Need some input here

As you know I've had Izabelle for alittle over 5 yrs now and have a slight sitution that kinda bothers myself. The settings were normal for feeding as they are always, after dropping the mouse in she picks up the scent of its presence instantly and presumes to slither out from her hide. But this is the part that bothers me, her strike is "sloppy" not quite effective as its been in the past, one mouse she striked, constricted, let loose only to spit it back out cuz the mouse wasnt fully deceased, after do her thing she attempted to consume it by grasping it right in the middle of the body but worked her way to the head. Should I loose any sleep over this? or examine her behaviour during her next feeding? Thanks!!!!

I'd keep an eye on her, but wouldn't lose any sleep. I've seen sloppy strikes from healthy snakes, but if she normally has a good solid strike it could be anything from her being about to go into shed to her fighting off an infection of some type. My $0.02.

Thanks Marla, I'm sure she is healthy her strikes are hard but the accuracy concerned me. She also just shed, no eye caps, she wolfed down 4 med mice and was wanting more..lol, but thanks for the input I'll just monitor more often. Thanks!!

Four mice? Good for her! Is she a non-rat eater? I had one who was picky and wouldn't take rats and only some mice. But if her appetite is that good and she just shed, I'll bet she is fine and not fighting anything off. She could also have bumped her noggin sometime recently and thrown off her accuracy with that. If that's the case odds are good her strikes will return to normal within a couple of feeding cycles.

Marla she use to be a med rat muncher, until I carelessly left her unattended ONCE with a rat in the cage, well the rat decided it was hungary. So needless to say that was the end of the rat and the beginning of a healing process for Izabelle, this was 2 yrs ago so she is all fine and dandy but the scars remain. So I just stick with mice not that I'm scared to feed her rats just dont wanna go through what was back then. Sorry just love the live rodent feedings. Come to think bout the "bumped her noogin" thing, when ever she sees her "Happy meal" container which has a bright orange lid presented before her she goes nuts and I recall today that she striked at the container(which was in my hands about 3 ft away) and smacked her "noggin" into the enclousure... so that might as well solved todays mishaps...but still will monitor this ..thanks!!

I am so sorry Izabelle got attacked by a rat. That's a terrible thing for her. I'll bet that strike when she saw lunch coming was exactly what threw her off her strike, though. Maybe you should hide it from her next time. ;)

You should try whackin the rat first and feedin her that way... I'm not preachin to u at all, because i fed live rats to sprocket (my BCI) but the rat i got 3 weeks ago was vicious in teh tank with the other ones (and hence i got it for $2 instead of the usual $5) :) and i wasn't gonna put that mean rat in with my sprocket so i whacked it and put it in... she immediately started her lil cobra impersonation (moving her head side to side) but wouldn't strike.. so i got my glove and leatherman out and grabbed the tail of the rat with the pliers... the MONENT i touched the tail of teh rat she struck and constricted on the already dead rat than ate it. So I've fed her p/k ever since.

Might be worth a try... rats are healthier than mice and a dead animal can't decide its hungry and attack ur snake.

wait.. did i just push the whole p/k thing? lol something i think I swore i'd never do LOL. David must be gettin to me.. but i'll NEVER give up my tanks for rubbermaids! ;) I'm gonna build a huge structure outta wood for my BCI's when i get settled.

5 bucks for a rat? gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood god. all i gots to say.