Ball python killing for sport?

[piedlover79]

So I know that my male ball pythons isn't 'killing for sport' but he has developed a new odd behavior. He is a *very* picky eater and trust me I've tried everything. He's happiest on 'Forest Floor' with a hide that is too small for him (hey, if it's what he wants it what he wants). I keep trying f/t and at times he shows interests but in a year he hasn't taken one. So I feed him live. And he also will only eat mice. Sigh.

Here's the new behavior, before if he wasn't hungry he would just ignore the mouse and I'd take it out and try again later. Well...he's on to me. Because now he's killing the mice but not always eating them. Several times I put in a mouse (always at night because he won't eat during the day) and don't disturb him for an hour (he will spit up a mouse if he catches you looking at him eat) I come back and there's a dead mouse, constricted but not eaten. Wwwwwhhhhyyyy? Eat what you kill or don't kill it you crazy snake!

Thoughts?

[Vithaxton]

I have a clown ball python that does something similar to yours! It's hard for me to put weight on him so I offer him food 3 times a week! I have to! He wouldn't eat frozen thawed for the longest time and seemed to just kill for sport. I finally got him switched to frozen thawed but you have to do the zombie dance for him or he won't eat it! Usually he kills it and constricts it and then just leaves it. I use to always take it out after he refused to eat it but then I learned if I kept the mouse in for five minutes he'd nudge it almost like he was trying to make it move again lol Usually he'll eat it then. But god forbid you watch him while he's eating or move his tub back into the rack! With him I have to pull the mouses tail when he's constricting it! He's 80% more likely to eat it then. I guess because he thinks he's killing it I dunno. These are some really weird balls we have lol


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[bcr229]

I've had a few males do this both with f/t and live. I don't think they're killing for "sport", I think it's just habit but then for whatever reason they're not hungry enough to want to eat.

When mine start doing this I offer food less often. If you're offering a meal weekly then push it out to 10-14 days.

[Oxylepy]

YOU ARE IN MY TERRITORY, YOU MUST DIE!!!

You know what... now that it isn't a threat... eh not hungry

[piedlover79]

Ugh...eat what you kill you insanely picky eater! Winter is so frustrating.