Bit of a feeding scare....

Well, it was friday, so I had to take my usual trip up to the pet shop for a mouse. I noticed that the adult mice we were getting seemed too small for Pelota, as she was taking them down within a few minutes, no trouble at all. So I asked him if he got rats in yet. I figured he'd get some rat pups, small adults, mediums, etc...all sizes. Nope. He had little rat pinkies, and small adults. One size = too small, other = too large. So I just asked him to give me two frozen adult mice as usual. He said "sorry, don't have any frozen right now. I can give you two live ones though". My smile quickly turned to a frown. I hadn't killed a mouse yet in my short experience with snake keeping, and wasn't looking forward to it. So he grabs two cute furry mice, puts them in an old small box he had from a fish tank filter, tapes it up, and charges me 7 dollars(ya I know...3.50 a mouse...kinda steep). So I walk out, go home, open up the box, look in and noticed a few things.

1. They were a bit bigger than the usual "adult mice" he gives me. Which solidifies my thoughts that he's been giving me weanlings up till now. So this might be quite a work out for Pelota...

2. They're too damn cute. It's gonna kill me to...well, kill them.

So I reluctantly grab a baggy, put the smallest one in, seal it up...and almost cry. I asked my mom if she'd do it. She said only if I put it in a bag that's not see-thru. So I said nevermind, and I did it myself. I just cleared my head, looked away, and gave it a good whack to the wall. I looked back, and it was already dead. That was easy, I thought. Then I realised what I had just done...so I quickly put the bagged mouse in the freezer and went upstairs with the other one. I wont lie, I shed a few tears(takes a real man to admit it. ;)). But quickly set my mind to making a make-shift home for the other mousie until I can buy one of those all-you-need hamster cage set ups. Not bad...new pet for 3.50. :twisted:

Anyway, few hours later, it's 9pm. Mousy was happily pigging out on lettuce and carrots in my sisters room, and I was just checking on his little brother that I was now thawing out. Feeding time. I go upstairs, set everything up as usual. Plop the mousey under the heat lamp for a few minutes. I washed my hands good, and picked up Pelota so I could lay down the news paper in her cage. This is when I realised she could smell that fresh mouse that was warming under the lamp on the table a bit away. Usually she doesn't sense anything and is fine, but this time she struck at me. Sorta spooked me since usually she was as calm as could be, but I dont blame her. So I quicly laid down the paper, got my sister with the tongs in hand to grab the mouse. I knew Pelota would be striking at anything that moves as soon as she goes into her cage, so I had my sister hold the mouse half way in the cage so Pelota can strike at it quickly. I put Pelota down, and within a blink of an eye she had striked, flung herself around all crazy, and coiled up. She was acting crazy. I dunno if it was because it was sorta a fresh killed mouse and still had a strong scent from not being froze long or what, but she was quite the "killer", lol.
Anyway, she finally started uncoiling, and this is when I knew the mouse was a bit bigger than she's used to. Instead of gobbling it up, she started sizing it up. She was moving her head all down the body, then after a few minutes, seemed to ignore it. So I pulled the mouse away from her and had the head facing her. I figured maybe she just needed some help finding the head. I was right. She clamped onto the head and started swallowing it down. I felt so bad though....she was stretching herself out so bad trying to get this thing down. She did get it down though, but thats when the scary part happened. As she was getting to the tail, I thought it was home free, but no...suddenly her jaw twisted a bit weird, and she flinched. I could tell it hurt. I looked and I thought it looked like she had broke her skin. I'm thinking the worse here...thinking "oh God, her jaw bone just popped out or something from so much stretching...what am I gonna do now". But then she yawned 5 times until her jaw re-aligned. I looked, and her mouth looked fine now. Guess her jaw twisted a bit and I'm sure it hurt her, but after a bunch of yawns for re-aligning, she seems good. Phew.
But was it over? No. This big mouse put quite a lump in her. Now I know why she was a bit underweight, being only 150g's. The other feedings up till now never left a noticable lump. This one did. She was so thick, she couldn't slither into her hide. I had to lift the hide up in the front so she'd squeeze in. She's so big now, that the hide is up off the ground and is just laying on her, lol. She's comfy though. So now I'm leaving her for 3 days instead of the usual 2. I'm making sure she's real rested up after the ordeal we had tonight.


So, in short...I don't know why I type all this out, since no one in their right mind would read it all. But if you did, thanks! Had to share my "fun" night. Oh well, atleast I got a full snake, and a new furry pet. ;)

heh, I could never kill one of those little guys! When I can't get frozen mice, I have to feed live... I just can't do it.

i read it all!! Pandora p*ssed me off tonight.... first, she struck at it then missed. then, she tried again, and missed. so she stared at it for a good hour and a half... then, i boiled water to make it warmer, rubbed some mice on it to make sure she'd eat.... she finally ate the dumb thing, and then as shes got it halfway down... it explodes. so i got to clean up rat guts tonight. :) made my room smell AWESOME

i'm happy she got the snake down without breaking her jaw... that would worry me too!!

Long story but a good one. I have had that happen a couple of times with my ball switching to large rats and the burm i had switching from rats to rabbits.

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Originally Posted by oorob00

Long story but a good one. I have had that happen a couple of times with my ball switching to large rats and the burm i had switching from rats to rabbits.

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you had a burm!?! o.O what happened to it?

I traded him for 3 adult ball pythons

oh wow... how big was he when you traded him?

9ft and 20pounds

thats awesome

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Originally Posted by Super_Smash

i'm happy she got the snake down without breaking her jaw... that would worry me too!!

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Yep, she got that snake down just fine! :chew:

8)