Strikes, kills but wont eat it

[L.West]

Why would he do this. My male normal about 1,800 grams strikes his prey-kills it and then left it lay in his tub.

Can anyone tell me why he would have done this - this is the first time he has done this.

He is kept in a rack/tub with temps 90/81, humidity 64% on paper

Thanks

[erikfoor]

one possibility is that he might be stressed out. bp get stressed very easily. is he active at all?

[L.West]

Well, nothing has changed in his environment at all. He is in the same tub and all.

I can't imagine what would be causing him stress.

[ballpythonluvr]

My male normal did this once with a rat pup. What size prey are you feeding your snake?

[L.West]

This particular snake is a joke - he is a big boy 1,800 grams and he won't take anything but little tiny mice. He will shy away from anything near the appropriate size he should be eating.

After a 10 month fast with him - I was happy to just see him take anything and all of a sudden he would pound like 5 little mice in one feeding. Just got him eating again about 4 weeks ago and now last night he kills the darn mouse but doesn't eat it.

Sometimes I ask myself why I am putting myself thru all this grief. lol

[Stewart_Reptiles]

It happens remember that skipping a few meals is not abnormal going of food for a while is not either especially with sexually mature individuals.

I skip feeding every now an than on purpose especially with males.

Some people feed them smaller prey every 10 to 14 days instead of once a week.

Just remember it is not likely that in the wild they eat like a clock once a week, they probably eat a lot less than what they do in captivity.

They are very efficient when it comes to food and at 1800 grams I would not worry about it not even if he was going of feed for 6 months.

[L.West]

the thing with him is - I owned him for 10 months before I could get him to eat - then when he finally ate for me I was elated - now after only 4 good feedings - he is starting this game.

The previous owner told me that he had went on a year long fast for him also - he never lost much weight with me so I learned not to worry.

I guess I'm just disappointed because I thought I had turned him around but I guess not - bps are just soooo stubborn.

It doesn't help that I am such a worry wart.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

the thing with him is - I owned him for 10 months before I could get him to eat - then when he finally ate for me I was elated - now after only 4 good feedings - he is starting this game.

The previous owner told me that he had went on a year long fast for him also - he never lost much weight with me so I learned not to worry.

I guess I'm just disappointed because I thought I had turned him around but I guess not - bps are just soooo stubborn.

It doesn't help that I am such a worry wart.

While it does not happen often the more animal you have the more you are bound to have a truly picky one that will frustrate you , trust me I have one like that she will eat for 2 to 3 months straight if even that and than nothing for a year, that's what she does and as long as she is healthy and doing well I just let her be.

They are all different and obviously some get by on very little food and there is nothing you can do about it no matter what you try.

[L.West]

Thanks Deborah for the help.

Let me just list my snakes and their feeding habits.

1700 gram Male Mojave - eats 99% of the time

1500 gram Female Normal - eats about 75% of the time

800 gram Male Ghost - eats about 60% of the time

750 gram Female Albino - up till now was eating 100% of the time - just started being finicky the past few weeks.

1800 gram Male Normal - fasted for 10 months - went back on feed just recently and now this week decided to play with his dead food.

Does this sort of odds seem normal - or do I just have bad luck!!!

[crepers86]

These animals are on there own schedule, how ever I would be elated if my big girl went off feed for a while, that would save me some money at this point.

May be something spooked the snake so it stopped, ya remember it sounds like you have enough to know this that when a snake is eating it is more volunerable