I have a baby. I’ve tried everything I can even a very careful assist feeding. I’ve tried that a couple of times. Usually just get the shoulders past the jaw. This fella just regurgitates it every time. Today I used a small pinky mouse and a q-tip to push the entire thing down and he regurgitates it again. He’s an awesome super pastel and I love him. He’s weak and getting skinnier and skinnier every week. I got 16 total ball pythons and he’s the only one giving me a problem. Any ideas?
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I would highly recommend that you do NOT try pushing it down all the way. I have found that when assist feeding is necessary I have much better success if I only push it on enough for them to bite it, they will then usually do the rest. Pushing it down all the way just stresses them out more than anything and if you must help them consume the food all the way then I would say syringe feeding would be better because it’s much less invasive and stressful
Yeah I’ve tried that. It won’t instinctively bite down. I can push his head down. But he will just raise it back up and regurgitate. I’ve never seen syringe feeding. I’m going to look into that.
100% second that. I have a weak baby ball with feeding issues as well and ever since I’ve started syringe feeding her using Oxbow Carnivore Care she has gained weight and even improved her health. She never fully digested the mice I assist-fed her, even if she did keep them down. Just to be careful I’d take him to a vet, though. In my experience, serious problems with feeding often point towards an underlying issue… usually a health issue, if regurgitation is involved. Are there any other issues with him, like breathing noises, excess saliva, weird poops… anything out of the ordinary? Is he from a breeder you trust (I had similar issues which turned out to likely stem from genetical deficiencies due to excessive linebreeding… not to be invasive, but close to the tail it looks like his spine is slightly kinked?)?
I hope he gets well, though. He is really quite beautiful 
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Not a kink. That’s how skinny he is. I got him from Petco because he looked well when I got him. He was in the normal tank for $69 also. Which was a deciding factor. The syringe feeding looks interesting. I’m going to leave him alone this week and reach out to my local vets. Then next week if I have to do it on my own I’ll ask some questions about syringe feeding. I don’t want the dude to die. When I buy a house here soon he’s getting a really nice set up in the living room. The rest are getting breeding racks. 16 total snakes and my favorite one is the one giving me issues. Smh lol
Okay, so it just looked like that in the picture/to me. I’d definitely, definitely, definitely get him tested extensively if he’s from Petco- I’ve heard pretty much nothing but horror stories about reptiles from them. Not meaning to be patronising, but buying animals from petco is really not a good idea (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMeXuGQ2iBw “Why you should not buy reptiles from Petco”).
I’d check out the comments/ratings of your local exotic vets online before contacting them, as not all of them will be good with snakes (I tried quite a few before I found my current one and almost lost an animal due to one’s incompetence back when I was just getting started). Syringe feeding will definitely be better, but as you’ll have to put a tube down to his stomach (&those are somuch harder to get in the correct size without a vet involved, too), I’d highly recommend having a vet or someone who’s experienced show it to you first if at all possible.
I also don’t know if you currently have him in quarantine, but that would be a good idea… not just because I’m a big fan of extensive quarantine for multiple reasons, but also in this specific situation, just in case he has some kind of virus or parasite that could prove dangerous to your other snakes.
Maybe ask around in the forums whether someone knows a good exotic vet in your area?
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before you decide that you would like to attempt assist feeding you need to ensure that you have ensured that the enclosure that the snake is in, is within proper parameters to allow the snake to thrive. make the alterations as necessary to the environment if they arent perfect. force feeding should be the last resort.
since the snake is spitting/regurgitating the food back up its possible that the snake may have a tear in its esophagus. this makes it difficult for the snake to pass and hold its food down because its muscles are weakened.
if they spit the animal out retry the process with the snake immediately, the snakes saliva can assist in the attempt.
if it continues to spit it out you may need to be a little more agressive, you may need to press a thumb along the ventral area to pass the rodent down to the stomach area helping the snake.
depends how far you want to go, if its your first time trying it i would say go seek help absolutely.
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You shouldn’t only go off of price and pecto does not have a good reputation in terms of care to begin with. Most breeders on morphmarket have some sort of policy where they only sell a animal if they are established eaters. I would definitely rather pay a little extra to have a good eater instead of a snake that may not make it. I would not recommend buying from Petco again and look at morphmarket instead
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I am. I’m having a hard time justifying buying non visual hets that are 100%. I could lie easily. What is the ramifications of being dishonest? Someone comes back to you in 3 years and wants a refund or leaves a bad remark? It’s a tough decision to make. I’d like to buy into the top 3-4 recessives as babies. Don’t mind growing up normals for that. But how devastating would that be to have 9-12 clutches of normals after 3 years? I’d probably lose it
I’m asking an honest question. Please don’t take it the wrong way.
I got 15 other snakes (babies and juveniles) that eat just fine. So you think I should switch and put this one in glass instead of the tub and see if that works as my next step??
100 percent. sounds like you have a feeding issue or some tissue that needs to heal up a lil bit. just to be sure though if you can isolate the snake then why not…just to make sure it isnt anything else.
lets help this lil guy out. once we get him through this i would love to see more photos of him!
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How long have you had this little guy? This is one of the ones you posted about a little over 2 weeks ago right? If that is the case then force feeding maybe a little premature, he may still need to adjust to your setup. pics and more information would definitely help. what have you tried to feed him so far?
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Yes that’s him. I had decided to give it a try because he’s very weak. He also is getting very skinny. You can see that deep V that I’ve seen people show that is really bad for the snake.
So for an update if you want to call it that. I got to talk on the phone to an awesome fella that went and looked at the picture and we talked for about 30 minutes I suppose about him. Even though he is in what I feel is a small blacked out enclosure he suggested a makeshift hide anyway. Did that. I have access to African small furs. Going to try a live one of those next week. I hope he makes it. I have a female I really want to pair him with. I thank all of you. If this doesn’t work then next week I will put him in glass with a timer , lights , on/off thermostat, an accurate humidity gauge, multiple temp readings, multiple hides, multiple water sources, and plenty of vegetation. It’s going to look amazing lol.
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good luck. looking forward to an update and what eventually works!?
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Do this to a T New owner with non feeding hatchling, troubleshooting 101
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im Going to do that if he doesn’t eat when I offer next Saturday. I’ll probably just buy that stuff and have it on hand anyway so if I run into it again I’ll have it available
I completely get what you mean but the best thing is to just get visuals and buy from reputable people with good reviews. That’s the best advice I can give as far as buying hets
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