Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last night I was feeding my ball pythons. I feed f/t mice (I don't have any rats in my freezer at the moment and won't until the mice are gone). My male is notorious (my female sometimees does it too though) for striking, constricting, and then it seems he can't figure out how to get the blasted thing down. So I'll heat it up in the water again, present it and we'll play the game again. Any suggestion to help him get it down the first time??

Thanks,
Dan
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1.0.0 Snow Corn - RIP
0.1.0 Normal Corn Snake
1.0.0 Amelanistic Corn Snake
1.1.0 Black Racers
0.1.0 Normal Ball Python
1.0.0 Pastel Ball Python
1.0.0 Red Eared Slider

I have a kingsnake that does this. She will grab the mouse and then just walk her jaws around and around it until she is tired of trying. I'm not sure why, but it seemed to help if I heated up one of the mouse more than the other. I hold the head of the mouse up to a lightbulb or ceramic heater for about 30 seconds (not too hot) and that seems to give her direction.
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1.0 normal ball python
0.1 greyband hybrid kingsnake
0.2 crazy cats
1.0 husband

is it because they get spooked? neonates especially are notorious for this... i have to cover the front of their enclosure with something opaque like a paper towel after they grab the prey item from my tongs. if i don't and they see me moving around the room doing my thing, they leave the prey and either keep an eye on me or sulk to the back of their enclosure till i'm gone, all lights out. then 24 hours later my nose tells me someone did not eat the durn thing.

I don't think that it's due to spooking. Usually when it's feeding time I'll thaw the mice out in a bowl of hot water. I also usually wait til evening so that it's not bright. I do turn the light in the hall on so I can at least see what I'm doing. I pull the tubs from the shelf they're on and place them on a make [bleep] table. I use lids on my tubs at the moment so I take the lid off, remove the water dish, and present the food item with hemostats. They strike and coil the prey item and I leave them to do their thing. Usually I'll go clean/refill the water dish or simply sit at the computer desk and wait for them to swallow. I don't walk around or hover over the tub cause I don't want to distract them.

Thanks,
Dan
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1.0.0 Snow Corn - RIP
0.1.0 Normal Corn Snake
1.0.0 Amelanistic Corn Snake
1.1.0 Black Racers
0.1.0 Normal Ball Python
1.0.0 Pastel Ball Python
1.0.0 Red Eared Slider

Try this. After they strike and coil but before they release their grip, put the lid back on and back in the rack. Then come back in 1/2 hr and check on them. Just having the lid off when they spend 24hrs a day in a tub, might spook them. Since your feeding F/T, they aren't going to get hurt if you leave them for 30 minutes.

I have never had a snake go through all the motions just to end up leaving a murdered victim. If they strike and constrict they are hungry and want to eat. I have a feeling if you are using FT you are not heating them up enough. I heat mine up so they actually feel hot to the touch. I wont feed them until the feel like just a warm pillow. If they feel too hot they probably are not. But, if they are too warm they could cool and something in there genes tells them not to eat it. I feed mine in total darkness with red lamps so I can see them. I know if you are feeding them in light and they can be disturbed they will be miserable while they eat and if they are disturbed they will stop eating. All wildlife knows they are open prey themselves while eating. Try warming them up. Here is how I warm a totally frozen weaned rat. I take about 25 oz of cold faucet water in a cup. I microwave the water for 2 minutes. Then I put the rat in a sandwich bag thin as possible. Don't use a freezer bag they are too thick and wont warm the rodent. then I submerge the rat for 8 minutes than I reheat the same water for 30 to 40 seconds and re submerge the rodent for 8 minutes. The rat comes out perfect. You may need to adjust as necessary. If you are feeding pups or pinkys you need about 1 minute and 45 seconds on the water in the microwave and then submerge the rat for about 4 to 6 minutes total. It just takes experience.

Good luck,
Bill