Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Boston finally ate the mouse!! Yippee!! Thank You to all that gave me advice on my first snake feeding adventure because I needed all that I could get. He had been in his hide and was sleeping like the dead until I finally gave up and removed it off him so that he would wake up and notice the mouse was in with him. Once we did that, he was all alert and wiggled around until he got situated to strike. It was so beautiful watching him rare up and wait for the mouse to come his way again!! When it did, WHAM!! he struck and unfortunately, he missed the first time but I figure since he's so young that he's intitled to be a bit sloppy about it. But the second strike was perfect and I was stunned at how quickly he constricted around it!! Once it was dead, he started moving around to swallow and started to do it backward but thankfully, he realized his mistake and moved into position to do it correctly. It wasn't the easiest feeding I've ever had to do but I couldn't have been more happy about if he were my own child......again, I thank all of you for your advice and I now know that patience pays in the end with our little BP. I just hope his being dead asleep will get better with age because he is too much like my teenagers!! LOL
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1.0.0 Cat (Smokey)
0.0.1 Ball Python (Boston)
0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Drakko)
1.1.0 Cockatiels (George & WeeOne)
0.0.1 Double Yellow Head Amazon Parrot (Putter)
2.0.0 Teenagers (Kayne & Tim)
1.0.0 Soldier/Husband (Mark)

they are beautiful when they are in action aren't they? it just amazes me that an animal as docile and lazy as royals are, can move with such lightning speed. i have had snakes for years and it startles me every time they strike at their prey.
i did want to mention one thing to you though. you indicated that the snake almost took the prey backwards. if it does do this, its really no big deal. i have a boa that always eats the hind end first. it may take them a while to get it down, but they will eventually.
good luck! and congrats again!
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0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Boa (BCI)
0.1 Wife
1.0 Son
0.2 Daughters

Congrats. Welcome to the wonderful world of snakes!

If I may...

It seems to me that you fed your ball in it's enclosure. This is all fine and well. As a feeding alternative, I put them in a small 5 gl plastic container. It never fails. Mine feed almost instantly this way (Boa and Balls). I've also heard/seen them fed in brown paper bags.

1.) Snakes are removed from all distractions and focus on the mouse.
2.) They are less likely to associate any patterns with their housing related to feeding.
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-Iman

1.1 Balls
0.1 Boa (BCI)
0.0 Experience

Glad to hear your python ate for you. I would agree with Triniian's post. Next feeding try using a shoebox size rubbermaid. Mine has never missed a feeding since using this method. Again, it your choice, but it may lessen problems down the road when your snake gets bigger.
Now you can really enjoy reading that novel and sipping on something good. LOL

I must agree. This may handle the "sleeping" issue as well. I have some lethargic bp's who wake right up when I put them in the feeding tank...most of them will have the mouse constricted before it even has time to hit the floor of the tank!