# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry >  my snake is eating backwards...

## imh0813

I just fed my BP and he is trying to swallow the mouse backwards.  He is having some trouble, should I try and help him by turning it around?

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## Wrongside

if he cant do it he'll figure it out...it wont hurt him

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imh0813 (02-24-2009)

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## imh0813

he ate it..thanks

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## tigerlily

I'm glad you snake got it down, but I figured I'd add this anyways....

You're more likely to freak your snake out which could result in a refusal to eat, if you try and turn the prey around.  Better to just let him figure it out on it's own, unless it gets stuck.  (which has happened to me once, so it's always good to double check that the food is completely down)

I had a grown female struggle with a mouse butt first just yesterday, it's no big deal.  You can always try warming the head up to a slightly higher temp, but it's not necessary.

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## ScottyDsntKnow

I've heard that when they swallow butt first it means the prey is a little on the small side.  Mine would always eat fuzzies butt first and when I moved up to hoppers she started going head first.  She sometimes eats these butt first now too so I'm thinking time to move up to full size mice.

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## python.princess

> I've heard that when they swallow butt first it means the prey is a little on the small side.  Mine would always eat fuzzies butt first and when I moved up to hoppers she started going head first.  She sometimes eats these butt first now too so I'm thinking time to move up to full size mice.


I've never heard this. I doubt that it's true. I've had mine eat big and small prey butt first. I think sometimes, they just just can't distinguish what end the head is on. And some of them just don't care.

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_Sonny1318_ (08-07-2018)

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## Malpaso

I have fed my BP twice so far. First time she ate it from tail second time from dead (probably she found out from head it's better  :Smile: ). As I know more natural it's from head because legs of prey can better "fold" on way down  :Smile:

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## ~Osiris~

Isis is a juvenile, and just ate a small mouse tail end first, I think because I just started a new feeding method. I turned off all lights left her alone for ten minutes and she got it down but did struggle and let go three times.

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## carlson

When either of my snakes eat their rat butt first it makes me laugh cuz it reaches a point where it looks like the rat is trying to crawl out.

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## Sonny1318

One of mine is enjoying this delicacy right now. But in all seriousness some of my boas would do it on occasion too. Never had a problem. I know it been discussed that they were "designed" to go head first. Limbs, nails folding down making it easier to swallow. And I don't think disturbing them while doing this would be in their best interest.

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## Marrissa

This thread is two years old.. and before then it was three years old before it got dredged back up in 2012.

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## Sheerules

Still a gooder lol my girl at a rat feet first tonight an it was her smaller then usual prey 

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

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## dmt_jovi

> This thread is two years old.. and before then it was three years old before it got dredged back up in 2012.


And two years later, this thread resurfaced again!  :Very Happy: 

So I guess it is a tradition now!


*Future people:* We are counting on you to bring this thread back to life in 2018! Let's keep the tradition alive!

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## Yzmasmom

Yzma has grabbed them oddly a few times. She will try to eat arm first or neck first and then spit it out and try again until she gets it.  I usually stick around u til she gets the head down, just to be sure she's alright and then I let her be.

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## cletus

I make sure to offer the correct size head first.  Once they grab it, I leave it to them to figure out.   If they want to eat, they will eat.

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## Psychoticmayhem

I will do my part and uphold the tradition! Sama'el my new 6 yr old rescue (1st snake) just ate his LG rat backwards.... he had a failed attempt at a jumbo last week that he regurgitated at 90% swallowed, but he had tried to eat that one belly first.... i think i have a dumb snake rofl

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## ses601

> *Future people:* We are counting on you to bring this thread back to life in 2018! Let's keep the tradition alive!


......as promised! i was reading up on my new girl while she was trying to swallow her mouse backwards for almost 10 minutes before moving to the other end 😁

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## Stewart_Reptiles

This is a 9 year old thread!

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CNorris (03-21-2019)

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