Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got this female a couple of weeks ago. She's a good 1600 grams, proven breeder 9 good eggs last season, wasn't bred this season, garbage disposal, is eating medium f/t rats like theres no tomorrow, will be looking real good for next breeding season, etc.

What freaks me out is her attitude. She is an extremely aggressive eater, and everytime you walk by the tub, open it, or anything, she darts across the tub at you. Now my Angolan does this but he's just anxious to play (so much like a puppy that one), seeing this in a Ball is a bit odd, because I've only see Balls that are striking do this (except she doesn't strike at least not yet) so I get a little freaked.

Anyone have one like this? Is it that shes just really glad to see me or is she just high strung and eventually going to bite? Anyone wanna trade? LOL.
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Tosha

8.15.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
1.0.0 Angolan Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.3 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

She's yelling, Buy an incubator, buy an incubator now!!!!!

Ok, that's the last incubator joke Tosha. Lol.

For those of you that are totally lost as to what the he%% I'm talking about, you'll have to go back on the forum about a week.

KICK NEIL'S A**

I bet I could fill a whole fleet of Greyhounds with eager participants.

LOL

Just kidding. Actually, for some weird reason I like the guy. He grows on you... kinda like a fungus does.
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OZZYBOIDS

You might be able to fit the people that actually have a chance to kick my a$$ in your Caddy though. Lol.

I heard you picked up a little fungus down there in Tampa, so you should know all about it. Lol

Had a very aggressive feeder that would rush from the back end of her CB 70 tub to the front every time I started to move her tub to feed her. The problem was, as soon as I’d open the front end of the lid… she would rush out (sometimes darting out 3 to 6 inches) and grab the f/t rat from the tongs. My first fear was that she was going to fall as she as she coiled around the rat and the side of the tub. My second fear was that she would miss and get me in her rush. Now this was an animal that I acquired as a 2 year old and was grossly under fed. I eventually had to completely remove her tub from the rack and bring the rat in from behind her (just to get the rat in the tub and keep her in the tub when she hit). It is amazing (and a little unnerving) to see that level of feeding aggression. But she got a little better, with time, as she caught up to correct size.
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Larry Walker

That is exactly how she is!
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Tosha

8.15.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
1.0.0 Angolan Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.3 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

I have a CBB I got this winter that eats this way but only on feeding day!! Any other day she is fine but if she smells rats in the air look out, she literally will fly out of her tub! I hold the rat above her enclosure now so that i can put it in as soon as I open her tub up so that she won't fall out.
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Nita Hamilton
4.13 Normal BP's, 1.0 Het Orange Ghost BP, 1.0 Het Pied 1.0 50% poss Het Orange Ghost BP's

No offense y'all, but it sounds like they're hungry before feedin' time. I think if you feed em when THEY are hungry you'll have a more healthy snake. Sorry, never was much for schedules. JMHO

Quig

In the week that I've had her she's eaten 3 med rats and is now full (won't eat). Yet she still darts to the front of the tub when I get near it. So I don't think its a feeding/hunger thing.
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Tosha

8.15.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
1.0.0 Angolan Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.3 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

OK, didn't realize she'd been topped off . In which case I haven't got a clue. Does she try to get out if you open the enclosure (wish to escape, maybe)? Possible over active feeding response? Don't know if Balls do that. That's all I can come up with.

Quig

Hungry?... Ya Think?...
I do believe in and follow the philosophy that if they’re hungry let them eat. However, as with every rule, there are exceptions. This girl was one of them. As I said, she was grossly under fed by her previous owner. She was a ’02 I acquired in ’04 that arrive weighing only 390 grams. That was a year ago. Now she weights around 2800 grams. So yes I fed her, but carefully because of her history. Because of her history, she always eats like she doesn’t know when her next meal is going to be. So… she’s one of the few that I worry about over feeding.
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Larry Walker

That's a good point, I fed mine 3 meds and was starting to get worried, I offered her a small yesterday and thankfully she turned it down. Still shoots to the front of her tub when I go by tho. She doesn't try to get out, unless theres a rat in my hand. She is up 200 grams this week (and thats after her massive poop yesterday). But I hadn't thought maybe she'd previously gone under fed, she came from a good seller. I guess I'll have to keep an eye on her.
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Tosha

8.15.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
1.0.0 Angolan Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.3 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

We aquired a high yellow girl last November that was a '02 CBB, and way under fed. She only weighed 460 g, and felt very thin. The owner informed me that she had a bad experience with a rat, and now won't touch 'em. I thought it would be a long road to get her up to a decent weight, but she is my most aggressive feeder. She rushes the front of the tub whenever it is opened, and eats as many mice as I will give her every week. She is now about 1400 g empty. I wish all my girls would eat like her.

Yep, I got one female like that. She's a 2003 captive bred and weighed about 750 Grams when I got her last month. She eats anything I'll give her, but I don't feed her any more often than every five days. She is very quick and inquisitive and seems to really like me for some reason, hehe. She'll come out of her tub and is like a "heat seeking missle" coming at you. She is very friendly and has never struck me or bitten. I consider myself lucky to have one like this one.(some other females just strike and bite for no reason but haven't eaten since last October...)

Rob Reiding.