) to try to do everything yet not live just because you are against it. If you can't take it why do you even have snakes? Some snakes are born picky especially BPs. I would quit stressing the snake with methods to put f/t in it's mouth and try a live mouse.. if it doesn't work try a gerbil that is stunned or if you can get your hands on some, ASF rats.
I have fed live before, I actually HAVE to, to my adult Ankh. And I have NEVER had a serious injury or a bite. (close calls but that's why you need to watch them for a while killing the mouse/rat) Spike loves f/t one day then live the other day if you do it for too long.. That's Ball Pythons for ya..
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And i never said i wouldn't feed him live. Im not disgusted by it or think its wrong, i just want to use it as a very last method because i don't want the risk of him being injured, or worse, killed. It doesn't make me irresponsible, it just means i actually care if the snake lives!

Luke
 
djfreebase said:
Good advice. My BP can and go months without eating this time of year Luke, it is worrying to see one of your snakes go on hunger strike. As firesprite has already said, you could try a chick. Sometimes when my BP is on hunger strike i can tempt her with a chick. If she refuses wait 10 days and try again.
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I knew they could last a while without food, im just worried because he is my first (prob not my last) ball python. But this has actually put me more at ease now. knowing that other ball pythons are being fussy and not eating atm, and not just mine.

Thanks very much
 
Metal_luke666 said:
And i never said i wouldn't feed him live. Im not disgusted by it or think its wrong, i just want to use it as a very last method because i don't want the risk of him being injured, or worse, killed. It doesn't make me irresponsible, it just means i actually care if the snake lives!

Luke
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How dangerous do you think it is, for god's sake? I've fed live before and if you're alert your snake will not get bitten. Your snake is still small and he eats large mice (right?) Mice are not even AS dangerous.
Stop whining about it, because it IS irresponsible because you're letting your snake starve because you don't feel like feeding live. The risk in not there when you do everything right. Adam of 8BallPythons says he only feeds live, and he has more than a thousand ball pythons, supposedly he has never had a bite. I will say that 99.9% of the time it's the owner's fault when they leave the rodent in the cage. Infact I've only hear of bites when the person did that.
 
SnakesRule1234 said:
How dangerous do you think it is, for god's sake? I've fed live before and if you're alert your snake will not get bitten. Your snake is still small and he eats large mice (right?) Mice are not even AS dangerous.
Stop whining about it, because it IS irresponsible because you're letting your snake starve because you don't feel like feeding live. The risk in not there when you do everything right. Adam of 8BallPythons says he only feeds live, and he has more than a thousand ball pythons, supposedly he has never had a bite. I will say that 99.9% of the time it's the owner's fault when they leave the rodent in the cage. Infact I've only hear of bites when the person did that.
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i never said i would not feed it live. As i have said several times i would feed it live if you pay attention. i said i only wanted to do it as a last resort!
And actually it is quite common for a mouse to get scared, and attack a snake. And seen as they for for the top of the head, eyes and the spine, it is actually very dangerous!
 
Saw your other thread.. I'm glad you atleast kind of took my advice, I know spouses/parents can be hard at times. Just keep on trying at tell her it's for the best. Or do it when she's not home..
Oh, and sorry for being so harsh to you, I get cranky.. lol
 
we don't live together yet. but she would murder me and stranggle me with the poor snake. Then feed my **** to the mouse. lol.
I am still abit iffy about feeding live, i will watch the whole time, and if he doesn't eat after a while, then i know its the time of year.
 
thanks whippet. I have tried the hot water and it hasn't worked. i think im just going to try the live mouse. then, if that doesn't work i will know its becuase its the time of year.
 
when i first got my ball, he didnt eat for about three weeks. someone told me to try male mice.. and whala he ate. now he will even female mice. lol
 
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