Strikes, coils, does not swallow

My female albino ball python has been eating very well until about 2 weeks ago. She would strike and coil the frozen thawed rat that I heated up but leaves it and doesn't swallow it. This happened two weeks in a row now. Today I even offered it again with tongs and she striked and coiled again but no swallow. She ate very well before every week. The rat is the same size I have fed her many times before.

They only time one of my BP's did that was when the prey item was too large. Did you recently increase the size of the rat?

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Originally Posted by lmartelli77

They only time one of my BP's did that was when the prey item was too large. Did you recently increase the size of the rat?

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No as I said the rat was the same size as I had fed before I did not increase the rat size at all for a long time.

Have you been breeding her? What's her weight? Have you moved the enclosure? Lots of things will change their feeding. And sometimes they just arn't wanting to eat. Sounds like she has a good feeding response though.

Mine did the same thing, I just left it in the tub and when I checked a couple hours later it had disappeared!

You may not be heating it as much as she prefers. I have one that will grab it and drop if it isn't warm enough for her liking. She could also be going into shed.

I have a couple that do this and refuse to eat while being watched. I cover the front of the tubs so they can't see out and the rat is gone in 10-15 minutes everytime.

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Originally Posted by hungba

No as I said the rat was the same size as I had fed before I did not increase the rat size at all for a long time.

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Lol...i'm sorry. I don't know how I missed that in your original post. As someone else stated, make sure the rat is nice and warm. I blast mine with a hair dryer for about 30 seconds immediately before offering it to my bp's.

IMO it is either a too large or too cool prey item or the animal does not feel secure and dropped it with out feeding. I am assuming that the snake has been kept the same way throughout so it points to cool food but if you changed something or the snake has had a scare recently that might be it too.

Mine does that when its too cold or wet.