Kind of a neat observation last night

Feeding night is sunday night for me, corn snake and our two young female BP's ate like hogs as usual and I always usually feed (or try too) Walter my problem eater male super pastel last. He ate a rat I left overnight about a month ago but that's all he's ate since late decenber. I usually do him last as the more I can scent the room up blowdrying the others rodents I figure the better. He came out of his hide a little better this time and looked slightly more interested. As I was zombie dancing his rat he still was acting like he may not take it. Then all of a sudden just like you flicked a switch in his brain his demeanor completely changed and he slammed it so hard it flung cypress mulch chunks all over the place. It just got me though how you could see the sudden change in him like that, just like a switch flipped in his brain.

All you have to do it trigger that instinct! I am soooo close to getting my male ball python on f/t as well. It's been a year worth of trying, but now when I do the blow drying to heat up the mouse (he won't even eat a live rat, mice only) he gets *really* interested when he used to not notice at all. Yesterday he was bumping it with his nose, next time hopefully he'll eat it. :)

I'm pleased he's eating for you again!

Wish I could have had it on video. The instant change in his behavior was just super cool. Hope you get yours going soon as well. Man I know it's major frustrating!!

Thanks!

Part of the reward of ball python ownership is the feeling of success when they do eat and thrive though. I mean...I don't get any thrill when my hognose eats, he *always* eats. When my ball pythons take a f/t I'm like 'Yes! Success!" Heehee.

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Originally Posted by piedlover79

Thanks!

Part of the reward of ball python ownership is the feeling of success when they do eat and thrive though. I mean...I don't get any thrill when my hognose eats, he *always* eats. When my ball pythons take a f/t I'm like 'Yes! Success!" Heehee.

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Yea last sunday my daughters corn snake refused, first time ever in like 3 years so I wasn't too freaked out, last night he ate like a hog. For some reason every now and then he acts really weird real flighty and crazy but that was the first time he did it and didn't eat.

Have you tried feeding him first instead of last? I have a couple shy eaters that I have best luck with feeding first. Seems like the longer I'm in the room and opening and closing drawers the more nervous they would be by the time I'd get to them and less likely to eat until I started feeding them first and second.

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Originally Posted by HannahLou

Have you tried feeding him first instead of last? I have a couple shy eaters that I have best luck with feeding first. Seems like the longer I'm in the room and opening and closing drawers the more nervous they would be by the time I'd get to them and less likely to eat until I started feeding them first and second.

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I have noticed this as well especially with my spiders. If they get too worked up it never goes well. Some others I have do better if fed last.

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Originally Posted by HannahLou

Have you tried feeding him first instead of last? I have a couple shy eaters that I have best luck with feeding first. Seems like the longer I'm in the room and opening and closing drawers the more nervous they would be by the time I'd get to them and less likely to eat until I started feeding them first and second.

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Not a bad idea I'll try that next time.

Our albino spider female had been a super picky/finicky eater for the last year and a half. Only ate mice and you'd be lucky to get more then one in her a week. That was until I moved her into her new and larger enclosure. Now she is the most aggressive eater of the bunch. Any movement in the room and she is poking her head out of her hide looking for the next meal. Went from mice to med rats just like that.