Missed strike?

So when I fed both of my ball pythons last night I knew the little mouse hopper I fed them wasn't enough so I offered them f/t fuzzies well one was not interested like i figured (she isn't a fan of f/t) But the other showed interest and when she went to strike she missed? I didn't think that was really possible. Anyway she sat next to the mouse for an hour like she was about to strike again So I left her alone as I didn't want to stress her out anymore. Finally after I stood next to her cage and talked to her for a minute she loosened up and went into her hide.

My question is do you think she will refuse feedings again as it has taken me over a month to get her to willingly eat and this is only her 3rd feeding willing. Also should I just leave her alone for a few days to let her relax, I know bad feedings can be really stressful?

Thanks in advance

I would try and leave them alone for a bit. With feeding if they refuse skip a week. But what you want to try next time is getting some tongs if your gonna try f/t hold it right in front of them. Makes it easier for them to hit it.

Bad thing is I did have tongs she backed up so i thought she was going to refuse because she didn't seem interested so i pulled back and that's when she struck at it. But the other snake I'm not too worried about she always refuses f/t but I figured I would offer since she still seemed hungry lol. The only store that has live feeders is 45 minutes away and they were closed. So I tried the f/t. But I know she will take the next live one she always does lol

So my best bet is to skip next Saturdays feeding for the one that missed?

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Originally Posted by lidjamay

Bad thing is I did have tongs she backed up so i thought she was going to refuse because she didn't seem interested so i pulled back and that's when she struck at it. But the other snake I'm not too worried about she always refuses f/t but I figured I would offer since she still seemed hungry lol. The only store that has live feeders is 45 minutes away and they were closed. So I tried the f/t. But I know she will take the next live one she always does lol

So my best bet is to skip next Saturdays feeding for the one that missed?

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It is possible for a snake to miss (heck, I miss my mouth all the time when I'm eating! :P) and especially if they arent used to F/T since most live prey doesn't tend to hover upside down lol.

I don't see any harm in offering again on Saturday, go ahead and do it if you want.

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Originally Posted by Alexandra V

It is possible for a snake to miss (heck, I miss my mouth all the time when I'm eating! :P) and especially if they arent used to F/T since most live prey doesn't tend to hover upside down lol.

I don't see any harm in offering again on Saturday, go ahead and do it if you want.

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Cool, like I said I was just worried because she seemed very stressed out and did not attempt to go after it again. When she struck I though she got it so i let it go but she didn't then I wanted to give her a chance to get it again but nope she didn't want to lol.

Thanks again guys!

I learned this not long after I started feeding F/T. You will have better success and not nearly as many refusals if you hold the mouse by the gruff of the neck by the shoulders. Dangling prey makes it look much larger than it actually is. Once I started grabbing by the neck I never had any more refusals. I move the mouse on the paper substrate and it looks like it's an actual mouse. Don't get me wrong, I have snakes that will eat it anyway but overall they seem more willing with this method. Worth a try...

Regards,

B

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Originally Posted by Simple Man

I learned this not long after I started feeding F/T. You will have better success and not nearly as many refusals if you hold the mouse by the gruff of the neck by the shoulders. Dangling prey makes it look much larger than it actually is. Once I started grabbing by the neck I never had any more refusals. I move the mouse on the paper substrate and it looks like it's an actual mouse. Don't get me wrong, I have snakes that will eat it anyway but overall they seem more willing with this method. Worth a try...

Regards,

B

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I hold the mouse by the scruff of their neck. She just doesn't want anything to do with it, she turns and goes the other way every time. And if i keep trying she starts stressing out and rubbing her head on everything so I just leave her be. And even if i just leave it in the cage she just crawls right over it lol. Its like they aren't enough for her so she doesn't even both lol

How big are your snakes? Fuzzies are tiny. You might try larger prey. How are you heating them up too? Are you using a blowdryer right before you feed? That also helped me get a few of mine eating F/T more easily.

Regards,

B

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Originally Posted by lidjamay

I hold the mouse by the scruff of their neck. She just doesn't want anything to do with it, she turns and goes the other way every time. And if i keep trying she starts stressing out and rubbing her head on everything so I just leave her be. And even if i just leave it in the cage she just crawls right over it lol. Its like they aren't enough for her so she doesn't even both lol

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Some snakes are just finiky eaters. I feed live but I have a female pinstripe that rarely eats for me. Ive tried mice, rats, asf's she eats about once a month. I figure shes a healthy weight so I dont worry about it. Snakes have been known to fast for months. I can usually get her to eat about once a month so thats what I stick with. I offer her every week but she rarely eats.

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Originally Posted by Rat160

Some snakes are just finiky eaters. I feed live but I have a female pinstripe that rarely eats for me. Ive tried mice, rats, asf's she eats about once a month. I figure shes a healthy weight so I dont worry about it. Snakes have been known to fast for months. I can usually get her to eat about once a month so thats what I stick with. I offer her every week but she rarely eats.

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Yea my girls weren't eating for awhile but now they seem to be taking to eating every Saturday as long as I offer the kind of food they like lol. Kira either or as long as it's got fur lol and Aurora live and only live! lol

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Originally Posted by Simple Man

How big are your snakes? Fuzzies are tiny. You might try larger prey. How are you heating them up too? Are you using a blowdryer right before you feed? That also helped me get a few of mine eating F/T more easily.

Regards,

B

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Well they are only about 18" and when i got them they were 50 grams now they are 60 grams. I was going to bump Kira (the one who takes f/t) to a small mouse maybe a medium if they aren't too big. I am putting them in warm water to un thaw then using the hair dryer/ blowdryer to warm them up.

So far all of my kids love the zombie dance like B said...Kind of fun watching them get interested when they see it to...

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Originally Posted by Strick

So far all of my kids love the zombie dance like B said...Kind of fun watching them get interested when they see it to...

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it really is fun to watch them kinda look at it like hmmm do i want it then strike at it when they decide they have had enough entertainment lol

When holding the mouse by the scruff of the neck, don't your snakes usually coil up around the tongs as well? After all, at least for my snakes, the neck area is where they usually bite.

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Originally Posted by ogdentrece

When holding the mouse by the scruff of the neck, don't your snakes usually coil up around the tongs as well? After all, at least for my snakes, the neck area is where they usually bite.

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Never had that problem but I am using hemostats and if that is happening they slide right out after they strike and coil.