Striking the Glass

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Yes, he's done it when there's no prey in the room. Not often but it has happened. I think he's smart enough to realize when it's getting close to food time and that when the lights are off he 'might' get fed. My guess, in the year I've had him, he's don't it 6-8 times.

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bp* not boo. Lol. Autocorrect. Anyways. If he’s only doing it with the lights off maybe try covering the front before you turn the lights off.

Boas can be highly responsive to food and quite a few of mine strike the cage front on feeding day (and one strikes anytime he sees a shadow or movement which is super annoying). I wouldn't really worry about it. The only thing that can sometimes happen if they strike badly, they can catch a tooth on a lip, normally I'll (with help) open their mouth to fix it for them, however this doesn't happen very often thank goodness.

Here's the part in Behira's thread where we talked about it: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...70#post2601470

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Originally Posted by Waterman

bp* not boo. Lol. Autocorrect. Anyways. If he’s only doing it with the lights off maybe try covering the front before you turn the lights off.

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The lights are on a timer which makes it difficult to cover when they go off.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Boas can be highly responsive to food and quite a few of mine strike the cage front on feeding day (and one strikes anytime he sees a shadow or movement which is super annoying). I wouldn't really worry about it. The only thing that can sometimes happen if they strike badly, they can catch a tooth on a lip, normally I'll (with help) open their mouth to fix it for them, however this doesn't happen very often thank goodness.

Here's the part in Behira's thread where we talked about it: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...70#post2601470

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Thanks April for the link. I'll check it out!

Sounds like he's still a bit hungry CK. Are you doubling up on those mice? Hopefully the larger prey items will mellow him out a bit.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Sounds like he's still a bit hungry CK. Are you doubling up on those mice? Hopefully the larger prey items will mellow him out a bit.

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What's up Ziggy...... No, I've never doubled up on the feeding but I believe you're right that it might not be enough for him. Luckily, I think I only have two more adult mice before I order a bigger size.

to add - i shouldn't say "the ONLY" thing that can happen is the tooth issue, as yes, repeated may cause other mouth issues as Bogertophis brought up. Just that the tooth thing is the worst thing I've had happen.
I've had the mouth injury that required surgery related to constant rubbing or pushing, not from striking. I should have clarified that above.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

They can remain foody for a while. I would just cover the front of the enclosure with a light blanket for a day after he eats, to give him time to settle down and start digesting.

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I have to do this with one of mine. She is in beast mode for about 24 hours after getting a whiff of rat. if I don't, she will tag the glass anytime she senses movement in the room.

My big jungle female is like this, too. It's gotten worse as I've had her, but I do notice a positive impact if I spend more time going into the snake room and just walking around or interacting with her vs staying out of the snake room. Even if I just come in the room a couple times a day and walk around without food, that seems to help her to sit, wait, and see vs strike at the first sign of movement. I always have a hook on hand, and she quickly drops her food response once I actually get my hands on her, but even the vibrations of my foot steps can set her off, so covering her enclosure wouldn't help.

Feeding a responsive snake more food is not the way address their behaviors, as they could easily become obese which will cause a whole host of health issues, and more often than not, won't even impact their behavior. I've had 2 snakes (including my jungle girl) who are always ravenous. One was one of my garters, and he would actually jump out of the tank and latch onto my finger sometimes. I tried for a year to give him as many pinks as he would eat in one sitting as often as he would take them, and even after all that time, I noticed zero improvement. So on a diet he went because he was almost as heavy as my other garter half a foot longer than him. lol With the boa, I tried feeding her two jumbos to see if more food would help, and she just continued hitting the glass wanting more. She's a breeder, so I don't want her fat, so that was the end of that. She's definitely not starving, either, she's maintaining her body structure and has even gained weight. So guess it's just something I have to deal with. lol

Kinda like my mom's cat that will eat everything and anything, and even chase the other cats out of their food. It's like some animals just lack that part of the brain to tell them they're full.

"The lights are on a timer which makes it difficult to cover when they go off."

Just cover the front for now. Paper an tape are cheap. My Boas eat at ten days an the BPs at seven. I get the glass tapping when the Boas smell food an think I forgot them.

Boas, the only snakes that have tagged me because I fed an smelled like horses.:O

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Originally Posted by 303_enfield

...Boas, the only snakes that have tagged me because I fed an smelled like horses.:O

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Never heard that one before but I sure don't doubt it either. :rofl: