My ball missed while striking

[CakeLike]

Hi, my three month old ball python is a great feeder and eats every time I offer him a mouse. But today he missed the first strike. He struck right again after and got the mouse with no problem.
So I am kinda worried why this happend. I did everything as always, warming the mouse up and wiggling it. He did sense it immediately after I opend the enclosure and came forward to search for it.
The only thing I could think of is that he shows signs of getting into shedding but his eyes are still clear and when I handled him beforehand he did not seem to have a problem seeing.
Should I worry at all about this?

[Hugsplox]

I think you've just got new owner stress. Sometimes they miss strikes, nothing to worry about at this point in my opinion.

[KMG]

Just wait until they miss and bite themselves. Nothing to worry about. It's normal.

[CakeLike]

Yes I've figured as much I was a bit overreacting. I just want to take care of my little baby as best I can. He's also a butter so no spider genes involved.

[Bogertophis]

Even professional baseball players miss sometimes.

But as one who keeps a number of snakes, & has kept them for many years, I've also noticed that some have better vision than others, even when they're young. I have a corn snake like that.

Just like people, not all created equal, & only time will tell if this is a real issue with him or not. Some snakes just need a bit more help than others- in my opinion, this is the result of so much captive breeding: it's something that nature would extinguish because snakes that often miss their prey wouldn't survive as well, but in captivity, good vision isn't something breeders pay any attention to- maybe they should be giving eye tests?

[Hugsplox]

Yes I've figured as much I was a bit overreacting. I just want to take care of my little baby as best I can. He's also a butter so no spider genes involved.

Not overreacting at all. Perfectly acceptable to see something you're not familiar with or that concerns you and ask questions. That's what we're here for

[Bleh]

My biggest female missed while striking last night... which was good... because she thought I was the food!!

It won't be the last time you see them miss a strike. There'll even be occasions where they'll constrict and lose their prey and wander, even on it, looking for it again

[Bogertophis]

And experience will show you that it's not a good idea to offer food to a snake near a water bowl. Sometimes they manage to end up wrestling with it & then losing it IN the water, but don't ask me how, you have to see it to believe it. LOL

[CakeLike]

And experience will show you that it's not a good idea to offer food to a snake near a water bowl. Sometimes they manage to end up wrestling with it & then losing it IN the water, but don't ask me how, you have to see it to believe it. LOL

I move him away to an open area once he's constircting the mouse.
But yeah I have noticed many weird behaviours different from what I expected after researching about BP's.
He also likes to keep his head out of the hide while he lays in it. Thats so strange to me.

[Bogertophis]

...He also likes to keep his head out of the hide while he lays in it. Thats so strange to me.

That's very typical for BPs, he apparently read the right manual. BPs are ambush-hunters & that's what he's doing, waiting for "clueless prey to get within reach of his hiding place".