Help!!!!

Hi, I’m a ball python owner and I have a question. So last night I went to feed my male ball python a medium sized rat -which he can eat and is the proper size- and he striked that rat and began to constrict it. So I went a head and let him eat but about 15 minutes later I checked on him and noticed that he was having a really hard time swallowing the rat. He was trying to eat it from the legs to the head and couldn’t. So again I let it be and let him try to eat it I waited about 30 minutes and went back and he completely-I don’t know if you can say regurgitate or not but I’m gonna use it- regurgitated that rat and stopped eating it. He left it there and didn’t touch it. The worse part is was the rat was completely in half. I’m worried that he didn’t end up eating the rat and is he stressed? Was the rat to much for him? Is he going to be okay? This was his first time regurgitating. I’m a first time owner and I’m freaking out.

Regurgitate is when they vomit a partially digested rodent covered in stomach juices: It is one of the worst smells I have encountered. From your description he spit out a rat he was unable to swallow-then decided not to eat it. There is a chance he may have irritated his throat during the attempt, but, odds are: he is completely fine.

I would wait a week before offering a smaller one. I'm not a fan of feeding larger prey items. I prefer to feed too small as opposed to too large or 'right-sized' by weight...

As mentioned, that was not a regurgitation.
Probably too large a feed BUT you already stated that it was size proportional and he can eat it so when we tell you a small is all he needs won't make a difference.

Nothing at all to worry about.

And unless your male is huge, smalls are plenty. Most males never need anything larger than a small rat.

Just because they CAN eat it doesn't mean they SHOULD. I feed on the conservative side and will always feed on the more conservative side as far as appropriately sized meals go.

And sooner or later, nearly every one of us has a snake that tries to eat their prey backwards- :rolleye2: Some of them can get it down anyway, some figure out
they have the wrong end & eventually do it the "right" way, & some just have an "epic fail" kind of day and give up...;) Don't worry about it, it's not just yours.

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Originally Posted by Mariah

Hi, I’m a ball python owner and I have a question. So last night I went to feed my male ball python a medium sized rat -which he can eat and is the proper size- and he striked that rat and began to constrict it. So I went a head and let him eat but about 15 minutes later I checked on him and noticed that he was having a really hard time swallowing the rat. He was trying to eat it from the legs to the head and couldn’t. So again I let it be and let him try to eat it I waited about 30 minutes and went back and he completely-I don’t know if you can say regurgitate or not but I’m gonna use it- regurgitated that rat and stopped eating it. He left it there and didn’t touch it. The worse part is was the rat was completely in half. I’m worried that he didn’t end up eating the rat and is he stressed? Was the rat to much for him? Is he going to be okay? This was his first time regurgitating. I’m a first time owner and I’m freaking out.

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What do you mean the rat was completely in half?

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

What do you mean the rat was completely in half?

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I was wondering the same thing...:confusd:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

And sooner or later, nearly every one of us has a snake that tries to eat their prey backwards- :rolleye2: Some of them can get it down anyway, some figure out
they have the wrong end & eventually do it the "right" way, & some just have an "epic fail" kind of day and give up...;) Don't worry about it, it's not just yours.

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One of my KSB’s only eats her mice backwards. She’ll strike and take it head on but every time she drops it, spins around and eats it tail first. What can I say, she likes rat butts and she cannot lie.


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Can you share a picture of your snake? Thanks.


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