Two weeks ago, I fixed the recurring issue of my ball python probing toward the top of the cage as if it was trying to escape, so I installed a thermostat to ensure the warm side remains at 88-92 degrees. I also covered the top of the cage to ensure humidity remains at 40%.
I feed him every week, but he has refused rats three times in a row. He is 1.5 years old, and I feed him medium sized rats which I usually heat up in a ziploc bag in a bowl of hot water. It has been a week since the last refusal. Should I try to feed him again, or is there a problem I need to fix?
He has also been burrowing more frequently in the past week. Could this be due to fatigue from not eating?
A photo of the enclosure and the snake would be good to understand the situation better so we can help you out
88-92°F is too warm on the hot end, you’ll want to aim for no higher than 86°F.
Burrowing is also not a common behavior for BPs but this could just be caused by the temperature I mentioned earlier. It can also be a result of a lack of cover and hiding spaces causing the snake to feel stressed.
What is the weight of your BP in grams? They need to eat around 10% of their body weight…
A medium rat every week is way too much too frequently, especially for a male BP… you’ll want to aim for feeding every 10-14 days.
Let me see a picture of him so I can see what his body condition looks like.
At a year and a half old, a ball python can easily go a full year without food if it has been well fed up to that point. Most likely what’s happening is that you’re over feeding it and he just doesn’t wanna eat. A medium rat every week is too much food for an adult ball python unless it’s a female and you’re breeding it. A small rat every two weeks is a much better feeding schedule.
I agree with @cmsreptiles, that’s too hot on that side. 85 is perfect. They can overheat easier than you think and become dehydrated. That itself will lead to feeding and shedding issues.
Now if you meant to say ‘hot spot’ or ‘basking spot’ then 88-90 is perfect and I would not go over 90. I tend to keep mine at 88. But the air temps should not be over 85
The burrowing behavior is most likely because they’re too hot and trying to get away from the heat. Especially if this is new behavior after raising the temps.
How long have you had this snake?
Don gave some great advice about feeding size already. Even my breeding females aren’t always eating a medium size rat. I do have a 20 year old male who does, but he’s enormous…and only eats once a month usually.
Thank you for clarifying regarding the hot side vs basking spot. I will also implement your advice for the feeding scchedule. However, I don’t think the heat is \ the reason why he’s burrowing; if he wanted to get away from the heat, wouldn’t he burrow on the cool side, which is 75 degrees?
