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68 Responses to “Question and Answer”
tanner says:October 3, 2012 at 9:22 am
Hey I have a 3 and a half foot male ball python. And he spends almost all his time in his water bowl. Iv checked for mites and see none. His day temps are 90 to 95 in the day on hotside get as low as 80 on the cool side. And its about the same at night. Should I kknock the night time temps down? Iv heard some bps just like the water. Could this be the case? Or should I be conserned? He’s eats a small rat ever week and a half. Any help is muchly apprciated. I have about a 6 month old juvinile too and he almost never gets in his water bowl. But I keep him in a rack system with a uth and the big male is in a 30 gallon long aquarrium.
Sorry about all the time. Just worried about my little guy.
Mike says:September 16, 2012 at 11:27 pm
Hello i just warmly accepted a ball python from a friend that couldn’t keep it anymore. He is roughly 10 months old and my questions are how often should i feed him and how much should i feed him. Also with feeding should i stick to a strict down to the day regimen.thank you for your time-MikeLily says:September 20, 2012 at 10:30 pm
i feed all of my Ball Pythons that are younger than four twice a week, or as often as theyll eat. Both of my Younger Females eat twice a week, and my four year old male eats once every two or three weeks(only because he refuses to eat more often than that, Ive tried to get him to eat one a week, and he just refuses). I feed my females every week on Wednesday and Sunday, Its best to feed them on the same day every week.
Also Remember, You dont want to feed your snake anything larger than its largest point. My Youngest snake eats Hoppers, Which are mice that are adolescents, my one year old eats Rat Pups (Which are about the same size as a full grown mouse) and my four year old eats Medium rats, The size of their food will change as they get older.stass says:October 3, 2012 at 2:19 am
Hey I got a python he is a coulple months old I just got him today he tried to bit me. but when should I pick him up agen
And is that normal how long after I get him should I ofer him food?o should i put a back ground on his trarioum? RSAP
Thanks
~Stass~
jim t. says:September 9, 2012 at 8:46 pm
hey i have a 7 year old ball python,lately,for like 3 or 4 weeks he has water coming out of his nose or mouth , i cant really see where for sure..but seems like its gettin worst.its like a slimey clear water.
also during feeding time he has been kinda hostle..unlike his usually behavior..
please help me with this, thank you
It sounds like he may have a Respiratory infection, I would get him to a vet as soon as possible.
Brandon says:September 5, 2012 at 7:58 pm
Hi there, I was wondering if I could keep my ball python in a 40 gallon fish tank that is short but very wide and long. I know they shouldn’t be kept in fish tanks because of loss in humidity and ambient heat. But if I have a heat pad on the bottom of the tank, then an illuminated ceramic heat lamp to keep the ambient air warm, and regular misting to keep the humidity at the right level, then would it be possible to keep the snake in the fish tank? Also only a quarter of the lid is mesh. ThanksAli says:September 3, 2012 at 11:00 pm
How long do a ball python liveAndrew says:September 13, 2012 at 12:42 pm
30 plus years easy.
Andrew
Michelle R. says:September 3, 2012 at 6:15 pm
I have a 6 year old male ball python around 5ft long and he just shed and after shedding I noticed a white spot about 1 foot from his head and its real rough, not smooth like the rest of him. I thought he was just getting an albino spot. It looks clean but I dont know what it is. Any ideas?Judy K says:August 19, 2012 at 3:11 pm
We have a ball python but don’t know how old it is. It is about 5ft long and we were wondering how often do we need to feed it.
Thanks Judy
My four foot male eats every two to three weeks, he eats medium Frozen/thawed Rats, Generally Ball pythons grow around a foot a year until theyre about four, and then they grow at a much slower rate for the rest of their lives, I dont think there is any way of knowing for sure how old your ball python is.
I would suggest you feed your snake as often as he will eat, generally once a week is normal feeding schedule for my snakes, but my smaller ones eat as often as twice a week Wednesdays and Sundays.
