over eager eater - dexter

[recycling goddess]

okay, so not the usual question as most people want to know how to get their bp to eat... well my beautiful boy just gets so darned excited to eat he can't even wait for me to put the mouse in his viv.

i like to take out the log and plastic plants etc before i put the mouse in as one time, (because he's so darned eager to eat) he didn't wait for the mouse to be in a good spot and had a heck of a time eating his dinner after he constricted it. (it was inside a knot of wood)

so today, i brought the mouse home and got to work getting his stuff out and as soon as i opened the top there he was... as always, in strike pose waiting for his dinner so, since i didn't want him to strike me, i just put the mouse in the other end and fortunately he took it down in a more open spot than last time.

i feed him one fat and squishy mouse once a week and it's like he knows it's feeding day. the other times, if i go into his viv he just happily comes for a slither around... no problems there... but on feeding day... watch out :eek:

i've tried taking everything out before i leave to pick up the mouse but he's in a total feeding frenzie by time i get home with the mouse and often strikes too soon - misses and the mouse gets panicked etc... not a good thing at all. should i start feeding him every 5 days instead? or perhaps go to two mice? he's a mere 6-7 months old.

any suggestions?

[tigerlily]

I'd go ahead and offer two mice at once time, weekly.

Most people don't complain about the over eager feedings. It's great. It's also spring, and all of mine are especially perky at feeding time.

[frankykeno]

I'd agree with Christie, try the two mice per week thing. Just give him a bit of extra quiet time after a change in prey volume that first week or two.

If Dexter is anything like our Malachi, who just hit 510 grams at 9 months of age, he isn't playing when it comes to feeding day. Mal is a nice snake any other day of the week but Thursday is all about "hey you! where's da rat!!!" and he'll strike anything that is warm and moving. There's no way that male snake is that intensely hungry, he just knows feeding day and wants his meal ASAP! LOL I'm not complaining, I'm completely thrilled with his intense feeding response and wonderful growth.

Congrats on Dexter, he looks wonderful!

[recycling goddess]

thanks so much Christie and Jo... I'll go ahead and give him two next week and see how he does

*ya my little baby boy is growing up!!! wow, two mice!*

[recycling goddess]

well i thought today was thursday... so i got up this morning and off i went to the petstore to buy mice. came home, fed the dexter his two mice and my hubby came home... asked me what i was doing... i said i just fed dexter and was about to feed the two cornsnakes and he says, "it's tuesday, why are you feeding snakes today?"

what??? tuesday? but in my head it's thursday... so... dexter got and happily ate two nice squishy mice today and loooooved me for it LOL so that should tide him over till next thursday!

[frankykeno]

LOL well I'm glad I'm not the only person who gets days of the week mixed up! Bet Dexter was in there going "ohhhhh not only 2 mice instead of 1 but 2 days early!!! whooohooo!" LOL

[recycling goddess]

yes, he seemed so calm when i came in to feed him... i was thinking... wow this is different LOL

funny i did notice that with the first mouse he did his usual constrict and then he has to sniff and prod and flick and sniff and prod and flick and sniff and prod and flick for about 5 minutes before he'll actually eat... when i put the second mouse in (after he had completely swallowed and put his jaw back in place again) he coiled... stared at it, took it down and then after he constricted it he went all over his enclosure... looking in hides, behind the water dish... checking to see if there was any more... then once he was satisfied this little treat was the only one left he just gulped it. no sniff, prod, flick, sniff, prod, flick... just gulp LOL

then my fat little friend had to come out of his cool hide so he could get his head into it LOL - when i was watching him i was thinking about how he could be in, out and back in again before... and now, he's too fat and squishy to do that "S" curve within the hides opening LOL

[Melicious]

I've noticed that with Ody as well.