Some feeding confusion

About two months after I got my banana BP I had the same thing happen. She was out looking hungry and was very eager to strike at the rat... but after a few minutes she would drop the rat and look at me expecting another rat to fly into the cage. I left the rat overnight and she never ate it.

The next week the exact same thing happened. Eager to strike but wouldn't eat. I left the rat in the cage again and two hours later it was gone, she finally decided to eat.

After that everything went back to normal, late night feeding. She would strike and eat right away. I have no idea why she did that.. but it passed and I've had no issues since.

All that said... hopefully it's the same deal with you and things will go back to normal soon.

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

About two months after I got my banana BP I had the same thing happen. She was out looking hungry and was very eager to strike at the rat... but after a few minutes she would drop the rat and look at me expecting another rat to fly into the cage. I left the rat overnight and she never ate it.

The next week the exact same thing happened. Eager to strike but wouldn't eat. I left the rat in the cage again and two hours later it was gone, she finally decided to eat.

After that everything went back to normal, late night feeding. She would strike and eat right away. I have no idea why she did that.. but it passed and I've had no issues since.

All that said... hopefully it's the same deal with you and things will go back to normal soon.

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I wonder if snakes get "hormonal" or "growing pains"? :confusd: Years back the unwanted yearling BCI that I took in went thru a phase for about 2 mos. where she was
like that, & it's really weird for a BCI to NOT want to eat. At the time I chalked it up to stress from all she'd been thru before I got her (multiple homes, each time
given up because of her "aggressive" biting). She seemed to outgrow whatever it was after that, no further issues. (she also totally calmed down with me & gave
up biting altogether) All we can do sometimes is to "read between the lines". :snake:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

He doesn't sound constipated to me, so don't worry about a problem you don't have.

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Hahaha, you got me there. I've chilled out after reading the responses here and having a night to sleep on it, but yesterday my mind was going full throttle when it came to excessive/irrational worries. At some point I even started fixating on whether he was "moving funny" and wondering if I'd somehow pinched a nerve or broken a bone when I was handling him on Monday to remove the stuck shed under his chin. Or if he'd gotten brain damage from last weekend's Provent-A-Mite treatment and suddenly forgotten how to eat! (Don't worry, I've talked myself out of all of these, but it was only getting increasingly stupid from there.)

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Originally Posted by bhsurf4

I’ve got an albino female that will strike and constrict, and when they rat is dead, she will release it and cruise the tub for several minutes, every once in a while sniffing the rat then continuing to cruise around, only to start eating when I’ve just about figured she was the rare animal (besides humans) that kill for sport!

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Oh man, she sounds like a character! Iggy never came back to the rat even after giving him a couple hours total; I would have left the rat overnight just to see if he eventually took it, but I had to leave and won't be back until the end of the weekend, and that would be very nasty to return to if he never ended up eating it.

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Originally Posted by RedRabbit

Hahaha, you got me there. I've chilled out after reading the responses here and having a night to sleep on it, but yesterday my mind was going full throttle when it came to excessive/irrational worries. At some point I even started fixating on whether he was "moving funny" and wondering if I'd somehow pinched a nerve or broken a bone when I was handling him on Monday to remove the stuck shed under his chin. Or if he'd gotten brain damage from last weekend's Provent-A-Mite treatment and suddenly forgotten how to eat! (Don't worry, I've talked myself out of all of these, but it was only getting increasingly stupid from there.)

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My favorite (& very vintage) note-paper has a cartoon of a snake that is stiff as an arrow, balanced on top of a rock, & the caption says "Relax!" :D

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

About two months after I got my banana BP I had the same thing happen. She was out looking hungry and was very eager to strike at the rat... but after a few minutes she would drop the rat and look at me expecting another rat to fly into the cage. I left the rat overnight and she never ate it.

The next week the exact same thing happened. Eager to strike but wouldn't eat. I left the rat in the cage again and two hours later it was gone, she finally decided to eat.

After that everything went back to normal, late night feeding. She would strike and eat right away. I have no idea why she did that.. but it passed and I've had no issues since.

All that said... hopefully it's the same deal with you and things will go back to normal soon.

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That sounds exactly like what Iggy did! Same expectant look for a second rat and everything ... but just ditched the second rat anyway when it came. I guess we'll see if he follows suit next week like your BP did. Here's to hoping!

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

My favorite (& very vintage) note-paper has a cartoon of a snake that is stiff as an arrow, balanced on top of a rock, & the caption says "Relax!" :D

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Pfft, I need this cartoon taped to my wall.

Hmm ... it's now been 10 days since he last ate, and 3 -- well, heading into 4 -- days since the last feeding attempt. Still no poop yet, and still just hiding in his rock cave all day and night. Do I try feeding him again around now, or give him a few more days?

I tend to leave a week or so in between 'attempts' ..




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Feed evenings ... low / dim light .
You know about the hairdryer trick but have you tried waiting until it's settled under a hide then dangle the warm rat/mouse in front of the hide entrance..


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Right then, I'll probably wait until Friday night. And yes, I always feed in the evening in low light (just enough so I can see what I'm doing). If he's in his hide, then I dangle the rat a couple inches in front of the hide. In the past, I've offered while he's cruising around too, and he has still taken it.