Jessica T. says:August 19, 2012 at 10:48 am
hello,
i just got a ball python about 4 months ago, and its eaten when we first got him and then he started to shed and been shedding for about 2 months now and wont eat…im just curious if thats normal behavior…
thanks
Jessica
Well, Ball Pythons dont shed for two months for one.. is takes around a week to complete a shed cycle for most snakes. I would check for Mites, Which are Tiny Bugs, they look a bit like Poppy seeds, theyll be on the rim of the soaking dish, and you may be able to see them on your snake as well, they sometimes show up as red spots underneath your snakes scales. Also, make sure your snake has relative privacy, Is he is in a glass tank, make sure at least three of the sides outside of the tank are covered with somthing like Cardboard or poster board, Its often best to have two hides in with your snake as well, one over the heating pad, and one in a cooler section of the enclosure. Some snakes will stop eating if they are stressed, or uncomfortable. If you still cant get him to eat, You may have to try different food types Some Snakes are Pickier eaters. you can contact me at my Email: If you still cant get him to eat, or want help with the “Different food” thing.
Micky says:August 19, 2012 at 12:10 am
Hi, I have a 8yr old ball python was told it was male. How do I knw its a male I read about some claw under the tail n that means its a male? True or false..And when can snakes start to mate? I think his past due??
Most Males can breed for quite a while, While females Generally have to be larger,(1000+ Grams is suggested)Breeding weight for males is generally over 500 Grams, I know someone who started breeding a male at 5 months, and it worked just fine, An eaight year old should be more than large enough to breed. All snakes have Anal Spurs, the best way to find out if he is truly a male is to have him probed by a vet or an experienced breeder. If you really want to breed, I suggest you research as much as you can about breeding before hand, and would also suggest you pick up “The Complete Ball Python: A Comprehensive Guide to Care, Breeding, And Genetic Mutations” By Kevin McCurley. also keep in mind, its best if your female is larger than your male, because males can get aggressive during breeding time.
Eileen says:August 13, 2012 at 10:27 am
We keep our ball python in a tank roughly 36″x18″x17″. We use an aspen substrate, s/he has a hide that fits her nicely, and a soaking dish. S/he is about two years old, sheds well, eats a few mice every few weeks.Lately s/he has been roaming the enclosure more often, even in the day, and has been “standing up” and exploring the top of the enclosure.Is her enclosure becoming too small? Do we need a taller one? Do we need to “exercise” her outside her home? We do hold her and let her stretch out on the coach beside us, but don’t ever let her roam around freely.Appreciate your thoughts! Thanks in advance,
Eileen
Most Ball pythons do that from what ive observed, all of my Ball-y`s Like to climb, my youngest Female sits on top of her Hide all day sunning herself. It really depends on how large your snake is. The Tank does not have to be too large, because Ball pythons actually prefer to have smaller space, i think it makes them feel safe. You may want to try putting a Climbing branch or something like that into her tank, you can get one at most pet stores, but i wouldn’t suggest finding one outside and putting it in the tank unless you sterilize it first.
chris says:August 8, 2012 at 6:55 pm
i just got 2 ball pythons 1 is 4.2ft and the other is 3.1ft can i house them together or is that a bad idea?toni says:August 8, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Its better to house them in seperate tanks. Sometimes houseing snakes together can stress the snakes out..
Im a local breeder of ball’s and boa’s. Ive had snakes all my life. 6 weeks ago i had a clutch of pastel/ normal/ super pastels hatch. I have 2 babies i can’ t get to eat for their 1st time. Ive never had this happen before. Ive tried everything except assisting them. Im not sure how to properly do it. Any help or suggestions would be great.
Thank you.Mary W says:July 30, 2012 at 2:07 pm
My son has a ball python that is about 4 yrs old and 3 ft long. He usually eats mice with no problem. Last night the pet store was out of mice and gave him a rat to feed the snake. The rat scratched the snake while he was killing it and the snake bled from a couple of scratches. The bleeding stopped and the snake ate the rat, but I am concerned that the scratches may become infected and seriously hurt the snake. is this a valid concern?
