Why is my ball python acting like this? (video)

I tried live mice and live rats smaller than the one in this video. She reacts the same way to everything. She hasn't eaten for a month. I know it's not a long time for a BP but she is 9 months old and I want her to grow and shed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7F1zjW3t7A

Scared of the rat.

Need to give the snake more hides to comfort it more. And leave it alone for 1-2 weeks after changed are made. Should help get it to eat.

what is the size of snake compared to its food! just a guess it looks very big for it?! have u thought of maybe fropping the size down a bit! maybe a large mouse?

You could also try putting the rat in a paper bag and putting the bag in the tank.

All above comments seem like a good idea. Tbh though, I've found that when switching to f/t you wanna offer them a smaller than normal food item. Like a rat pup for your bp. That rat looks a little big period though, not sure your bp could stomach it.

Cheers,
Fatal

Did you forget your password for your other account? Pyrosnake? If so let a mod know and they can delete one.

That is Carlotta right? If not then you are using someone elses picture..

I certainly hope she eats for you soon. She never once acted like that with me. It had to be the move to such a large tank. Do give her another hide and try a rat hopper, rat crawler, or mouse weanling. Something smaller that is alive but doesn't move much.

She just seems stressed and unhappy with all the excitement. A month isn't very long at her age and size so just give her about a week off and try again. Maybe just open the lid of her new tub and drop the rodent in. Do this at night with just enough light so she can see but isn't in total darkness. Don't let her see you.

She should snap out of this sooner or later. She would strike immediately every time for me. This is why I said I believed she would convert to F/T right away. I never thought she would become so freaked out. If she would just eat one time for you she would know there is nothing to be afraid of and she would get back that feeding response she always had.

It looks like a fear / defensive strike to me. Just as suggested a smaller size food item may be in order, try quite small the poor little guy is quite terrified to get a strike like what you have in the vid. More hides and perhaps some over head cover too may help. Give him a week or more with out much activity before trying again.

The thing to keep in mind is they want to feel like they are watching you not you watching them.

Foschi: It's Dan. I'll have a mod delete one... I wanted my SN to be the same as my YouTube.

But yeah, I tried a rat pup last week. She kind of ignored it but I didn't keep it in all night. I'll get another tomorrow and try again. She'll eat eventually. I just can't wait until she does because this is no fun. :(

I know it's hard to do but don't bother her at all between feeding attempts. Put at least 5-7 days in between attempts. I purchased a baby that acted just like this for far longer than yours is. She was eating well until she was with me. I just left her alone completely, added a hide to her tub, and one night she just decided to eat.

I'm not sure why some BPs do this but some just need more time to acclimate.

Yeah, try a smaller food item. Also because there's not point wasting larger food if she's not going to eat it.

Frankly, though, she looks nice and plump. How much does she weigh? I think she's just hit her first year mid-winter fast a little early. I'd switch to only offering every other week (to build appetite, lower stress, and preserve YOUR sanity) and offering very small food items. Get a small kitchen scale, record her weight in grams, and check her once a month to make sure she hasn't lost more than 30% of her weight--don't start worrying until then.

She really looks very healthy and fat here. If she wants to stop eating for a while, let her--she'll pick up eating again with a vengence in late spring or early summer.

I know it's hard not to worry when they do this, but really... don't worry.

that definitely looks like a fear strike as has been mentioned. that rat was definitely too big.
a good rule of thumb i learned about here and it's what i go by when buying rats for my girl...
the rat should be about the same size as the snake's fattest part, a little smaller is ok but...
if your snake eats and there's NO visible lump in the body at all afterwards then the rat was too small.
good luck.

my snake did the same thing when I feed her F/T every time. Then I put a live one in, she ate it right away. So maybe you want to try a live one first.

This is 100% the same when I feed my snake F/T every time. I tried every time, if it doesn't work, I put a live one in, then they eat it right away.

It seems some animals have different windows for feeding responses. A few of mine did the same thing for a while. I try to tap on the tubs and open them up before I feed everyone so I dont trigger a defensive response instead of a feeding response. Just try to be patient and try some smaller food. :)

in my opinion that rat is far too big for that little snake. i'd throw a live hopper mouse in there. those things spark up a feeding instinct like no other in my 3 little 6 month olds

I would thaw it out near the tub, heat the head with a hairdrier and let the snake come to the rat, not wave it around in front of it. Try one a little smaller but I wouldn't drop to rat pup size, that is just silly :P

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Originally Posted by SpiffyYoshi

I tried live mice and live rats smaller than the one in this video. She reacts the same way to everything. She hasn't eaten for a month. I know it's not a long time for a BP but she is 9 months old and I want her to grow and shed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7F1zjW3t7A

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I just went through this with one of my female's also... Mine's the same exact age and about the same size as yours...I was concerned just like you. I was at my local reptile shop yesterday and the old timer who owns the shop and is a long time breeder told me not to worry....as long as temps are good, provide two hides, cool side, warm side. She will eat when she wants to. BP's especially females, can be very finicky during this time of year. Dont bug her to much trying to get her to eat because it just stresses her out more.