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| Ball PythonEnclosure Selection Health Feeding BreedingGeneral Information Feeding Water Failure to Eat General Information Ball pythons can be very fussy about eating if they are not totally comfortable in their habitat. The temperatures must be just right, and if they do not feel like eating dont force them. Wait until the next scheduled feeding time and try again. They kill their prey by suffocation, by wrapping coils around small animals a squeezing tightly until the can no longer breathe. Prey will then by devoured from the head down. After eating, they will seek a small dark place (often the burrow of the animal they just ate) and rest. Feeding To feed your snake, remove them to a separate container. This prevents them associating your hand entering the cage with feeding, which can illicit an instinctual feeding response. By feeding them in a separate box, they will not know whether they are being handled or fed so this response is less likely. Feed only frozen mice, as there is a chance that live prey could injure your snake whilst it is being killed. The item can be dangled in front of the snake, or left on the floor of the enclosure. If your snake is reluctant to eat, try some of the methods listed below. As a general rule, food should be no larger than the thickest part of the snakes body. For young snakes, a small mouse should be fed every week to 10 days, rising to 5-6" rats every 3 weeks for adults. Gravid females can have the same sized rat every 2 weeks. No supplementation is necessary, however small amounts of calcium could be added to a gravid females diet. You may stop feeding for a two month period over winter if you wish, coupled with a slight decrease in temperature and amount of daylight. Water A large water dish is essential, and by using a dish with a lid, you can create a hide out of it as well. Simply cut a hole in the lid of the box just large enough for the snake to pass through, and half fill the dish with water. The snake will use this as both a water bowl and a wet hide. If your snake defecates in the water change it immediately. Bottled water is preferable, however if tap water must be used then you should allow it to sit out overnight to allow the chlorine to dissipate. Never use dechlorinators in water dishes. Failure to Eat This section will be added in a couple of days.
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