My ball bit me!

[snakeLVR]

I have a female python that is a little underweight , and I have been feeding her weaned rats , F/T with no problem. She has been acting a little strange lately, the last two times I tried to feed her, she strikes, constricts, and then leaves the prey, untouched. I tried last night, same thing. Her feeding response actually seems stronger than usual, as she has bitten anything from the side of the container, to herself , holding on for some time, before releasing and realizing she missed! But not eating the food. Now today, I went to change her bedding, and she struck at me! Grabbed my wrist in her mouth, OUCH! and wrapped herself around my arm in 2 seconds! I could not get her to let go! I sat still for about 3 minutes, still she was holding on! Those little teeth were sharp! I finally got her to release by running water uver her head. She went back in her tub fast! What would make her grab me like that?????? I had no rat, or mice small on me, as I had just taken a
shower. I am almost tempted to find a new home! But she is so pretty, but PHSYCO!

[Nate]

hehe things happen...snakes aren't always predictable.

Where's the picture??? (u posted this in BP pictures)

[snakeLVR]

ooops! Posted in in the wrong forum!

[Reediculous]

i'm sure someone will have some advice for you, but what are you feeding f/t p/k or live.........it's obvious she's hungry, you just have to get her to eat......not psyco just special...........give her some time and patience

[snakedude56]

She could be stressed... what are your temps and how are you measuring them? She might not feel secure in her enclosure and be killing the mice out of fear and not hunger. Try loosely crumpling many balls of newspaper and putting them in her cage. This way she will be able to cruise around and still have some cover to feel safe. Make sure her temps are good(92-94 hot side & 80-82 cool side) and that she feels safe in her home and she will eat for you. Good luck.

[LadyOhh]

Feels like love, doesn't it?

[rabernet]

Moved from the Picture Forum to General BP's

[frankykeno]

Most of the time refusals to eat or to finish fully consuming prey are stress related, husbandry issues, that sort of thing. Check the caresheet against your temps/humidity, read threads about housing, feeding, etc. and you may well find things that need adjusted to have a consistent feeder.

As far as the bite, the fact is it's a snake, not a puppy or kitten and snakes bite. Not all the time or even all that frequently but they will and do strike, bite, constrict, hiss, etc. at will for whatever reason they feel they need to do this. They don't bond to humans as domesticated pets do, they haven't been in captivity long enough to be anywhere near considered domesticated or "tame". It is simply part of owning a snake and nothing to do with your particular snake being "psycho". It's being a snake and doing what snakes do. Your job as the responsible owner is to give it a captive life that encourages it to be as unstressed as possible so you cut down the need for it to feel defensive around you.

Oh and by the way, you can do everything perfect and still get bit....just part of the joy of owning a snake.

[McAdry]

Well sorry your snake bit you, I would say that getting it feeding is the more important issue just take your time recheck the temps and care sheets, give it a week or so in wich you don't handle it, to make shure that stress isn't an Issue, then try feeding again after making any changes needed ie higher or lower temps as the case my be. As for being bit Well congratulations It's going to happen at some point I don't mind the snakes bitting me take that over a cat scratch any day or a dog bite a goat bite or any other type of creature things seem to love to bite me I must taste good.