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My baby ball won't eat :[

ZzombieSoxX

ZzombieSoxX

New member
Hi guys. A few weeks ago I got a baby ball python. The first few feedings he did he ate like a pig! The past 2 weeks however, he has stopped. He was eating f/t mice perfectly fine and I'm getting really frustrated now :[

About a week ago I noticed he somehow contracted mites. I've quarantined him, treated him and am waiting to treat him some more. He hasn't eaten in 2 weeks and I'm getting worried....
 
Try getting the mouse really warm before offering it to him, this works almost all the time for me. Two weeks isnt much to worry about. I have a male that is in breeding mode and hasnt eaten for a little more than a month no matter how many times I offer, but I dont get real concerned until I see weight loss. They almost always come around and will eat but what are your temps and everything at?
 
What are you treating him for mites with?

Also can you post a picture of his cage?

2 weeks, is not a huge deal. It's pretty normal for hatchlings to skip meals if something is wrong in his environment. Now we have to figure out what's bugging him.
 
If the mites aren't completely gone that may be why he isn't eating. A lot of them won't eat unless every single thing is spot on. Two weeks really isn't a big deal though :) I wouldn't worry about it too much. As long as he's not losing weight, you're fine.
 
I hope you had him in quarantine before you spotted the mites. Never a good idea to bring any new reptile into your clean collection without quarantine of a minimum of 3 months...parasites are just one reason. The getting the mites and treating are two reasons why he might not be eating. I'd wait until he's fully been treated (use something like Provent a mite to really do it first treatment) and then offer food again. Every week or two is fine and make sure you try late evening/night and with a very hot mouse. Dippng the nose in boiling water just before feeding can sometimes trigger a good feeding response in reluctant animals. When was the last time he shed? If he's approaching shed, he might not eat either. Do you have feeding records on this animal so that you know if he's done this before? Balls go off food constantly...part of the reasons why I dislike them so much. I wouldn't panic though...they can go a long, long time without food. At this point though, I would definitely quarantine for at least 6 months. Balls and other pythons can carry IBD and mites are a suspected carrier. While corns can't die from it, there's no telling if they can be carriers without being affected. It would be a real tragedy if you brought a lethal disease into a clean collection because you didn't follow quarantine protocols. I know of several people who are currently paying the price of not putting animals into quarantine immediately.
 
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