Baby ball python striking but not eating?

Well I hatched four baby ball pythons and they all started off eating quick. One was stubborn but quickly turned on. Now the one I am having a problem with was the first to start eating and barely missed a meal. I switched over to F/T and that started off great. Now it has done this a few times. It will strike and constrict but not eat it? It did this two weeks in a row and then started eating again. Now it did it last week so this week I offered a fresh killed killed and it just did the same thing? I left the rat in there and will check back in a few hours. Is this normal?

I wish I knew if this is normal or not because I have had 3 of my 4 ball pythons do this before. One in particular did this several times before she started eating again. So, I would be curious for an answer to this as well.

I am wondering if it is a shed cycle thing. This time he is starting the shed cycle. This may have something to do with it. Not sure just a hunch.


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Originally Posted by whispersinmyhead

Well I hatched four baby ball pythons and they all started off eating quick. One was stubborn but quickly turned on. Now the one I am having a problem with was the first to start eating and barely missed a meal. I switched over to F/T and that started off great. Now it has done this a few times. It will strike and constrict but not eat it? It did this two weeks in a row and then started eating again. Now it did it last week so this week I offered a fresh killed killed and it just did the same thing? I left the rat in there and will check back in a few hours. Is this normal?

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How old are they? Two of my six month old males started this behavior, so I started offering feeders on the smaller side of the range (10% instead of 15% of body weight) on a 7-10 day schedule instead of a 5-7 day schedule, and they haven't missed a meal since. It could just be that yours aren't all that hungry.

They are about 4.5 months. This could be it. I'll try smaller and see what happens.


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Any other thoughts/experiences?

My Pied has done this a few times. I just skip a week from feeding him and he usually starts eating again. Out of my 5, he's the only one that has done this. Not sure what causes it though.

I have an adult bumblebee male that will sometimes strike at a rat once, miss, and then completely ignore it.

It's frustrating, because if he doesn't eat, I have to take care of a rat.

I hate rats.

I have one that does this too, its infuriating. He 'll strike then leave frozen thawed 8 times out of 10. The only way to make certain he eats is to feed live, but I hate to do that. If you find a way to fix this problem definitely post it.