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New Member
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Last Login: 7/4/2009 6:39:21 AM
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| I've had my ball python for a week and the first couple of days it did alot of roaming around and now it just sets in it's hide constantly day and night. I tried to feed last night and it wouldn't. Is this normal? I think itmay be close to the time when it sheds. I know they stop eating when close to shedding, I'm just worried about the inactivity.
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 3/7/2010 12:38:44 PM
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| Theres nothing to be worried about. Balls aren't really active at all anyway. The only reason it was so active the first few days was because it was exploring. Now that its settled down, it will hide most of the time anyway. Balls also are pretty finicky eaters. Just leave it alone for about a week, then try again. If it is about to shed, its scales will become dull and his eyes will become a light blue color.
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Senior Member
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Last Login: Yesterday @ 12:31:35 PM
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 Welcome to the world of snakes. Your ball is behaving normaly. A snake will usually spend a little while checking out a new home, then find a nice cozy place to hide and stay there for a while. Ball pythons are nocturnal, and there is a verry good chance it prowling around when you are sleeping. Balls are not as active as rat snakes and other clolubrids. As far as not eating goes, balls are notorius for going on fasts and can go for months without taking a meal. It may still be getting used to it's new home or t could very well be going through a shed cycle. Does it look milky or are it's eyes blue? Temperatures will affect a snakes apetite. Make sure you have hot area of 89 or so with a cooler area in the mid 80s. Are you feeding live, fresh killed or thawed? If you are using thawed rats, make sure they are verry warm. A good jiggle with a pair of tongs can usually get a strike. You can also try feeding at night or leaving the food next to its hide overnight, if the prey is dead.
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
0.1 Western Hognose
0.1 Childrens Python
0.1 Everglades Ratsnake
1.0 Bull snake
2.2 Crested Geckos "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - Carl Sagan
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 3/6/2010 5:27:51 PM
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Ball pythons are notorious for not eating right away when they are young plus like it was already brought up to you they will go on fasts. My ball stops eating every winter and he won't eat for 3-4 months.And as far as the snake moving around when you first put him in thats normal too,mine will even do that when I clean his cage. Then they will calm down when they get used to they're surroundings again.
Reptiles are like pringles once you pop you can't stop. My cold blooded kids:One ball python(Henry),A green iguana(Iggy),a corn snake(ghost), a Dumeril's ground boa(Buddy), a spider ball python(Spindel),and now a kenyan sand boa(Digger)  
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New Member
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Last Login: 2/11/2010 10:52:27 PM
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| Very good points have been mentioned. Also, make sure you don't handle him/her often in this adjustment period. Handling a snake too often (or any reptile...) when you first bring it home adds stress. If a snake is stressed (esp. P. regius), it won't eat. I've had my ball python, Solomon, since he was only a few months old. The same situation occurred, however I was well read on the subject and expected him not to eat. Wait a few weeks, it'll be ok (they can go a loooooooong time without eating). By the way, both of my snakes take seldom prey in the winter (I also have an E. cenchria cenchria). You might want to try a live hopper (or appropriate sized prey depending on the size/age of the snake) to stimulate it's appetite. That always seems to work with my snakes. If your snake is an adult and you're feeding a rat, make sure you pre-kill the rodent by giving it a good whack to the base of the cranium. Rats can cause SERIOUS damage to snakes. Be patient, relax, and wait it out. Ball pythons are excellent beginner snakes due to their hardy nature. Oh, one other thing, it is captive bred, correct? Wild caught herps are a no-no in my book (save a breeding program for rare or endangered species...) due to the parasites that they harbor both internally and externally. If your snake was wild caught, he could be dehydrated, have a mite infestation, ticks, and have some nasty internal parasites like worms as well. If this is the case (wild caught) take your snake to a local herp vet for a diagnostic and check up. If he was captive bred, don't sweat so much lol!
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