Live rats can hurt your snake as you have seen. Its better to do frozen/ thawed rats. Make sure your rat is compley thawed out in hot water. Dry it good and check the body for any cold spots.
Daniel Billiot says:July 23, 2012 at 8:43 pm
Hello, i am currently a beginner in owning reptiles and i am in the planning stages of buying a ball python as a pet. I baught a glass tank for it and it got damaged before i could get the snake and now i cannot afford to buy a new one till the following friday after this one, my question is, would it be perfectly safe and ok to put it in a small rack system for the time buying till i can get it another tank to set up in?
Thanks… Daniel
also the snake is a baby right now not a full adult…
it should be fine, younger snakes tend to get less stressed out if theyre moved to a new enclosure, I Prefer to keep my snakes in Rack systems, But i have more than one… So Racks are easier to keep them all in one place, and sorted.. Easier to keep track of ya know. I Keep my Larger male in a terrarium, Just be sure you have three of the four tank sides covered outside by somthing like card board or Poster Board (I like to use the Environment posters that you can get for the back of fish tanks). Because The open space, and translucent glass of the tank could stress the Baby out (It stresses any Ball python out).
Hey I got a python and he kinda vishis bits sometimes just got him will he get over it ?
he is only a coulple old
Harrison B. says:July 22, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Hello Andrew!
I once owned a Ball-y back in the 90′s and now about to own another next month as a birthday present. I already own a Siamese cat that is living with me… Would a snake in my home cause her problems? If so, then I need to re-think this. Thanks Andrew!!!HarryMark says:July 17, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Hey Andrew when I breed my pastel with my my regular wont I jus get pastels and how much should I sell them for
Generally youll get 50% normals and 50% Pastels, So (For example purposes only) in a clutch of four eggs, youll get two pastels and two normals (this is just an example, so keep in mind, that may not be how it turns out) Because Two normals bred together make pastels, pastels are technically just brighter colored normals. I use the http://www.worldofballpythons.com/wizard/
when i am not sure about what ill get when i breed two morphs togeather.
Sarah says:July 10, 2012 at 11:36 pm
Hey Andrew,
I have a 3 foot ball python that I’ve had since she was a very small baby. She is very sweet and I’ve never had any problems with her being aggressive, eating, being sick or anything. Recently we moved and she seemed to be doing just fine but the past couple of days she has been spending alot of time sitting in her water dish. I’ve never seen her doing this before. She didn’t seem to be dehydrated, and the temperature inside her tank has been the same as it always has been. Could the behavior be from stress? If so what can I do to make her more comfortable? Also, sometimes it seems as if she’s restless, maybe bored. Is this my imagination or do you think she could be bored inside her cage? Should I get her some more interesting and new cage decor, or would this change add to her stress? I appreciate your advice!
Balls love water. They will often get into their water bwls. I have 32 balls at home. Even with 70% humidity in their room and perfect temps, i still find them in their water bowls. I make sure they all have big enough bwls to get into ,if they want to soak.
All though unlikely if she hasnt been around other snakes, She may have contracted Snake mites, Which are Tiny pinpricks of bugs, they look like small poppy seeds most of the time, and snakes continually soak to try and get rid of them. Youll notice what look like grains of sand walking on the walls and rim of the water dish, and your snake, and sometimes you can tell their there if you see Red spots underneath your snakes scales, Generally youll see them better toward the Belly if its a darker colored Ball Python.Like I said, its Unlikely, but its better Safe than sorry, Mites can make your snake miserable, and quite unhealthy if they get to be too bad.
