What are some tips for getting a stubborn ball python to eat?

Answer

I'm not a vet or a snake owner, so this may or may not be useful. First thing, pythons and other constrictors normally go long periods between meals, sometimes months. In captivity they're probably fed smaller animals than they might catch in the wild, but they still won't be eating three meals a day like we do. Second, I always go on the theory that a healthy animal, no matter how finicky, will not starve itself to death if there is food present that it can reach. So...your python may just be taking a normal break between meals. I'm sure that you can find a book at the library, or information online, that would give you an opinion based on more experience than I can offer, but I wouldn't panic until you know. It's good to see that you're concerned, anyway. Good luck.

Answer

Try placing the snake in a container and placing it with it's meal in a dark and quiet closet or bathroom. Make sure the container is secure to prevent it escaping. It doesn't have be very big, a plastic sweater box works well. If the snake is small a brown paper bag stapled at the top works wonderfully. It may be necessary to leave the snake in the container for hours at the time. If it doesn't work the first day skip a day and try again. Be persistent. Shedding could be one reason for not eating as well as incorrect temperatures and humidity. Please read up and your snake and provide the perfect environment for a healthy pet.

Answer feeding ball pythons

i just bought a baby ball python from petco this saturday it is my first time having this kind of snake but when i asked the sales person about when to feed them they told me that they feed them every thursday so ok no big deal today is monday so i decided to drive an hour to the nearest local pet store to buy pinkie mice (frozen so i can feed the baby thursday)well needless to say i wanted to see if it would eat today!!!!lol......so i bought the frozen pinkies that the pet store had said to be feeding them....when i got home i took one of the frozen pinkies out (i forgot to mintion i decided to go ahead and buy 5 of them so next week i wouldnt have to make an extra trip) and put it in a ziplock baggy and put it in hot water!i waited about 10 minutes and it was hot yea i took it out of the bag but i had to make sure it wasnt too hot please remember this is my first time feeding a snake i have 5 tree frog and 2 aulstrain tree frog i have had for over 2 years now but they eat crickets between all seven i have to buy 1000 crickets a month!!!!which can get expensive/so i buy from www.herpfoods.com they are the cheapiest online,,,,,,but anyway when i felt the pinkie mouse it felt too warm so i held it!!!!! having washed my hands before touching the mouse frozen or thawed,until it felt right not to cold or too hot ,then i put on a small glove my son has had for awhile clean of course!!!!!i took a new pair of tweezers and took the pinkie by the tail guess what the snake took it the first time i wiggled it!!!!well about 10min later i went back to check on my baby and he was surching the bottom of the cage ficking his tongue very fast i thought there was no way he could still be hungry but to make sure i did the same process again and guess what he took it !!!!honestly i think the store was lighing about when it was fead!!!!!!!so i went threw this every 10 min till all 5 mice were gone !!!!not bad for a first timer you think??????make sure the frozen pinkie is warm not room temp!!!!!!tell me what you think email me at teena72315@peoplepc.com it worked 5 times in a role for me !!!!if the snake eats and then keeps flickering and looking around after the total feeding is threw he is still hungry!!!!!!!i am a biggner but i have had pet frogs all 7 of them are stilll alive and i have had them for over 2 years now!!!!i took what i learned from them in feeding and brought it to my new snake!!!!!but please dont get the mouse hot just warm ok

Answer continued

ps in response to the frozen pinkie mice i forgot to mintion i was told to feed him on thursday today was monday but being a new mother of a baby ball python i wanted to try to feed it to make sure he wasnt hungry....he hadnt acted hungry till i wiggled the warm pinkie in front of him!!!!!!we had been handling him all day sunday and never got bit!!!!!thank god!!!!after you feed him a nice warm pinkie once watch his reaction if he is still looking around the cage and flicking his tongue he is still hungry i garentee it!!!!!try it and let me no what you think!!!!!!teena72315@peoplepc.com

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