Just not hungry, or...?

[Didgie]

So, we tried a first feed on our adopted RTB yesterday. According to the previous owner, it'd been about a week since she'd fed when we picked her up - so we figured it was time to give it a try.

We generally feed live, but when we put the mouse in, she watched it, but otherwise showed very little interest in it... she finally struck at him, and had what looked like a good hold on him, and then...let the mouse crawl out of her mouth. Uh. We thought that perhaps she'd never eaten live, so we gave the mouse a good smack against the wall, and tried again - she would strike, but then just drop the mouse. Finally I think she got a little pissed off at the mouse constantly being dangled in front of her face, because she tagged me and then got just plain ornery.

So we've let her chill on her own, chucked the mouse in the freezer, and we'll try again in a few days - but does this sound like she wasn't hungry, and was just defensively/pissed off/whatever striking? Or was she hungry and just not good at eating? The previous owner didn't mention any feed issues. I've been really lucky so far and never had a snake that was a troublesome eater, haha. So I was just curious if this is something to worry about, or if she's just not hungry.

(Also, that was my first snake bite. I feel like I've been initiated into the cool kid's club now.)

[deftones2015]

Personally, I would say she wasn't hungry. I've seen friends snakes do what you are describing. They'll attack things in their cage, feeders, handler etc. out of defense. Once she's hungry she'll feed. From what I've seen in my snakes, and friends, is that if they bite and let go, it's a defense mechanism, like saying Hey! leave me alone! On the other hand if it's a feeding response to food they always coil.

[Didgie]

That's what I figured, but since this is my first boa...better safe than sorry! Thanks.