New Babies won't eat

[Mizbubba]

These guys are about a month old, now, and still have not eaten:

They are ball pythons!


The swarm:


There is one that is smaller than the other two that I am especially concerned about. Is there something special I need to do for a "first feed"?

[danktat]

BP's were my first boids and they were definately some picky eaters at times. I usually went with live in those days (I was young and inexperienced). A couple of my snakes got bit in the process. Once I went to PK then it was easier because if they didn't take it there was still no danger. I would always feed the picky ones at night and keep the room dark that they were in. I have even gone so far as to poke a few holes with a pencil in a brown paper bag and put the food in with the snake and leave it over night. You could also "brain" the mouse/rat. IMO if all of the husbandry issues are fine then time is the thing that usually does it. I have only had to resort to force [assisted] feeding twice since I was 11 years old to get a snake to eat (a boid anyway). You could try combinations of things like switching prey animals AND brown bagging it. Or braining and switching prey animals. Just don't let it get you all worked up. Good luck

	Ball Python

	IMO In My Opinion

[TammyJ]

I agree with all that has been said already to help.

Leave them alone (in separate cages) with the fresh killed or frozen/thawed/warmed rat pink/fuzzy in darkness and warmth, overnight without checking on them until morning.

If no response, wait another week, they will be OK, and hungrier. Leave off handling them as much as possible till they get more secure.

Good luck! I know what it's like.

[david]

you could try a live pink rat no danger whatsoever most breeders i know weather it be retics burms or boas always have to feed live for the first meal or to get nature started gus wrote a very good post anout it here
Your one stop reptile community - Boa feeding experiment and results.

[ssjsmits]

Another method that has worked wonders with them is dipping part of the f/t rodent in chicken broth. To my understanding, it seems to be a pretty effective method.

[JuliusSqueezer]

Cool dark cage no warmer than 83-84...NO LIGHT...No handling..plenty of hide spots. NO SHARING CAGE They will eat. If they don't take a fuzzy rat, try a hopper mouse. Don't try feeding more often than once a week. The End.