Some days you just want to scream

[Schlyne]

As some of you know, I have this wonderfully super shy ball python. She hasn't taken f/t mice or rats for quite a while.

Temps are spot on, she's got 2 hides in her enclosed rack spot. I got her to take a live mouse 3 weeks ago, after a couple months of refusing various things. (Changed the prey size, tried mice, etc.)

So today, I had to run out and pick up some cat litter, so I picked up a live mouse.

So I'm sitting there, I've scented the room for 15 minutes, I've got the mouse in her rubbermaid, she can see the mouse and I'm not hovering over her at all.

I turn off the room lights and sit in the dark room watching her with a flashlight, keeping the light as still as possible and not shining it on her directly.

15 minutes pass...nope. slight tongue flicking, gets close, big flinch. In the meantime, never mind that everybody else was fed yesterday, most of the other snakes are excited and looking for this mouse. My pastel female in the rack above her is going nuts looking for this mouse, in fact she struck at the flashlight heat.

I go to get the mouse out of the rack and the mouse bites me on the finger. Little brat.

My big female breeder strikes and hits rubbermaid as the warmth of my hand goes by.

I figured I'd try my male pastel breeder, who could use the meal and is so interested in breeding right now, he's still not eating. Nope...silly boy wants to breed , doesn't care about food.

I give up and give the mouse to my female pastel who takes it immediately.

I'll try giving my super shy ball a p/k stinky mouse this weekend, maybe she'll take. She drives me nuts.

[JLC]

Is it possible that she can sense all those other snakes around her and that is making her shy about eating? What if she were in a room all by herself? Just a WAG on my part.

[Schlyne]

Hm, that's something I haven't tried. She did a lot better after I moved her into a rack though. I'll try and set something up in the invert room, so she isn't bugged by the cat.

[mlededee]

i have a shy bp that wouldn't eat for me for the longest time. finally i figured out the order of things that had to be done to get him to eat.

1. it must be dark outside and inside, preferably some time after midnight
2. the room must not have been entered that day (i kept the door shut)
3. the lights in the room must not have been turned on that day
4. when it is time to enter the room for feeding, use only ambient light from outside the room (but not too much!)
5. enter quickly and quietly
6. drop a rat pup in the tub
7. leave immediately
8. come back in 20 minutes

any alteration to the ritual and he'd refuse. my husband used to use the closet in that room and he got in trouble SO many times for going in there. wha--aaack! what are you doing in there!?! you turned on the lights and everything! OMG! well, how was he supposed to know it was the night to feed oscar?

anyhow, we performed this ritual for quite some time and then we moved to a house. since then he has not required the ritual. he is still a bit picky, but he usually does eat now without all the drama.

maybe there is a system for your girl too schlyne. isn't it just so much fun figuring out what it might be?