hand fed

yesterday something weird happened when i fed my BP. i held up the fuzzy to him and instead of normally just nabbing it out of the tongs and then constricting, he slowly opened his mouth and gently put his mouth around the fuzzy and then he started to eat it.i know it's not likely that snakes are hand fed but this is just weird that a snake would "enjoy being hand fed".has anyone else had this happen to them? i fed him a f/t fuzzy btw.

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Originally Posted by Snakeman

yesterday something weird happened when i fed my BP. i held up the fuzzy to him and instead of normally just nabbing it out of the tongs and then constricting, he slowly opened his mouth and gently put his mouth around the fuzzy and then he started to eat it.i know it's not likely that snakes are hand fed but this is just weird that a snake would "enjoy being hand fed".has anyone else had this happen to them? i fed him a f/t fuzzy btw.

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It happens sometimes ... it's not that they "enjoy it" ... joy is a human emotion not applicable to snakes ... sometimes they just get lazy ... especially if you don't give them time to get into "feed mode" ... they get in this really relaxed state somewhere between "shut down mode" and "feed mode" where they're hungry but not yet totally alert and active and will take prey like that ... sometimes I also see them coiling their prey and constriting it using only their bodies, without biting it while in this state as well.

Totally normal.

-adam

I think snakes can get "lazy" when they know the prey is already dead. Doesn't mean hand-feeding would be a safe thing to do. When a keeper gets complacent and thinks his snake is going to behave the exact same way each time...that's when he gets bit. Even if you're not scared of getting bit by a BP...why risk it? It may cause your snake to lose a tooth and/or may cause it to go off feed for awhile.

yeah just because he suddenly went "nice" on me with the mouse, im not expecting him to do the same thing next time.

I have a corn that is routinely timid about taking prey and often have to leave it like an offering in all it's thawed out glory. My bp on the other hand has killer feeding responses, I'm so used to her just going for the mice that I didn't even realize she was honing in on my hand at the wrong end of the tongs. Thankfully, I pulled back in time (I'm a wuss and still a bite virgin!). It's certainly odd how each animal is unique and feeds in their own way, but each one has random feeding responses just to throw us for the occaisional loop!


Wendy

Ma-tsu (although she's not a bp) eats like that all the time. All dainty and lazy about it. Although every once in a random while she feels like striking and coiling just out of nowhere, so better to be safe with those tongs than sorry. ;)

I have had bp's and Corns do this. The first time really freaked me out!!! They don't do it anymore. :)

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Originally Posted by jeffnme

I have had bp's and Corns do this. The first time really freaked me out!!! They don't do it anymore. :)

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well MeMe it's nice to finally see you here.

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Originally Posted by Snakeman

well MeMe it's nice to finally see you here.

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awwe...thanks ;) I wasn't sure who would know me on here :D

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Originally Posted by Snakeman

well MeMe it's nice to finally see you here.

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Yeah tell me about it!!!! I think I've been on her case for what....months now!!!:rolleyes: