Starting a baby ball python feeding...

Dear VPI,

I was wondering if you could give me some tips on feeding my month old ball python. I've had her for about 2 weeks and she won't eat!!! I'm trying to feed her thawed mice and I was wondering if I should heat the mouse up and what I should heat it with. Also should I just drop it in her cage or should I use tongs and move the mouse towards her face as if it were still alive. Thanks for your time , Adam.

Dear Adam,

She probably hadn't eaten when you got here and most little ball pythons require live fuzzies as their first meals. Few will accept thawed food as their first meals.

Temperatures are a consideration. We find that young ball pythons feed best at about 80 degrees F. They often are reluctant to eat when they are too warm. Of course, they don't eat well when they are too cool either, but the more common mistake keepers make is to keep little balls at 86 degrees or higher-and many just don't eat at those temps.

Also, many keepers keep little ball pythons in cages that are a little too big. Once they are eating and doing well, they will appreciate a big cage, but little hatchlings may be insecure in a cage that's too big. In a cage even as large as a 10-gallon aquarium, all of the glass leaves the little snake feeling exposed. So at first, you may have to give the baby a place to hide. DGB