Tammy says:July 8, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Our 4 1/2′ ball python was recently (2-3 wks ago) moved from her large (approx 3 1/2 x 1 1/2) glass reptile tank temporarily to a smaller 30gal. glass tank w/sreen top for less than a week, & moved our turtles into hers. We were told at local reptile store she’d be ok in smaller tank 1-3 mo’s, until we purchase larger tank. After a few days she became very active/aggitated, & I noticed it was too hot & adjusted temp, but she still didn’t seem happy, so we bought larger tank for turtles, & moved her back to her large tank. She seemed happier at first to have space to move around & choose her own comfort spot (warmer/cooler, etc.), & she has eaten 1-2 large rats. But since she last ate 7-10 days ago, in the last 3-4 days she is spending all her time in cave/hide on top of heating pad, she hasn’t pooped, & eyes are cloudy like she needs shed but hasn’t started yet (as of 3-4 days ago, first noticed). We also moved her tank into our bedroom (at same time as above metioned temp move)& I’ve also noticed that ambient temp is much lower 70-75 range than in the room she was in on warmer/sunny side of house (she was happy/comfortable there). So, we’re thinking it may be combination of things causing her to spend all her time in cave on heating pad: stess of being moved, ambient temp too low (not regulated enough), needing to shed & poop. Also, we’ve had our TV & DVD player on top of screen which may not provide enough ventilation. Here’s our thoughts on solving issues: put her in luke-warm bath in tub to assist w/shed & pooping, move her back to warmer room (w/full ventilation) & monitor with thermometers (humidity’s been fine, maintained @ approx 50%). I would apprec. any insight/suggestions on this, & optimal heat/lighting & tank (decor/setup), since I’ve read/heard too many variations, & I want to setup well again, hopefully, once so that we don’t need to keep adjusting environment & possibly be causing undue stress.Kimberly R. says:July 1, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Hello! I am looking at getting a baby ball python relatively soon. All I have right now is a 10 & 20long gallon terrariums (the ones with the screen tops that slide and have a place for a lock, so they wont be easy to escape) I have read elsewhere that a 45-55 gal can accommodate one for life. My question is this. are either of those sufficient for a baby, and if so which would be better and how long would it be sufficient. I currently have 2 adult leopard geckos in the 20 but can easily switch them to the 10, which would make it easier to put in a bathing pool…. I want to take the advice on your site and have everything set up for a bit prior to getting the baby.also…about how old/big should they be before they can be properly sexed? I sure don’t want to pick a name until I know.
Kimberly,A 10 gallon tank can easily house the snake for its first year. The 20 gallon tank should last another year or maybe even longer depending on your feeding regimens.Also, ball pythons can be sexed as soon as they leave the egg. I’ve even sexed some beforeGood luck with your new baby.
Andrew
Thanks He seems to be doing ok. He roams around the cage from time to time. I have him set up in the 20L (i swapped the geckos) with aspen, a real nice water dish and some hide places. He kept trying to get closer to the heat lamp so I moved some things around so he can climb on them to get closer but not stay touching the top of the cage. I even hung an old “repti ladder” from the top of the cage like a hammock. He still seems pretty shy. I got him 7/4 and just tried to feed him Saturday 7/7. I tried frozen because that is what the store was feeding and if he didn’t eat i could refreeze it. Of course he didn’t eat. He just stayed curled up in his little ball, after i transferred him to the feeding cage of course. I figure on trying to feed him again in a week or so. Should I try to go ahead and start handling him…or wait until he is comfortable enough to eat? Ive also noticed that my temp seems ok (thermometer just slightly off the center of the cage and half way up the wall reads 80-85 steady) but it worry’s me that he seems to be trying to get closer to the lamp (it is a ceramic heat emitter). Also I cant seem to get the humidity up…its stuck at 35. I have the gecko cage on top of the cool end of his cage, and have even wrapped the screen in saran wrap as I have seen suggested. I bought a misting bottle and even misted it…bringing it up to 60-70 but by morning it is back down…any suggestions…i know that was a lot of questions. lol. Oh and I found you on Face book. Pics are on there
Kimberly,A 10 gallon tank can easily house the snake for its first year. The 20 gallon tank should last another year or maybe even longer depending on your feeding regimens.Also, ball pythons can be sexed as soon as they leave the egg. I’ve even sexed some beforeGood luck with your new baby.
