Recent rescue

**sassafrass93** · 03-05-2017, 03:09 PM

Took a ball python off of a friend who was no longer able to keep the snake. She had him in a 20 gal long with a heat lamp and one hide and a bowl. According to her he had only eaten 2 or 3 times since early october 2016 when she got him. He only eats live, and very inconsistent.

I personally cannot keep this snake forever so I'm looking for a home for him. But this is the condition i got him in. I have never kept ball pythons, so if anyone has any quick tips i would appreciate it. He is whistling badly, and i will be hunting for a vet tomorrow to get him checked out for that.

Thank you!

After most of the shed came off

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**Noelle7206** · 03-05-2017, 05:01 PM

He's a handsome BP & "appears healthy" though the bad shed suggests poor hydration, humidity too low, too few meals &/or possibly sharing those meals with parasites (internally-worms, or externally- ticks

or mites, which I'm sure you'll check for). It certainly sounds as if the prior conditions gave him little incentive to eat, and also a respiratory infection, which you'll soon be addressing. (kudos!) Meanwhile,

he needs slightly warmer temps than RTB's. You should be able to find him another home, but I'd avoid shipping him...so let us know whereabouts you're located, eh? Maybe we can help here? I'm glad you

were able to help him, at least for the time being. As I'm sure you know, some RI's respond to just raising the temperatures & improving the habitat conditions, while others need medication from the vet.

Also, it appears you are keeping him on wood chips, which will hide & exacerbate mites, IF he has any...so I assume you've already checked??? If not, white paper towels are safer during quarantine, and

be SURE to quarantine this fellow away from all your other snakes, just to be on the safe side. (did she have other snakes? your friend that you got him from? where did she get him? -from a pet store?)

**sassafrass93** · 03-05-2017, 06:27 PM

Im glad his body condition looks ok weight wise to you! I will he double checking with the vet but he doesnt seem too underweight to me.

I did check for mites but i will switch him to paper towels when i put him in the tub im setting up for him tonight just in case!

I live in edgewood md, which is about an hour north of balitmore.

And he is definitely staying far away from my 3, i dont want them getting sick!

The person got him from a breeder at repticon in baltimore. This is actually the same person who i took my bigger rtb from about 6 months before she got this one. She says she will stay away from reptiles from now on and i hope that she will stick with that! Breeder had said he was a great eater so im thinking its just her not giving him the right living conditions.

Thank you for your tips!! I will be changing him to paper towels as soon as i can!

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**Noelle7206** · 03-05-2017, 06:55 PM

Sounds good. As far as him only wanting to eat 'live', I've lived with a number of fussy B.P.s in the past, some acquired as c/b hatchlings, some taken in as adult w/c rescues (unwanted by current owner,

as yours was): the best way I've found to get them taking f/t is to first get them eating (live but stick with young & harmless if you can...rats/mice with eyes closed do not bite back, only after they can see);

then, once they've taken a few meals, offer them a smaller than normal live "appetizer" followed immediately with either a f/t that's already thawed & right temperature (slightly warm) or a freshly killed rodent.

Be sure that the 2 items combined are not an overly-large meal...you are not trying to "make up for lost meals", he's not starved & more to the point, he'd probably regurge if he WAS starved. This snake is

what, about 3' long? So a live fuzzy mouse followed by a dead adult (not a huge breeder though) mouse would be fine. The trick is to sit very still though, & introduce the dead prey using tongs into the snake's

open mouth GRACEFULLY & just as he's swallowing the last of the "appetizer". If done right, most snakes will just keep swallowing the f/t prey...if done wrong, he'll tuck his head in & refuse while you mumble

under your breath...LOL! Anyway, after a few (successful) feedings this way, you can often skip the live appetizer & they'll take the dead prey. Be patient... BP's that eat like "normal" snakes are quite charming,

& you might just want to keep him once you get him to cooperate. I know I always have a huge "soft spot" for the rescues that come my way... I'm nowhere near you but if you still want to re-home him, check

w/ local herp societies (New England Herp Society still around?), & with zoos & exotic animal vets (put a free notice on their bulletin boards) to contact likely adopters.

Another reason snakes refuse to eat is that re-homing is very stressful...and also, you always want to feed what the former owner was feeding them. Mice aren't the same as rats...some snakes like one and
not the other. They also may be taking other (less common -less available) prey too, like soft-furs or chicks...so it really helps to know what they were raised with when "they fed well". Good luck!