Feeding Ball Pyhton

Hi everyone. I have a very picky eater. She is a 2013 ball python and she wont eat anything. can anybody help me out? She hasn't eaten since the beginning of January. I was told she eats live rats so I tried a small rat, didnt eat that, then another and didnt eat that, and then another and didnt eat it. Last week I tried a rat pup and today I tried a live hopper mouse because someone at the reptile show said the different smell might get her to eat but it didnt work. I am starting to get a little worried since my other bp has doubled her size. Can anyone please help me? Thanks.

What are your temps? Has she lost any weight? Balls can be picky little things.

Also how often is she being handled, whats the humidity, does she have hide boxes and how often are you offering prey.

They can be picky, generally when stressed and balls can get stressed really easy.

My temps is at 80 degrees in the cage with a 88 degree hotspot. I have 3 hides right now and I try to keep the humidity at 50-60% by misting the cage 3 times a day. It doesnt seem like she has lost weight. I offer prey to her once or sometimes twice a week.

I'm having the same issue. My friend who works at petsmart suggested to try cutting open the head of the rat/mouse (If you use frozen/thawed). I did that last night. No dice unfortunatly.

It happens with some snakes, especially this time of year. I have an albino spider that will go off feed for up to six months for no reason. Right now I have at least 15 balls that haven't eaten since last year, one 2013 for the last month. A small rat seems a little large for a 2013 with a feeding problem, how much does she weigh? I would track her weight and give her a month to herself and she should turn around when it warms up some. This is by far the most frustrating part of owning ball pythons, for me at least.

I had one go 9 months without eating.

So its nothing to worry about really?

WithoutPride wrote:

So its nothing to worry about really?

Well... yes and no. Most mature males go off food during breeding season (winter), I have one whose last meal was on 10/8/13, and a few others that are eating on average once a month over the winter. A 2013 female should be pounding down the food though.

If you're misting three times a day to keep up humidity I'll assume she's in a tank and not a tub/rack setup. Does she have hides that are just barely big enough to fit her? How are you creating the hot spot, with a UTH, heat lamp, CHE, or ? Do you feed her in her enclosure or take her out and put her in a separate container? How often does she get handled? Is her tank in a busy/active part of the house, or in a quiet room?

She's in my bedroom and I have a mister going off for 4 seconds every hour to keep humidity at 50 to 60. I have tried both as her previous owner fed in the tank. She gets handled about every day or every other day. Im using a heat lamp her hide is big enough to fit her and another snake.

Try a smaller hide or put balls of crumpled newspaper in her current one - they really hiding in small spaces that are just barely bigger than they are.

Will do.

Should I try a smaller meal? I have done all of the things you have been saying and she didnt eat when I just tried to feed her.