Ball Python troubles..

[BloodyBaroness]

(You may have answered this, but I am not sifting through the banter to find out, so I'll just ask again to be sure.)

Is he still in the display tank? I think you mentioned he is not, but I want to be certain.

What are your temps like?

(Just trying to get a handle on a few things so I can help you.)

 

[AliCat37]

(You may have answered this, but I am not sifting through the banter to find out, so I'll just ask again to be sure.)

Is he still in the display tank? I think you mentioned he is not, but I want to be certain.

What are your temps like?

(Just trying to get a handle on a few things so I can help you.)

No worries, he's in a "ball room" rack by boaphile. It's 41 quart tubs heated in the back with flexwatt, only one of the skinny sides show, so it's nice and dark. The temp stays between 86-91 on the flexwatt.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

Hmmm.... (again pardon me if I ask questions that have already been brought up. /rant about useless banter. )

How often are you attempting to feeding?

Do you have access to gerbils or dirty gerbil bedding?

So back heat on the tub?

Can you pull a tub out really quickly and take a temp of the inside surface of the tub. I'm curious about how much heat is transferring. You made need to bump it up a little, or take away the hides and use crumpled news paper.

I think you might be having temp related problems. If you are using back heat and a hide box, that's a lot of surface area the heat must cross before it contacts the snake.

You can take the hide boxes out and crumple up some news paper. (I actually do not use hides for any of my BP's that are in racks.) I use wadded up news paper. The snakes can scoot it around to here they want it and it does not block the heat transfer from back heat.

Or can you try to grab a temp reading inside the hide?

 

[AliCat37]

Hmmm.... (again pardon me if I ask questions that have already been brought up. /rant about useless banter. )

How often are you attempting to feeding? Every 2 weeks or so.

Do you have access to gerbils or dirty gerbil bedding? I have access to their bedding!

So back heat on the tub? Yes, I'm running one row of flexwatt, but there are 2.

Can you pull a tub out really quickly and take a temp of the inside surface of the tub. I'm curious about how much heat is transferring. You made need to bump it up a little, or take away the hides and use crumpled news paper. He has one hide over the warm side, the cool side measured 77 with an infrared temp gun.

I think you might be having temp related problems. If you are using back heat and a hide box, that's a lot of surface area the heat must cross before it contacts the snake. I've only seen him under the hide on the warm side so far.

You can take the hide boxes out and crumple up some news paper. (I actually do not use hides for any of my BP's that are in racks.) I use wadded up news paper. The snakes can scoot it around to here they want it and it does not block the heat transfer from back heat. I will try that. Then I can get my nice hide back too. Haha.

Or can you try to grab a temp reading inside the hide? It read 85 on the surface of the substrate under the hide.

When I adjust the thermostat (a ranco) then the temp shoots up past 98. The thermostat is actually set to 80, with the probe in the bottom tub (the only tub that has access from the back). I use this thermostat with my other cages too, but have no issue. I'm measuring the temps in the top tub (BP) with an accurite digital thermometer and they stay between 86-91, when I bump the thermostat up even a single degree they'll read 95+.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

Awesome.

Those readings are not awful by any means. I hate you are having trouble with the Ranco.

I'm in the process of changing over all my t-stats to the Vivarium Electronics --->link VE-100http://www.reptilebasics.com/thermostats I've been playing with them for a bit and really enjoy them so far.

Okay. If you can get some dirty gerbil bedding, kinda roll the rat around in it before you try to feed. Something about gerbil urine can spark a BP to eat. It's a favorite trick of mine.

Try the crumpled up news paper thing. Mine really seem to enjoy. I have a spider BP that just scoots it around everywhere like a mobile tent. Sometimes they shove it in the water bowl, but it's not a earth shattering problem.

You are trying to feed live right?

 

[AliCat37]

Awesome.

Those readings are not awful by any means. I hate you are having trouble with the Ranco.

I'm in the process of changing over all my t-stats to the Vivarium Electronics --->link VE-100http://www.reptilebasics.com/thermostats I've been playing with them for a bit and really enjoy them so far.

Okay. If you can get some dirty gerbil bedding, kinda roll the rat around in it before you try to feed. Something about gerbil urine can spark a BP to eat. It's a favorite trick of mine.

