Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just a few minutes ago I feeding my ball python three mice (b/c he wont eat rates). He ate the first two without any problems. Usually my snake will snatch the mouse out of your hand, if you hold them by their tail. So he snatch the lil white mouse from my hand and went to twisting. Somehow the mouse got loose and my snake got a mouth full of substrate. He was having problems with the mouth full of reptile dirt and acted like the mouse wasent bothering him. When I looked at the mouse that lil busard was just going at it with my snake. So I grabbed the moust and put him back in his cage. My snake had a minor bit near the tail (no puncture wound), and a punture wound about three inches from his head. I say he got away pretty lucky. Needless to say, that lil white mouse will get its neck snapped by me tonight and he will be feed to my snake. I just though Id share my story.
Thanks,
James

If your snake will take em' out of your hand like that, and will appearantly eat p/k. Why on earth do you feed live?

Quinton

I have a couple of balls that refuse f/t but will take the freshly killed ones. I dont like doing it but I just put them in a bag and perform a crash test aganst a wall or dresser. Its kind of mean but its quick. Give that a try next time.

EP
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Occupants not paying rent:
7 balls
2.1.10 corns(candy cane, creamsicle, ghost, 6 normal, 4 anery )
1 pueblan milk
1 everglades rat
1 cal. king
1 gray band king
1 w. hognose
1 bearded dragon
1 fish
1 mouse
3.3 cats

It happens, I mixed up my snakes and accidently gave my albino a live one (my het albino will only eat live, my albino has never had anything but P/k). Anyway, he caught the mouse by the tail, of all things, had it in a bad hold and I had to stick my stats in the mouses mouth until he was dead to keep the dam thing from biting my snake. I tried to just snap it's neck with the stats, but couldn't get there. Put a little neosporin on the bites and next time snap thier necks before dropping them in the cage!!!!
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Tosha

8.10.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Ive tried f/t rats several times and he only took the first one. After that he ignored them no matter what I did. I tried a f/t last night and he didnt take. I bring in mice today and hes all over them. I usually hold their tails for him so they wont run around the cage and they wont be a treat to him but today he just got a bad grip. Im going to kill that mouse and if he eats it without any problems Im going to start feeding fresh killed mice.
Thanks,
James

After I got the mouse out of the cage I took the snake out and checked him out. When I seen the bite I put neosporin on it. But, everytime my snake has a bad experiance he soaks. So he'll wash most of the neosporin off. I hope your albino is ok.
Thanks for the help,
James

Thanks, my guy is fine, I was quick enough with the stats so that the mouse didn't get a good bite. If your guy is soaking that's good, but make sure you keep the water fresh to help from getting infections.
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Tosha

8.10.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

a good soak will not wash off all the neosporin, its an ointment, with oils. it should stick just fine

A really big Glop will float / fall off, but its the thin layer thats more important

My daughters Female was a bit finicky about eating FT, so we tried bagging her. She will eat anything in the bag, which we found out when a pet sitte gave her 3 Pups instead of 2 Small Rats
Seh ate them, and then 3 more 3 days later (before the shipment of Smalls arived)
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

I had my doubt about him taking a freshly killed mouse. And, sadly, I was right. He picked up the chemical trace and then ignored it. The funny thing is, he still asks as though he's hungry. I think this boy just dosent want anything dead. I tried everything in the book, he just isnt interrested. Im just glad I put gloves on before I grabed the mouse. As soon as I grabed him he started biting my gloves. Now that was one mean mouse.
Thanks for all the help everyone,
James

Good luck with the feeding.

Ryan

Did you gas him or something? Next time couple of times just snap it's neck, they're be no chemical traces, it'll be at the right temps and it'll get him used to eating p/k food. After a while you can try him on f/t. If you're quick enough with the snap and feed you can still get a couple of good twitches out of the mouse to fool your obviously wonderful eater (thats something to be happy about at least).
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Tosha

8.10.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
7.9.5 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Chemical Trace - My nice big fancy way for saying the stink of the mouse. Im tempted to stay on live prey. He just dosent respond to anything else. Its like he fell for it once and he aint falling for it again. Hes just a real picky eater. He only eats about every 3-4 weeks and he will not go after the dead stuff. I seriously think he would come an inch from death before eating a f/t or p/k.
Thanks for the help,
James

"If you're quick enough with the snap and feed you can still get a couple of good twitches out of the mouse..."

That is the most sadistic thing I've ever heard. I think I'll make it my new KS signature. =)

Chris =)
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My favorite Ball Python morphs: Albino, Piebald, Ivory, Pearl, and Blue-Eyed Leucistic

I would just like to say thanks to everyone that posted. I was happy to see their were no "negative" posts. I was afraid I was going to hit a nerve with some people. Thanks for all the help and for taking the time to post.
Thanks,
James