Striking but not eating

[Sarge]

Any of you guys got any idea why Sarge is striking his mouse but not eating it?

Regards,
Dave

[xdeus]

Strikes without constricting/eating are usually stress related and is a defensive strike. Something is probably making him stressed. It could be as simple as the mouse approaching him too fast when he was unprepared, or something more complicated like an environmental factor that is making him stressed (too cold, too hot, too much handling, no comfortable hiding place).

If it happens once you can consider it a fluke and he was probably just caught off-guard. If it happens frequently, try to find whatever it is that is making him uneasy.

Good luck!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Any of you guys got any idea why Sarge is striking his mouse but not eating it? Regards,Dave

Following your last post

1 x 3'x2'x2' Wooden vivarium with a glass front.
1 x Medium Sized Exo-Terra Hide/rock placed ontop of heatmat with aspen
1 x Enclosed Heat Lamp positioned 1.5 ft above Hide Rock - fully protected
1 x Rock/Stick type thing that runs across to the other (cooler) side of the tank
1 x Tuppaware with water in
Aspen Substrate

I currently have the heat lamp on a timer - during the day it provides a constant basking area on the left hand side of the tank where his hide is. During nighttime the lamp is on for 15 minutes out of every hour providing roughly 70 to 75 degrees of heat in that area. In addition there is a heatmat underneath the hide where Sarge can get warm should he find it too chilly. The temperature of this area is sort of 80-85ish degrees constant during the day. The Right hand side of the tank varies between 70 and 75 degrees during the day and probably drops lower during the night but I am unable to measure those temperatures as I only have 1 fixed thermometer which is stuck onto the left hand side of the tank.

Did you sort out your temp issues?

Did you add a second hide to your setting?

How both hides tight so he can cram into them?

Is your humidity between 50% & 60%?

If you made all those changes in the last couple of days your BP need a little time to re-adjust so give him a week from the time you re-arrange the setup.

If all done as been done and you still have problem you can try to put some crumble newspapers in your tank which will make your BP feel safer.

[Sarge]

yeah I sorted out those issues, he actually put his mouth around it like he was going to start chomping but then changed his mind.

Before he struck at it he looked at it for 10 seconds or so.

Do you think I should try again tomorrow?

Regards,
Dave and Sarge

[Stewart_Reptiles]

yeah I sorted out those issues, he actually put his mouth around it like he was going to start chomping but then changed his mind.

Before he struck at it he looked at it for 10 seconds or so.

Do you think I should try again tomorrow?

Regards,
Dave and Sarge

No if your BP turned down the prey you need to wait at list a week before offering again. If you offer to soon after a refusal it will only stress him out.

[xdeus]

If he did that, there was probably something not-quite-right with the mouse. You could have heated it up a little more and offered it again, but since you waited I would just try again next week.

Snakes will recognize food using a variety of senses including temperature, smell, the way the rodent looks, the way it moves, and finally the way it feels in its mouth. Sometimes a snake will refuse to eat if just one of those attributes is off.

[Bobsean]

Hi Sarge,

Im seem to be in the same predicament as you. I have had my little guy strike but not actually eat his food when trying to feed him. But i was able to fix his tank and get his environment strait.
So, right now im waiting a couple more days before trying to feed him again. I think its been about 3 or 4 days so far. I may wait and try something on thrusday or friday of this week.
Tell me if u have any luck!

Sean