Ball Python Eats Pre-Killed only in his Cage

[Laura&Vincent]

Hello,
With some hard work on my part, my ball python Vincent has recently made the big switch from live to frozen mice. ::applause:::

Unfortunately, he will only go for the pre-killed mice when he is in the comfort of his own hide, in the cage, grabbing the mouse from my tongs and dragging it into his cave for safety before eating.

He recently had a bad shed and has one eyecap still on that I can't seem to get off. Tonight he went for the mouse a couple times without taking it and came very close to my hand ( he won't go for the rodent if it's not moving. )

I was a firm believer in feeding him outside of his cage, but after hours of trying in his "feeding basket," I finally put him back in the cage for one last attempt and that's when he took it.

With the aggression that I saw today, i'm now quite worried that the next time I go to take him out, he's going to momentarily mistake my hand for a tasty snack. I've heard it doesn't hurt much, but he just looks so aggressive when he kills. Has this ever happened to anyone, and what should I do?

[BallsUnlimited]

what you should do is to continue to feed him only in his cage. Thats where he feels safest and comfortable. You are doing nothing but stressing him feeding him outside of his cage. If your really worried about getting tagged with him thinking your a food item u can always put a towel over him at first and pick him up from there. I have some aggressive feeders and although they have tagged be before. 9 outta 10 times they wont bite.

[Kaorte]

If you:
1.Feed the snake enough food
2.Give him a secure environment
3.Go into the cage for reasons other then to feed
4. And don't rub rats all over your hands when you go in to grab him

then he should have NO reason to bite you.

Being an aggressive feeder does not make the snake "aggressive". Having a strong feeding response is a good thing. If he only eats in his cage, feed him there.

I feed all 6 of my snakes in their home enclosures. they are all very aggressive feeders. I have never been tagged because the snake mistook my hand for food. I have never been tagged at all for that matter (in the 2 years of owning these animals). This is actually more likely to happen if you feed outside the enclosure.

I know the argument. "It is so my snake doesn't associate my hand with being fed". Well if you feed your snake in a separate enclosure, you are introducing your hands to the feeding process on more then one occasion, giving your snake many chances to "mistake your hand for food". If you feed in the enclosure and you use a pair of tongs, your hands never enter the equation and can never be "associated" with anything. Also, what keeps the snake from associating being taken out of the enclosure with being fed?

In short, cage aggression and "mistaking hands for food" is a myth with ball pythons. It may hold true to other larger snake species, but not ball pythons.

[Vypyrz]

With the aggression that I saw today, i'm now quite worried that the next time I go to take him out, he's going to momentarily mistake my hand for a tasty snack. I've heard it doesn't hurt much, but he just looks so aggressive when he kills. Has this ever happened to anyone, and what should I do?

feed tongs...

[Seru1]

I really really wouldn't be worried about a bite Once it happens you'll feel silly you did.

[BPelizabeth]

get tongs feed in the cage. It is really a extended tale that they become cage aggressive. Since the 3rd feeding with my first snake we have fed in the cage with no problems. Ours are huge lovable spoiled babies. The only time we have had a bite is when my hubby stuck his hand in there on feeding day and he had handled a mouse. DUH..........

Enclosure feeding is easier for you....quicker....and it is less stressful for the snake and you will have less refusals.

[Laura&Vincent]

Thanks everyone I knew I my concerns weren't rational.