Try the crumpled up news paper thing. Mine really seem to enjoy. I have a spider BP that just scoots it around everywhere like a mobile tent. Sometimes they shove it in the water bowl, but it's not a earth shattering problem.

You are trying to feed live right?

I will definitely pick up some gerbil bedding next time I try to feed. I have been offering him live the last few times I offered, he used to eat f/t just fine, but then I'd have to start leaving them over night and he just lost his appetite completely. I have a bunch of refrozen rats in my freezer I still have to take out. Thanks for the link to the thermostat, I will probably end up replacing this one (it was used when I got it, so maybe the wiring is off or something). I will definitely crumple up some newspaper for him when I get home, thanks for your help! I appreciate it. If you have any other ideas please let me know. It's been 6 months since he last ate.. the breeder I got him from has one that goes 8 and starts eating in July.

 

[MotleyMedusa7]

one thing I found out with my Ball,Captain,is if it isn't hot enough when I first offer the F/T mouse,he won't take it,but by submerging it in hot(almost boiling) water for a minute & using tongs to kind of dangle it near him & slowly move it around,he hasn't refused it. He is very much temp. sensitive. I would be so worried if he didn't eat for 6 months! hopefully yours will soon

 

[BloodyBaroness]

I will definitely pick up some gerbil bedding next time I try to feed. I have been offering him live the last few times I offered, he used to eat f/t just fine, but then I'd have to start leaving them over night and he just lost his appetite completely. I have a bunch of refrozen rats in my freezer I still have to take out. Thanks for the link to the thermostat, I will probably end up replacing this one (it was used when I got it, so maybe the wiring is off or something). I will definitely crumple up some newspaper for him when I get home, thanks for your help! I appreciate it. If you have any other ideas please let me know. It's been 6 months since he last ate.. the breeder I got him from has one that goes 8 and starts eating in July.

No worries at all. (Can I tell you a dirty secret? I have more balls than corns. )

Is there a picture of him anywhere?

The trick is just getting him going again and then you can go back to f/t once he is eating steady. Happens a lot to BP owners.

Those VE t-stats are pretty awesome. Very reliable and a good variety of options depending on how much you want to spend.

 

[AliCat37]

one thing I found out with my Ball,Captain,is if it isn't hot enough when I first offer the F/T mouse,he won't take it,but by submerging it in hot(almost boiling) water for a minute & using tongs to kind of dangle it near him & slowly move it around,he hasn't refused it. He is very much temp. sensitive. I would be so worried if he didn't eat for 6 months! hopefully yours will soon

I will try that next week before getting another live rat..

No worries at all. (Can I tell you a dirty secret? I have more balls than corns. )

Is there a picture of him anywhere?

The trick is just getting him going again and then you can go back to f/t once he is eating steady. Happens a lot to BP owners.

Hahaha I don't think I could handle more fussy eaters! Not even my wc bull snake cares if she's getting f/t albino mice (not that bulls are picky by any means). I just wish the ball was more like my anery corn. She doesn't even smell what is being offered to her, she just eats! I had a leg break off a rat for my boa and I gave it to the anery with tongs, I swear she just inhaled it.

And of course there are pics! I have updated ones after he had his good shed in the rack

This one is from last summer, but it's my favorite.

I know he's my ball python and I'm the snake momma, but I think he is one darn good looking BP.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

He's a good looking boy.

I think he will come around for you.

*knock on wood* Once you figure out what he wants, it's easier to get him back on what you want him to eat.

How has his weight been holding?

 

[AliCat37]

He's a good looking boy.

I think he will come around for you.

*knock on wood* Once you figure out what he wants, it's easier to get him back on what you want him to eat.

How has his weight been holding?

I haven't actually weighed him, but I'm not feeling any ribs or seeing a spine popping up.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

I haven't actually weighed him, but I'm not feeling any ribs or seeing a spine popping up.

Excellent. That's good that he seems to be holding his size up pretty well.

 

[AliCat37]

Excellent. That's good that he seems to be holding his size up pretty well.

