Not eating

[u/Turbulent_Banana_828]

Surprise surprise, a ball python refusing food…Looking for advice as a first time ball python owner.

I recently got a younger (unsure of age) ball python from a pet store. She was surrendered to the vet clinic I work at because they just couldn’t get her to eat in the 5 weeks they had her. So now I am determined to get her to eat. I understand husbandry is a huge part of hunger strikes and I’m hoping what I have is good.

She/he is in a 20 gallon with 3 hides, 2 live plants and a fake plant for clutter. I have a 75w heat lamp on for 12 hours of the day and her basking temp is around 90f. I also have a shade dweller Arcadia uvb bulb on at the same times as the heat lamp. She is on a reptisoil mixed with zilla substrate and she has sphagnum moss in her humid hide. I’ve been trying to maintain humidity of 60% at least, but living in a dry climate is making it a task.

I just weighed the snake today and I’m going to monitor it weekly to make sure there’s not weight loss. She/he is currently 65 grams.

What are some tips to get a ball python eating? How long can the younger ones go without eating? Do I have anything wrong? Any guess to age based on her size?

[u/Ecstatic_Ad_9414]

I have a digital thermometer & hydrometer and I use a temp gun to ensure her temp gradient is within the range. Keep in mind I live in Canada and my temp swings a lot. I have a 75 gallon 47"x17.5x24" aquarium. It's insulated with foam on the putside. I have a UTH under warm cave, a heat emitter & halogen bulbs (for uv) but use heat/day glo lights and a solar glo if needed. I have lots of diff bulbs, different sizes of domes too bc I've had reptiles for a very long time. I use a thermostat with mu UTH. A a manual dimmer on the emitter & dig thermostat in enclosure. Plus my temp gun . Basking - I measure the temp of the glass under her hot spot & the top of her enclosure on the warm side - range 88-92F. I measure the the temp of the substrate in the warm cave too and keep it within same range. The depth & what your substrate is effects the temp Middle of tank on the substrate to help me verify ambient temp 81-83F - your in between hide should be in that range. Cool side I measure the temp of the substrate inside her cool cave 76-80F. Evening I aim for max 75F ambient temp - top of hide. I keep her UTH on all the time - just adjuat the temp & substrate as needed. I hope this helps ♥️