Why do some of them take FOREVER to strike?

[hungba]

I'm not talking about those that are off feed. I only have one that isn't eating at all. I have some that are regular eaters, but they take FOREVER to strike! I will dangle the rat for like 30 mins and my arm is sore and suddenly they strike. They sniff and sniff and sniff. Sometimes they don't strike, so I never know when to say enough is enough.

Am I feeding too much? I don't see this problem mentioned by a lot of people. I feed everybody once a week. The ones that eat regularly I feed 15% bodyweight or so. The ones that are sporadic eaters I feed smaller maybe just 5%. I have a few big snakes that would only take small 40 - 50 gram rats, nothing else.

Oh, while I'm at it, it is the MOST frustrating feeling when today one of my sporadic feeders, after dangling for 25 mins of so, she struck and MISSED, then curled up and won't strike again.

It takes me almost 2 hours to try to feed my snakes. The first 70% of them, bam bam bam, done in 15 minutes. Then it's cat and mouse games with the rest it is really frustrating. I have thus far NEVER had a day where they all ate on the same day. I have 13 ball pythons.

What are some things I can try? How about meditation?

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By the way, I have a new rack 90% built, just need to put holes in the tubs and test everything. It has opaque grey tubs. I am hoping this will help. My friend who keeps balls too said it was night and day difference when he switched from clear to dark tubs.

[rabernet]

I'm not talking about those that are off feed. I only have one that isn't eating at all. I have some that are regular eaters, but they take FOREVER to strike! I will dangle the rat for like 30 mins and my arm is sore and suddenly they strike. They sniff and sniff and sniff. Sometimes they don't strike, so I never know when to say enough is enough.

Am I feeding too much? I don't see this problem mentioned by a lot of people. I feed everybody once a week. The ones that eat regularly I feed 15% bodyweight or so. The ones that are sporadic eaters I feed smaller maybe just 5%. I have a few big snakes that would only take small 40 - 50 gram rats, nothing else.

Oh, while I'm at it, it is the MOST frustrating feeling when today one of my sporadic feeders, after dangling for 25 mins of so, she struck and MISSED, then curled up and won't strike again.

It takes me almost 2 hours to try to feed my snakes. The first 70% of them, bam bam bam, done in 15 minutes. Then it's cat and mouse games with the rest it is really frustrating. I have thus far NEVER had a day where they all ate on the same day. I have 13 ball pythons.

What are some things I can try? How about meditation?

- - - Updated - - -

By the way, I have a new rack 90% built, just need to put holes in the tubs and test everything. It has opaque grey tubs. I am hoping this will help. My friend who keeps balls too said it was night and day difference when he switched from clear to dark tubs.

It's bullseye or bust for my crew. They don't get coddled. Either hit or wait until next week.

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[MasonC2K]

I don't have this problem. Well, not in the same way. I feed live. I give everyone 30 mins tops then the rat comes out. Some I've learned that if they are going to eat, they'll do it within 5 minutes or not at all so that's all I give them.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

It's bullseye or bust for my crew. They don't get coddled. Either hit or wait until next week.

X 2

Here you snooze you lose.

I put the rat in the first tub goes onto the next and next ....once done I wait 10/15 min go back over all the tubs and removed what has not been eaten, no second chance they eat during that time frame or they will wait another week.

[hungba]

Sure I can just take the rat away and wait till next week but the whole idea is to try to get them to eat and gain weight for breeding etc. over time. There are snakes that only eat like this since I got them, and if I were to just take the rat away they will not be eating at all which would defeat the purpose anyway. Unless over time they recognize the pattern and strike right away (do they?), then their not eating is my loss.

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X 2

Here you snooze you lose.

I put the rat in the first tub goes onto the next and next ....once done I wait 10/15 min go back over all the tubs and removed what has not been eaten, no second chance they eat during that time frame or they will wait another week.

Deborah, you put the rat into the tub. Do you mean they just eat the rat without any dangling? Or are you feeding live?

[mackynz]

If Loki doesn't strike after about 10 min I put his food in his cage. It's always gone in minutes.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Sure I can just take the rat away and wait till next week but the whole idea is to try to get them to eat and gain weight for breeding etc. over time. There are snakes that only eat like this since I got them, and if I were to just take the rat away they will not be eating at all which would defeat the purpose anyway. Unless over time they recognize the pattern and strike right away (do they?), then their not eating is my loss.

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Deborah, you put the rat into the tub. Do you mean they just eat the rat without any dangling? Or are you feeding live?

I mainly feed live and the few that get F/T either strike soon as I open the tub or I go on to the next one so they basically even have less time.

[JohnNJ]

I have two that I have never seen strike at their food. I put the pre-killed rodent in the tub and come back in a little while. It's almost always gone. I guess they're shy.

[DooLittle]

Yup, if somebody doesn't want to eat, the next guy in line gets it. I don't think your snake is likely to starve to death if you give him 5-10 minutes and then move on. They will eat when they are hungry. Just make sure all your husbandry is spot on.

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[Vasiliki]

I've even had my corn snake refuse one time. I dropped her feeding frequency down a day or two, skipped her one week and she hit it with no problem the following week. Tracking me before I even opened her enclosure.

The goal shouldn't be to get them to gain weight. Gaining weight doesn't mean your snake is suddenly 'ideal' for breeding. Bulking up doesn't always mean that they're ideal for breeding, haha. Don't worry about hitting every feeding. They're BPs!! They're not going to eat every time. Heck, if my corn snake even has her times where she'll pass up on food (No strike, but heavily sniffing). And they're supposed to be garbage cans.

Skip a week and go back at it. I can understand if they're striking for you for months, then it's one of those: "Grrr! They won't be up to size this year!" But a couple feedings shouldn't take you back too far. Unless they're dropping weight steadily