Oh yeah. He's always been a bad eater. He was the last one the breeder had left and he had been force feeding him. He was super emaciated at the end of 2009 (hatch date July 2009), and finally began eating on his own in Dec 09. He ate really consistently for me until April 2011.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

Interesting. Hmmm....

I've force feed many many BP's over the years. Most of those go to pet only homes. I don't breed any ball pythons that exhibit significant eating issues. Same reason I do not repeat corn pairing known to produce a high amount of non-feeders.

Anything life changing in April 2011? Just trying to get to see if there was a catalyst.

 

[AliCat37]

Interesting. Hmmm....

I've force feed many many BP's over the years. Most of those go to pet only homes. I don't breed any ball pythons that exhibit significant eating issues. Same reason I do not repeat corn pairing known to produce a high amount of non-feeders.

Anything life changing in April 2011? Just trying to get to see if there was a catalyst.

Yeah I think he was the only one, but I'm not sure. The guy I got him from won't sell anything that doesn't eat, and he usually tries for about a year before giving up on snakes.
He was moved into the display cage in March 2011. He had previously been in a 41 quart tub, but I had a lot of issues and he got some sort of issue with his scales where they all got flaky (it wasn't scale rot from what I could tell). It went away when he was in the display viv, and it started again towards the end of being in there when I bought the rack and moved him out. He shed within the first week (he was blue when I moved him) and the issue has not presented itself since.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

Yeah I think he was the only one, but I'm not sure. The guy I got him from won't sell anything that doesn't eat, and he usually tries for about a year before giving up on snakes.
He was moved into the display cage in March 2011. He had previously been in a 41 quart tub, but I had a lot of issues and he got some sort of issue with his scales where they all got flaky (it wasn't scale rot from what I could tell). It went away when he was in the display viv, and it started again towards the end of being in there when I bought the rack and moved him out. He shed within the first week (he was blue when I moved him) and the issue has not presented itself since.

Same here. I Give them a year or so, and then cull. It's not a quality life for the animal to be constantly force fed. Clearly there is something wrong and I don't want to selfishly prolong suffering.

Do you have any pictures of the flaky scales?

Did you change substrates at this time?

I have seen snakes with substrate allergies before. It's not common by any means.

Let me rack my brain over a few things. I know we can get this little guy turned around.

 

[Carinata]

The display cage. That's my thoughts. Balls dislike being out in the open and maybe there's been an accumulation of stress over the past 11 months or whatever. Also male Balls are breeding right now, so that could also be a major part of it! I really hope he feeds for you!

 

[AliCat37]

Same here. I Give them a year or so, and then cull. It's not a quality life for the animal to be constantly force fed. Clearly there is something wrong and I don't want to selfishly prolong suffering.

Do you have any pictures of the flaky scales?

Did you change substrates at this time?

I have seen snakes with substrate allergies before. It's not common by any means.

Let me rack my brain over a few things. I know we can get this little guy turned around.

I don't have any pics unfortunately, but he doesn't have them now. He is now on aspen, and he is doing fine there. My ex had told me to have him on yard mulch o.o so he had previously been on that.. everyone except baby corns are on aspen now..

The display cage. That's my thoughts. Balls dislike being out in the open and maybe there's been an accumulation of stress over the past 11 months or whatever. Also male Balls are breeding right now, so that could also be a major part of it! I really hope he feeds for you!

Unfortunately that is what I am thinking it was too. Though he ate on and off from June till October. He had a whole lot of cover in there, but oh well. Live and learn. I have some friends who have their balls in huge display vivs, guess Ramesses just isn't like them! I am hoping he's just looking for a girlfriend haha.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

I don't have any pics unfortunately, but he doesn't have them now. He is now on aspen, and he is doing fine there. My ex had told me to have him on yard mulch o.o so he had previously been on that.. everyone except baby corns are on aspen now..

Yep I think you might have been dealing with a one-two punch. Substrate allergy/reaction to the mulch and the display viv freaking him out.

Don't sweat it, we will get him going again.

 

[MegF.]

He looks in very good weight in the picture...not even close to thin. He could probably go half a year and not lose any appreciable condition. He's round in those pictures. As aggravating as it is, I suspect he'll decide to eat at some point. Let me know if the gerbil bedding works. I never got the chance to try it on the ball the vet gave me.