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#158905
JT_DIESEL
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 Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
My friennd has a ball python but doesnt have access to the net. So i said i would post this question. My buddy has a 4.5 ft long male and it is making friends with the feeder mice. Is this normal? 1 mouse was in the tnak for a week and made friends with the mouse. So he went and bought another and made friends with that one. (what i mean by friends is that the mouse will literally come up to the snake and they will both sniff eachothers noses) And he shed about 4 weeks ago. He just sits in his hide and doesn’t come out until we bring him out. Please reply back with things to do?!?!?!?!?!?!
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10/10/04 10:36pm
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#158907
BoaBabe448
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Message To: JT_DIESEL In reference to Message Id: 158905
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
you kept a live mouse in a snakes cage for a weeek!!! what an idiot!!!
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10/10/04 10:39pm
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#158911
JT_DIESEL
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Message To: BoaBabe448 In reference to Message Id: 158907
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
i didnt. my buddy did. I know i told him not to but the snake is fine, no bites or anything. I am just posting this to be a good friend and help. all i am doing is asking why he isnt eating.
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10/10/04 10:47pm
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#158986
CelticTigeress
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Message To: JT_DIESEL In reference to Message Id: 158911
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
Snakes go through moods..... Balls can be the pickiest eaters you will come across.... first off a smaller ball shouldnt be fed in its habitat it assciates the habitat for feeding.... leaving a rodent in with the snake can be bad news the rodent will realize the predictament and will attack the snake either injuring it or allowing a fatality to occur.... Sometimes balls as well as other snakes go thropugh a period when they dont want to eat... before shedding and during are two times its common depending on the snakes personality. HOWEVER if the snake still refuses to eat.... try a Gerbil... it has a different scent and flavor kinda like Shrimp for snakes.... usually a ball is more apt to strike the Gerbil Im not saying ALL but that has been my experiance with picky eaters.....you can slowly wean them off the Gerbils..... Third ask if its a cpative born or wild caught.... many times wild caught are not adapted and will starve OR another case is the snake has internal parasites and will not eat they refuse... if thats the case and its a wild caught then it should be taken to the vet if it still refuses to eat and looked over or the snake will starve itsself to death..... if I missed a reason anyone feel free to list.. Im just listing my experiances.......Hope it helps
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10/11/04 1:25am
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#159008
Pelota
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Message To: CelticTigeress In reference to Message Id: 158986
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
First off, the idea that feeding a snake in its cage will associate its habitat as feeding is ludicrous. Is this like that whole stupid "if you feed in the cage, the snake will associate your hand in the tank with feeding and bite you" thing? The snake sleeps in its habitat more than eats, so does that mean it should associate it’s habitat with sleeping? I don’t understand what you mean...
Only reason to feed outside the cage is if you have loose substrate that could be ingested, or if your tank is a bit crowded and there isn’t much room to chow down. Other than that, I think it’s perfectly fine to feed in the cage.
Anyway, yeah, your friend is rather naive to keep a live rodent in the snakes cage for a week. He’s real lucky his snake wasn’t harmed in the process. Tell him next time, feed prekilled. Tell him to put the mouse in a bag, whack it against a wall or hard surface real good, then try to feed. It’s much safer.
Oh, and it’s breeding season. That’s probably why your friends snake isn’t eating. He’s in breeding mode. It’s common during this time of year. Many other male bp’s are doing the same thing. Tell him to stop worrying and wait it out. Come January or February his snake should start eating again. No need for the gerbil thing. Especially since your friend would probably just dump a live gerbil in the tank....which is lethal. 
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10/11/04 2:14am
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#159050
SCSnakeman
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Message To: JT_DIESEL In reference to Message Id: 158905
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
Don’t worry about a Ball not eating for extended periods of time, especially a big Bal like your friend has. I have a 5 and a half long female and seh refuses to eat from November to March. Even though I regualte the light in the room I think that this has something to do with the lenght of the "natural" day because there is a window in my snake room and her cage is under it.
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10/11/04 7:18am
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#160551
Juma
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Message To: JT_DIESEL In reference to Message Id: 158905
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
First- do not feed your snake in his tank. Put him in another enclosure specifically for feeding time. Put the mouse inside and if it is live food you must watch as he is not to get bitten. If he doesn’t eat within 5-10 minutes, take him ou, put him back in his usual tank.
Never leave live prey in with a snake especially unattended.
BP can be very picky eaters. If he dosen’t eat regularly make sure he gets plenty of water, because you don’t want him to dehydrate.
Try waiting acouple days and offer food again.
If he is still not eating you may want to take him to the vet to see if their is a more serious underlying problem. Was this snake Captive bred? Has he ever been bitten by his prey? Are the temps and humidity levels right?
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10/13/04 7:30am
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#160627
TwilightDreamer1979
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Message To: Juma In reference to Message Id: 160551
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
PelotaIt’s breeding season for Royals?? That’s interesting ..... Funny how they know even when you don’t change anything .. ie I haven’t started turning down their temps yet ;o) TD.x.
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10/13/04 12:07pm
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#160809
Eunectes4
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Message To: TwilightDreamer1979 In reference to Message Id: 160627
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
There is no reason for feeding outside the cage unless you have loose substrate. Sorry for those of you who think there is a reason for it...there isnt. I hate to say it, there is no good reason for doing that. Now for the season...even snakes that are not cooled will often go off feed during these months as adults. I dont know why but it just is. We are not snakes so we dont know what they are thinking. Dont worry, adult ball pythons will often go off feed during the winter months and sometimes even other months if there is a change. Who knows, maybe there is a temp change that is going unnoticed. I have no idea. all i do know is the snake is likely going off feed for the winter months and it is 100% alright to feed in the cage if you have a substrate that cannot be injested. That is all.
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10/13/04 5:37pm
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#160812
BoaBabe448
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Message To: Eunectes4 In reference to Message Id: 160809
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
100% agreed. Don’t you just love the spell checker?
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10/13/04 5:48pm
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#161298
Pamula
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Message To: BoaBabe448 In reference to Message Id: 160812
Hasnt eaten in 4 weeks
I love the spell checker, and I haven’t even posted yet.... 
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10/14/04 9:04am
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