One of the main problems with Ball Pythons is Fasting. To help avoid this you should only buy captive born and bred ball pythons from a reputable breeder. If possible have them feed your ball python while you watch. Your new ball Python should come with a complete feeding record showing when and what it ate. Ask the breeder what size cage your new ball has been in. Changing cage size can stress them and cause fasting. Imported Ball Pythons are notoriously bad eaters.
Even a well-established eater can and probably will fast at sometime in its life. It is normal for adult Balls to fast during the winter. It could last for a few weeks to a few months. In most cases this does no harm to the snake but is very frustrating and nerve racking for the owner.
When your ball is fasting it is important to keep tabs on their weight. Usually you need not be concerned about fasting unless they show weight loss or muscle loss.
The smaller the animal the more sensitive to weight loss they will be. A hatchling may be in trouble after a month with out eating while a large adult can go a year without much effect. I have one female that fasts From September – June every year then eats 1-2 gerbils a month June, July, August and maybe in September if I am lucky. Her health is fine but she never grows she hovers between 900 and 1000 grams.
Tips for fussy eaters
Make sure your ball has an appropriate size hide. (They like to touch the sides of their hide to feel safe).
Feed at night Balls are nocturnal and hunt at night.
Try different food types, sizes and colors (mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters)
Dark “natural” color prey is best. There are not many albino mice/rats in the wild.
The ball python’s natural prey is gerbils.
Offer live prey Caution! Never leave live mobile prey alone with your snake they can and will bite your snake and can hurt or kill them. Stay in the room where you can quietly watch/hear what is going on in there.
Ball pythons are hunters it is not in there nature to eat dead things. Hunting and constricting are part of their feeding response. Some can be taught to eat pre killed prey, but if they are fasting live prey may interest them and get them eating again.
Harmless prey item= Prey that is too young to move much or bite IE. Fuzzy mice, gerbils rat pups eyes still closed.
Try leaving live harmless prey (fuzzy mice, gerbil or rat pups with eyes still closed not walking yet) in the cage over night maybe more then one so it is like a nest in the wild. If the rodents are in good condition when put in they should be ok to put back with mom in the morning if they were not eaten.
Try putting harmless rodent pups under an inverted flowerpot or other container with a hole large enough for your snake to enter. Burry the container with cypress mulch leaving just the hole uncovered. So it is like a natural den your ball can hunt and go down into and find the nest and feed.
Try leaving a pre-killed prey item in the cage overnight.
Put a pre killed prey item or Harmless prey into a brown paper bag with your snake tape or staple the bag shut so they can’t get out and leave in cage over night.
Make a den for your snake by burying their hide in mulch leaving a tunnel for them to come out and get to their water bowl. Make sure they have fresh water. Shut the cage and leave it alone for a week. Don’t’ open it, don’t touch it if possible don’t even go in the room. After a week quietly go in and disturbing the cage as little ass possible slip a small dark mouse hopper or gerbil pup in and sneak away. Hopefully this will do the trick. If not remove prey clean and refill water bowl close the cage and leave it alone and try again next week with a different type of prey item.
Make sure your ball python always has fresh water and 40-60 % humidity in cage. If your snake feels dry or has bad sheds you can let them soak in a container with about 1/8 inch water in it or a few hours. Ball pythons are not good swimmers never put them in deep water Caution! they can drown!
Parasites
Another common problem are parasites both external (mites/ ticks) and internal.
If you buy a captive bred ball python from a reputable breeder and feed quality healthy rodents and practice quarantine on all new herps you should not have a problem with parasites.
Imported reptiles almost always have parasites. They get them from bad water and rodents that have parasites.
If you have a healthy animal you need to keep it that way. Parasites don’t just happen they must be brought in. So if you are careful you can keep them out.
You should always wash your hands before and after handling your Reptiles.
Never bring a new reptile into your collection without quarantining it for 30-60 days. Assume all new animals have parasites. Quarantine in a separate room (separate building is even better) in a cage that has been treated with proven-o-mite (follow instructions on can). Treat for internal parasites, the best way to do this is have your vet test to see what type of parasites they have and prescribe or administer the proper treatment. Some vets will give you panacure and flagyl so you can treat all new reptiles orally yourself if you have a lot of new animals coming in your vet will instruct you in how to do this.
When you are around other reptiles (at a friends, pet store, reptile show…) always change your clothes and wash before going into your reptile room so you do not bring mites into your collection. Clean and treat for mites, all things like containers, pillowcases, bags, hides or other items that have or may have come into contact with reptiles outside your collection before you bring them into your reptile room. The only time I have ever had mites in my collection was when I brought a new snake home from a show put him in quarantine but then took the leather bag I had put his bag in to carry home into my snake room. The next day I pulled a paper out of the bag and saw mites on it. Yup stupid move on my part and I had to treat my whole collection to get rid of them. Now I treat the bag with proven-o-mite (follow instructions on can) before I even go to a show.
If you don’t have parasites and you make sure new animals coming in don’t have them you won’t have a problem.
If you notice you snake soaking a lot or holding its head under water in its bowl you might have mites.
Look for small dark dots around eyes, under chin and in-between scales. If you suspect mites clean and disinfect cage.
Treat with proven-o-mite (follow instructions on can). Line cage with clean white paper unprinted newspaper, butchers paper (un-waxed) or paper towel. Over the next few days look for very small dark dots or specks on the paper. If you see them you have mites. Treat all reptiles in your collection. Mites can quickly take over.
If you have a lot of reptiles in and out of your place or you have contact with other reptiles often you may want to treat for mites on a monthly basis. If you have only a few pets and do not have much other reptile contact you may want to only treat if you have an outbreak.
Fungus / Burns
If ball Pythons are not housed in the right environment they can have skin issues.
Pink spots on the belly could be burns or fungus (it is normal for the whole belly to turn pink as they go into shed, this pink lasts a few days then is gone).
If your snake is healthy and then develops pink to reddish brown spots that can get gooey. Check your temperatures! Nothing in your cage should ever be above 95 degrees farenhight! Normal hot spot is 90º F. If you have a thermostat and your temps are 90º-95º tops, its probably not a burn. Never have a heat source inside your cage! Snakes can coil around them and get burns! Never use hot rocks!
If your humidity is too high or the bottom of your cage is wet it could be fungus. If you have a snake that always spills their water bowl use a bowl heavy enough that they cannot tip it. If they continue to spill it you can put a raised platform in the cage so they can get out of the water.
If the burn or fungus is severe or if it is bleeding go to a vet. If it seems minor you can try to treat it yourself.
First correct the problem. If it is a burn get your temps right. If it is Fungus dry out your cage.
To treat minor burns use Neosporin.
To treat minor fungus use athletes foot cream.
If conditions do not improve by next shed or gets worse you should probably see a vet.
Respiratory Problems
Ball Pythons can develop RI.
The main cause of RI is incorrect Temperature / humidity. Room temperature should be around 80º F. Night temps can drop to 75º F. Hot end of the cage should be 90ºF – 95ºF When choosing a cage make sure it is long enough so your BP can choose the temperature they like the best by moving from one end of cage to the other.
If your Ball Python starts making noise (squeaks, whistles, pops or clicks) holds its head up often or continuously, has a wet mouth or nose or has dried discharge from nostrils it could have a respiratory infection. You probably need to see a veterinarian. If you are not sure but think it may be developing a problem. Check your temps and humidity! If they are ok you can try making the hot spot a few degrees warmer. You can give your BP the option of more humidity by placing a second hide with a moist paper towel in it over the hotspot. If in doubt see your veterinarian!
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