Reptile & Amphibian Forums

About a month ago I purchased a large adult female ball from someone who had an ad in the paper. She was a family pet for the past 8 years. She was very gentle...even their kids could play with her. But here is the thing...she is about 6' long but on the thin side. The previous owners only fed her mice. Once I got her i started feeding her small rats F/T. NOW, after about 3 weeks of the rats....i cant even open her lid without her striking at my face!! Even when I get her out she still strikes. I was wondering if she is developing some kind of aggressive feeding habit or something. Im not over feeding her either. 1 F/T small rat every 7 days. WHen I do feed her i leave her in her enclosure, but i do that with all my snakes. Very odd to go from Gentle to Bad Ass in a couple of weeks!!!
Just was wondering if anyone else experienced this?

Soynds like she is just hungry. If you are omly giving her small rats, try feeding her every four days until you have got her weight up.

I agree. It sounds to me that she is acting very similar to a female that just dropped eggs. They are hungry, and they want to make sure you know that.

-John

I was thinking it was because she was just hungry. I guess she is excited about getting a meal bigger than a mouse...I might switch her to med. rat and see if that helps....she waste no time in taking the rat from my tongs! sometimes she strikes so hard and fast she goes past my arm! im hoping to breed her this coming season. She is an 8yr old virign...but i want to make sure she is up to weight and if I have to wait until the next season after that I will.

I have virtually the EXACT same situation except the female I bought locally is "only" 4 feet long. She is coming out of the tub every time I open it and I've had her for five months now. She eats everything she is offered which is now generally medium rats, with the occasional attempt of eating my face.

Hey, while it is unnerving if you aren't expecting it this is possibly one snake that won't go off feed in the winter and frustrate you that way. Either way I'm sure you are getting your money's worth out of her.

Good luck!

-Jason

Since she was not acting like that at her original owners home and was eating mice and would have been just as hungry there do you think it might have more to do with the fact she lived 8 yr. at the same place and now is in a totally new environment and might be scared ? I could understand the hunger thing with the striking when you open the cage but to continue once you have her out tells me she is not feeling secure with you yet and is in fact petrified . Just some thing to rap your head around .LOL. David of DS Reptile Rescue