Andrew
Thanks He seems to be doing ok. He roams around the cage from time to time. I have him set up in the 20L (i swapped the geckos) with aspen, a real nice water dish and some hide places. He kept trying to get closer to the heat lamp so I moved some things around so he can climb on them to get closer but not stay touching the top of the cage. I even hung an old “repti ladder” from the top of the cage like a hammock. He still seems pretty shy. I got him 7/4 and just tried to feed him Saturday 7/7. I tried frozen because that is what the store was feeding and if he didn’t eat i could refreeze it. Of course he didn’t eat. He just stayed curled up in his little ball, after i transferred him to the feeding cage of course. I figure on trying to feed him again in a week or so. Should I try to go ahead and start handling him…or wait until he is comfortable enough to eat? Ive also noticed that my temp seems ok (thermometer just slightly off the center of the cage and half way up the wall reads 80-85 steady) but it worry’s me that he seems to be trying to get closer to the lamp (it is a ceramic heat emitter). Also I cant seem to get the humidity up…its stuck at 35. I have the gecko cage on top of the cool end of his cage, and have even wrapped the screen in saran wrap as I have seen suggested. I bought a misting bottle and even misted it…bringing it up to 60-70 but by morning it is back down…any suggestions…i know that was a lot of questions. lol. Oh and I found you on Face book. Pics are on there
tyrone w. says:July 1, 2012 at 10:21 am
Will I have to wait two weeks again for handling if I decide to Change my juvenile python from a 30 gallon tank to a 10 gallon take to make cleaning more easy and to use less subtrate and if so how big she have to get for me to put her back in the 30 gallon tank.
Tyrone,Just a couple days would be fine. Really no need to wait any longer. She should be fine in a 10 gallon tank till she’s about a year old, at which point a 30 gallon would be optimal.Andrew
When feeding the ball python, taking it from its enclosure putting it into another container will it take the snake out of feedig mode or will it cause stres to the snake?
There’s no legitimate reason to take the snake out of its enclosure for feeding. I’d recommend feeding it within its enclosure.Regards,
Andrew
Hi Andrew one more question do you really have to wait till October to start breeding can’t u jus change the temps and do everything else now or earlier and the to snakes I told u about when I breed them wont I just get pastels.
Mark,Of course you can, but don’t expect to get maximum production. When the seasons change they also receive signals due to the change in barometric pressure which is a pretty significant factor for proper follicular development. That being said, if you want the best results as possible, I’d wait for breeding season.Good luck
Andrew
Chris says:June 30, 2012 at 2:43 pm
I was wondering, how often should a 4 foot Male Ball Python be fed?
Chris,A small rat once a week would be plenty.Regards,
Andrew
Hi Andrew I was thinking about breeding my pastel ball python to my normal female bal python. I was just wondering is it good to breed one male to one female because I only have those 2 snakes
Hello,Perfectly fine. Males can breed several females, but the fewer the females they breed, the more likely it is that he’ll get the job done. With that, in a perfect world one male to one female would be best.Good luck
Andrew
Kimberly says:June 18, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Hello. I have a bunch of questions but I will keep it to a minimum. I just bought a young ball python. The first few days went very well. He seemed to like being held etc. He ate the first time I fed him. I tried to hold him the next night (didn’t know I was supposed to wait) and he kept striking at me. Thanks to google, I learned I should wait. So I didn’t mess with him the next day. Two days later he acted thge same way. So I left him alone. Today I took him out and he seemed content. After a few minutes he began to slither around my wrist. Again he has done this before. But, this time he locked himself around my wrist like a bracelet and started doing this creepy wave like motion with his body and rubbing the underside of his head against my arm. He was squeezing slightly, but not too bad. He didn’t seem grumpy, until I pryed him off my arm. Any idea what caused that behavior? Any insight will be greatly appreciated. Oh, I found you on twitter
Kimberly,If he’s a little nippy he may just need to be held more often or he may just be expecting to be feed and will calm down once he realizes you aren’t food. For him to slither around your wrist and tighten up is a natural security response to being off the ground. He’s most likely just holding on. Rubbing his face could be an entirely different issue, he possibly may be trying to relieve himself of a stuck shed or some other irritant.Good luck!
