Posted by:
Yoshii
at Wed Aug 13 05:39:53 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Yoshii ]
I got my first snake recently, an 08 CB yellow belly male from a local reptile show (Dixie Reptile expo, for the interested). Breeder seemed good, my ball healthy, and he got home and acclimated with no real problems. I let him chill for a week before attempting to feed him, but when I offered a f/t fuzzy mouse, he wouldn't take. I soon realized why, though; he went blue the day after.
However, an unexpected opportunity comes up that week, one that I couldn't really pass up, so I go out of town for the subsequent two weeks, leaving my ball in the care of my family. I just let them know to keep their eyes on his humidity and temperature and such. While I'm gone, he sheds a good complete shed to my relief, but then, according to my mom, he got very 'strikey'. I assumed he was hungry, and got her to offer a f/t fuzzy again. He would strike at the mouse, but would not grab and coil. I know that they can be finicky, so I don't stress it, and just have my mom try and feed nightly (no car available to get a live, by the by, before anyone asks why I didn't have her get one).
I'm rambling now. Long story short, I get back after two weeks, he still hasn't taken a meal, despite effort. Meaning he's been without food for a good... 3 weeks, at least? Yeah. Understandably, all through my absence he's been pretty much striking at anything that moves near his tank. First priority was getting him fed once I got home, so I pick up a live smallish mouse on my way home. Offer it, and after like five minutes of him striking with no coil, he FINALLY takes and swallows it. Figuring he's pretty hungry, once he has it down, but is still swallowing, I offer a f/t fuzzy, and he strikes and coils immediately, and swallows it, too.
That was Sunday 8/10 evening. He chills and digests for a day, but on Tuesday, he's back to crawling around relentlessly and striking at anything that moves. Figuring he might still be hungry, I offered another f/t fuzzy. However, he strikes unsuccessfully SO MANY TIMES, by the time he finally coils and swallows, most of the dern mouse is gone. Mildly graphic: //to the extent of that what remained intact on the mouse was the head, front pair of legs, rib cage, and spine. No innards or anything //. Eats that, too, though. Not sure if that really constitutes a 'meal' in all regards.
MY QUESTIONS ARE, THOUGH:
1. He's -still- striking at everything that moves. Still hungry? Territorial? And will he quit on his own? How can I encourage him to, you know, mellow out?!
2. What sort of feeding regimen should I adopt from here? Normal, or did that 3 week fasting have a deeper impact that I have to address?
Thanks so much!
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 New ball strikes a LOT; cause for worry? - Yoshii, Wed Aug 13 05:39:53 2008
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