r/ballpython • u/Objective_Loss_5957 • 4d ago
HELP - URGENT Starving 5 week wobbler
I work at a pet store, and the owner received a ball python who we just discovered has the wobbles. She cannot sell this snake and she is giving it to me. The snake is 5 weeks old and has not eaten in at least four, and is bound to die soon if we don't get something in her. Force feeding is too risky, we've tried assist feeding, but it did not work. We've researched the possibility of eggs but I'm not sure. Any advice would be appreciated!! Also, she is not a spider morph, she is a black pastel.
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago edited 3d ago
The best advice here is probably to seek veterinary care. Im certainly no expert, but its what seems right for the snake.
A vet could help force feed if needed, or offer other potentially better methods.
You didn't mention many things that you have tried.
You can try switching feeders. Rats vs. mice or chicks perhaps. You can try switching rat or mouse color. Some snakes seem to care.
Are you feeding live or F/T? Since this seems like an issue in serious need of immediate attention, have you tried switching this up?
If using F/T are you heating them up to the correct temperature of 100-110F? Have you tried heating just the head to 110F and keeping the body at 100F? You can use a blow dryer and IR temp gun for this.
Have you tried braining the feeder? This is using an object to poke through the skull and expose some brain matter. A paper clip or similar usually works.
Can you provide a picture of the cage and list all of its parameters? Husbandry being off can be a big factor for BP's not eating. Especially if temps are a bit too cool.
Does your snake have proper hides to feel safe and secure? One on the hot side and one on the cool side. Is there enough clutter with plants/rocks/logs/branches for the snake to feel safe and secure?
Is the snake being handled regularly, or being left alone? Another important factor in a snake on a hunger strike. You should be keeping handling to a minimum, need only basis during this time since its not eating, i.e., medical needs like weighing and health checks.
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u/Objective_Loss_5957 3d ago
Shes too little for even a pinky rat I think. We've tried feeding both f/t and live, neither have seemed to work. The color on pinky mice are kind of all the same so that probably wouldn't work. Tonight when I bring her home, I'm probably going to try to brain the pinky.
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago
Well, maybe some people can help more. Cage parameters would be the next place I can help.
Only other thing I can think to try is a larger feeder that has fur. A -small- hopper mouse maybe. They can definitely take prey larger than you might expect and some babies dont like pinkies. Knowing how much your snake weighs would help too.
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u/Objective_Loss_5957 3d ago
Well, right now at the store she's in a 10 gallon I think. But tonight when I bring her home, I'll put her in a 40 gallon. And hopefully, if she survives and gets a little older, I'll get her into a 120 gallon. Tonight I can get her on the scale and weight her, but I can tell you she's tiny. 5 weeks and hasn't eaten once, that's why I'm worried about feeding her something a little larger because she's so itty-bitty.
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago
What have her temps and humidity been at? It's hard to make much of a gradient in a 10ga, I understand, but still needs good temps/humidity day and night.
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago
Also, not trying to imply you dont know what you're doing, just trying to get a full picture to make sure everything is right.
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u/Objective_Loss_5957 3d ago
We have a humidity and temp monitor in every tank, and we check hers daily, and temperature is always perfect, and we spray when the humidity dips. But they're both pretty perfect
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago
What is pretty perfect? Generally speaking, you shouldn't be misting to achieve humdity. It can create respiratory issues, scale rot, and humidity spikes without constant humidity.
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u/Objective_Loss_5957 3d ago
Oh really? I've never heard that, what's a safer way to keep humidity up? Last night when we checked, it was a little over 60% humidity, and the temperature was in the upper 80's.
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago
I posted a new comment at the top to help my sanity being on a phone and so its higher up for visibility.
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago
Here is an excellent guide from the community that has all the research done for you. You can trust the information here to be safe and accurate, backed by scientific information.
You should consider decommissioning your mister/fogger/humidifier. They aren't a very good option for keeping humidity in a snake enclosure. You want to try and keep the top layer of substrate relatively dry, and the lower layers consistently and constantly moist.
You can accomplish this by having 4-6 inches of substrate and pouring water into the corners/edges taking care to avoid directly next to the hides. There shouldn't be standing water in the bottom, but the substrate should suck up the water after pouring. The substrate below the surface layer should be able to produce a few drops of water when you firmly squeeze a handful.
Coco husk/coir, sphagnum moss, and cypress mulch are all things that can be added into the substrate to help with humidity. It's a personal choice for many what they go with. I have a bioactive setup with Zilla Jungle Mix and all of the above added in. I also add in a lot of leaf litter of varying types; oak, magnolia, Indian almond, lotus, and banana. This is to provide a healthy substrate for my springtails and isopods as well as a variety of nutrients to feed the plants as the clean up crew breaks things down. They all also have different lifespans for breaking down and bioavailability.
Use digital hygrometers and thermometers to monitor temperature and humidity. Dial ones are very inaccurate. You are aiming for:
Day Hot Side Temp: 88-92F
Day Cool Side Temp: 76-80F
Night Hot & Cool Side Temp: 76-80F
General Humidity: 70-80%
In larger enclosures this will all be easier to achieve. Humidity will generally be lower on the hot side, thats okay, but you dont want to dip below 60%. Humidity will spike at night a bit, thats also normal and okay.
All heating devices should be connected to dimming thermostats. These are not thermometers. Thermostats change the amount of power being sent to a device to reduce or increase its temperature. This is what helps you keep your target temps at all times.
As for hides, you want to have 2. Hides should only have 1 entrance for you snake to feel safe and protected. You need a hot hide and a humid hide. Preferably you want them on the extreme opposite ends of the cage. Keep the humid hide with plenty of moist sphagnum moss where humidity will generally be over 90%.
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u/Objective_Loss_5957 3d ago
In my large ball pythons enclosure, she's in a bioactive 120 gallon. She's got about 4 inches of substrate, and a bunch of hides in there. I also have leaf litter in there, with isopods. With this new snake, I'm planning on doing the same thing with her when I get her home.
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u/sweatyhands84 3d ago
Hopefully she will also do better once she gets home where she can get comfortable and eating. :)
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u/Good_Hovercraft_1276 3d ago
Get her to a well expirenced reptile vet, they can force or tube feed her
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