Andrew
Diego says:June 10, 2012 at 6:36 am
Hi Andrew,
I just got my ball python a few days ago and I was wondering if I needed to make one side of his tank significantly darker than the other for when he sleeps? Also I’m keeping him in my closet (it’s a rather large closet to be clear) to kind of hide him from my mom. I should be moving out soon but I still feel bad because he doesn’t have much of a view, is this a bad thing for him? Also I haven’t officially named him so any suggestions would be cool, I was thinking Mr. Cutey for the irony but it doesn’t seem fitting for a snake. One more thing, he’s about a foot and a half long would you happen to know how old he may be?ps I may not get on here for a while due to my work schedule so could you please reply to my email addressthank you so much Andrew!
Diego,Your ball python, like all ball pythons is nocturnal so being in a dark closet will suit him/her just fine. The less disturbances your animal has around his environment the better. I keep my whole collection in a room with zero windows and I only turn the lights on when I’m in the room working and my animals are very happy, they eat and breed great. With that, I wouldn’t recommend adding any lighting at all. Keep in mind, not only are they nocturnal but they spend the large majority of their lives in a rodent burrow or termite mound in the complete darkness.As far as a name goes, how about “Andrew” sounds good to meHope this helps,
Andrew
Hayli says:June 9, 2012 at 10:46 pm
I am wondering if it true that the ball python can stay in a cage and it get as big as the cage can let the snake to grow
Hayli,That is certainly false. Ball Pythons actually prefer small tight quarters and it doesn’t inhibit growth whatsoever.Regards,
Andrew
misti says:June 8, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Hello. I have a ball python I have had for a few months. She eat a small rat about 1 month ago and we get her out regularly. Once every 2 weeks we let her in a luke warm bath tub to play and soak. My question is this yesterday we got her out and her belly skin appears to be a pink shade as her toung is turning white and her eyes seem to have a cloudy cover over them? She is not acting any different? Any advice as to what this cld be. I have not seen her shed. Cld this be what is going on?
Misti,Sounds like you’ve got a perfectly healthy ball python that is in the process of a shed cycle. No reason to be alarmed just maybe up your humidity a little to assit with the shedding process. Here’s a link to the shedding article.Ball Python SheddingMy best,
Andrew
Jesse says:June 6, 2012 at 5:06 pm
Andrew,
My Ball is in an escape proof aquarium with aster-terf. I hand spray the tank a couple times a week for humidity and he has a large water bowl to soak in. I also have a large hide box for him with a heat pad under the tank. I have two analog thermometers and one digital. One analog on each end of the tank and the digital probe sits right on the heating pad. The higher end of the tank with the analog reads between 86-88 degrees and the low end of the tank ranges from 76-78 degrees. My question is about my heating pad, the digital thermometer i have on that reads 104. Which is from direct content. I think the temp rages are good. 86-88 on the one side of the tank and 76-78 on the low side. My concern is for the heating pad reading so high. For a pad, is this too hot for the snake?
Thanks
Jesse,In regards to your temps, are you talking about surface temperature or ambient temperature? The first thing I’d do is take the temperature of the substrate over the heating pad with a heat gun that reads surface temps. With it reading 104 on the pad, chances are it’s a little too hot, as the temperature of the substrate should be in the area of 85-89 degrees.If you’re using the heating pad to raise the ambient temperature inside the take I’d recommend you stop and get a ceramic bulb for a heat source hooked up to a thermostat as they are much more efficient at raising ambient temps than a heat pad ever would.Either way just monitor your ball python and observe its behavior. It won’t take long to see which end of the tub it prefer. If he’s spending all of his time on the cool side then the tank is too hot. If he’s spending all of he’s time on the hot side well it’s too cool. He should be doing some natural thermo regulating by spending a little time on each side.Good luck
Andrew
nicola says:May 29, 2012 at 9:50 am
I have been trying to figure out how you can tell if you have a male or a female python,so I was hoping you could help me with this,thanks.SnakesPerch says:August 15, 2012 at 8:04 am
With sexing a ball python, or most any snake for that matter, the only way I recommend is a veterinarian that has the specialty of reptiles. Let us look at it from the ball pythons perspective. Another species of animal is poking around near my nether regions, most often with a piece of metal. I don’t know about you but I’d want the most qualified individual around. Not to mention zero complaints of accidental sterilizing a patient.
