Weird Ball Python Eating Behavior?

[dakski]

Hi all!

I have a female albino spider morph ball python. Her name is Shayna and she is about 1 1/2 years old (born September 1st 2012).

She is currently about 850 +/- grams.

She eats 99% of the time unless she is getting ready to shed, then sometimes she refuses.

I have had her for a year and have always fed frozen thawed. Currently, I feed 70-90G small rats. She eats every 7 days.

What I am writing about and curious for answers is that she has developed a strange eating behavior. At least it sounds strange from what I know about Ball's.

Starting about 4 months ago she stopped striking at the F/T Rats. I defrost, then warm it up, shake it on a tongs, and she gets in striking position, but doesn't strike.

I put the rat down in front of her, occasionally she strikes after I put it down, but 90% of the time, she just starts eating it.

She used to do this occasionally when I kept the rat on the tongs for longer - just take it off the tongs and start eating.

Now I shake, put down, and she either starts eating the rat (no strike), or looks around for a few minutes, and then eats.


1. Is this behavior abnormal? Should I be concerned? Should I be happy that she eats regularly and happily and not worry at all?


2. I have heard that sometimes balls go off food and will not go back to frozen thawed. Does this behavior support that she is likely to do that or the opposite since she eats happily without striking? I don't want to feed live for a variety of reasons.


Thank you for any answers you can give.

David

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[sho220]

It's a bit odd that she eats without striking, but if she's eating, be happy. Balls do fast during winter as they get older, but I don't think her eating habits will have anything to do with this.

By the way...beautiful snake!

[dakski]

Thank you for your thoughts. She is a beautiful animal. My wife was scared to have a snake, but she loves her now. She is incredibly calm and personable.

Here is a link to quick video of her feed response, or lack there of.

http://s105.photobucket.com/user/dak...ef1b9.mp4.html

Thank you again and if anyone else has anything to add, please feel free.

David