Odd Habit/Feeding Issue

Well im glad I didnt offend, you do have some very interesting data points. I have actually had similar experiences with different BP color morphs retaining similar behavior. It is very unlikely that we will ever get to the bottom of the genetics involved, as I doubt there are scientists interested in performing genome wide association studies, identifying SNPs etc in ball pythons. Right now we can barely get research funded for horrific diseases, let alone discover the genetics behind pet python behavior.

Well now that we have everyone's attention, let's get to the bottom of this. I will feed him again in the next few days and reanimate the rodent after he constricts and kills it, to see if he will then eat it. Stay tuned and thank you for the suggestion.

Can't explain it. I dropped a mouse in, he struck, coiled, and ate it. He's done this twice now. Now get this my candino female who is a pig and never passes up a meal is coming up on a shed. I drop a mouse in like usual, she doesn't really show any interest which is odd, eventually strikes, coils, and leaves it. I left the dead mouse in her tub for a while, but she didn't eat it. She has never behaved like this. I forget who posted it, but this seems to be in fact a defensive mechanism. I agree that in the wild they would probably avoid a conflict if possible and head the other way, but when we keep them in captivity they don't have the option to flee and decide to defend themselves instead. I guess it comes down to the old adage, "fight or flight."

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Originally Posted by BornToHerp

Can't explain it. I dropped a mouse in, he struck, coiled, and ate it. He's done this twice now. Now get this my candino female who is a pig and never passes up a meal is coming up on a shed. I drop a mouse in like usual, she doesn't really show any interest which is odd, eventually strikes, coils, and leaves it. I left the dead mouse in her tub for a while, but she didn't eat it. She has never behaved like this. I forget who posted it, but this seems to be in fact a defensive mechanism. I agree that in the wild they would probably avoid a conflict if possible and head the other way, but when we keep them in captivity they don't have the option to flee and decide to defend themselves instead. I guess it comes down to the old adage, "fight or flight."

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This is exactly the behavior I have witnessed and was talking about in my earlier post.

I saw some old videos, I think on youtube, where large constrictor snakes were place with big cats in naturalistic looking enclosures. Well the snakes usually tried to flee but would constrict as a defense method as well. These videos are brutal but show insight into snakes defensive behavior. I can see a snake in a rack or cage constricting as a defensive strategy.