Andrew says:May 22, 2012 at 10:32 pm
My snake shed its skin and some was left on his head and eyes. Is there any thing i can do to help remove the old skin?
Andrew,Thanks for your question. First off, if you’re getting stuck sheds then you need to up your humidity to prevent stuck sheds from happening again in the future. Maybe try placing a spray bottle filled with water next to the animals enclosure or try changing the substrate to something that’ll hold moisture better.About those stuck eye caps, don’t try to manually remove them on your own. If you do the ball python’s eyes can be injured pretty easily. What I like to do is place the animal in an empty escape proof tub over night with about 1/2 inch of standing warm water inside the tub. After which pour out the water from the empty tub and place the animal inside of a damp pillow case for a couple hours. With the overnight soak loosening the skin the pillow case will work to remove any extra skin or eye caps simple by the snake moving around inside.Good luck!
Andrew
Jorge says:March 31, 2012 at 5:20 pm
I just got a female ball python the person that had it he feed her on 3/3/12 so I try the next week but nothing yet the tempeture is good I run 12 hrs day is 150 and night is 75 the humily is good to I dont know want to do any advice,thank
Jorge,If what you’re telling me is correct with the “150 degree” day time temperature, then your animal is likely on deaths door. That’s way too hot, dial the temps down immediately by at least 60 degrees and seek guidance from a qualified veterinarian.The animal most likely isn’t eating as a result of the extreme heat.Good luck,
Andrew
Todd (Snake Dude) says:March 15, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Hi Andrew, maybe you could help me out. My ball will only eat rats she doesn’t have much interest in rats. I’d really like to get her eating rats because I’d like to get some size on her to breed maybe next season. thanks for any help. todd
Todd, thanks for the question. Having a ball python that’s be imprinted on a specific food item can be tough to get switched over to another prey item. I’ve had success with a couple different methods:– If the animal is completely healthy and has good body weight I’ve often just waited them out. By waiting them out, I simply won’t offer them a meal for a couple weeks in an effort to get the animal’s feeding response really sharpened before I offer them a small rat. Most of the time this really works great. You just have to be sure your animal is great shape and has adequate body weight. Also, be sure and monitor the animals weight throughout the waiting period as the animal shouldn’t lose much weight if any. Another thing you want to keep in mind is making sure the animal is well hydrated throughout the process.– Besides just waiting them out you can try scenting the small rats with mice scent. This has worked really well for me in the past as well. I’ll take a small rat and place it in tub with several mice and just let it sit in there for several hours until that mouse scent is really rubbed into the rat. once the rat is scented really well toss it in with the mouse eating snake and hope for the best. Chances are the snake will be fooled and readily take the scented rat. For the next feeding session leave the rat in the mice for a short period of time and keep shortening the period of time so the rat is scented less and less. Before long your mouse eating ball python will be fully switched over to rats and gaining lots of weight for breeding season.Good luck-Andrew
Jennifer thanks for stopping by and I really appreciate your question. That being said here a link to the ball python feeding page which includes lots of great tips and tricks to assist you with getting your ball python to feed.Ball Python Feeding-AndrewJennifer P. says:March 8, 2012 at 4:13 am
Hello, I just got a ball python a couple months ago and it has eaten for me yet? Any tips you can give to help me out? Thanks Jen