Proper Striking.

Is there such a thing as a good striking snake.. I think my snakes strike perfect. They both seem to always strike at the rats face,then constrict the chest and throat. It just looks right. The kills are always quick. Sometimes if the rats a fighter a won't just die quick,I'll tug on the rats tail a bit and my ghost constricts tighter. It's not something I can say I enjoy watching,so i prefer the rat to be out of its misery as quick as possible.but Is there a right way for a snake to strike?

i don't really care how mine strikes as long as the rat isn't in a position to bite while struggling. Fed her tonight and she bit the underside of the hind leg and wrapped with the head and front arms hanging mostly out of the coil. wasn't quick but the rat couldn't hurt the snake. and you're right it isn't pleasant when they don't die quick =/

I think you're looking for speed and accuracy if you're looking for the "perfect strike". As I feed F/T the strike isn't as important for the snakes safety as they prey cannot injure them but I do heat the head more for feeding to try to help with their accuracy and prevent them missing and potentially hitting something that could hurt them (e.g. striking and hitting the tub/water bowl etc)

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/...psf77069bd.jpg
yesterday,this is how I'd say 80% of his strikes look like. Sometimes he has no patience and strikes where ever. It's rare though

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Originally Posted by Naom9Anne

I think you're looking for speed and accuracy if you're looking for the "perfect strike". As I feed F/T the strike isn't as important for the snakes safety as they prey cannot injure them but I do heat the head more for feeding to try to help with their accuracy and prevent them missing and potentially hitting something that could hurt them (e.g. striking and hitting the tub/water bowl etc)

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I agree. Yeah I'd say it's all about speed and accuracy..my guys as I'd think snakes strike fairly fast and accurate

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Originally Posted by SKOOT3R

i don't really care how mine strikes as long as the rat isn't in a position to bite while struggling. Fed her tonight and she bit the underside of the hind leg and wrapped with the head and front arms hanging mostly out of the coil. wasn't quick but the rat couldn't hurt the snake. and you're right it isn't pleasant when they don't die quick =/

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I do feel bad at times doing this,but I guess it is what it is man

Snakes are hard wired to strike well. They don't have much else that they do other than eat, sleep and poop. So striking and constricting food should come very naturally to them, but if they do have a bad strike they can usually make up for it by throwing another coil around its prey.

Lately my snakes been striking good ''Finally'' I say that because my normal has a weird butt fetish lol for the first 3 weeks of feeding's, when I would dance the f/t she flick your tongue and would always go for the butt even when the tongs were holding that area, weird! even has ate a rat pup butt first. It's maybe cause she is small and still learning.

The photo look's like a winning strike! :)

I'm glad I feed F/T because my boy isn't all that accurate. He hits hard and fast but there have been times where he's missed the prey entirely and just zipped on by. I know that I'm engaging in anthropomorphism but on those occasions he looks all like, "I meant to do that!" My husband feeds him using tongs and one time, Skull hit so hard that he ripped the tail off the rat. He doesn't tend to strike in the same area all the time either. I've watched hit the rear end first and just swallow it like that. It's not unusual for him to take a couple of strikes before he actually hits it to his satisfaction. He just hits so hard that he knocks the prey around.

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Originally Posted by Garnet

I'm glad I feed F/T because my boy isn't all that accurate. He hits hard and fast but there have been times where he's missed the prey entirely and just zipped on by. I know that I'm engaging in anthropomorphism but on those occasions he looks all like, "I meant to do that!" My husband feeds him using tongs and one time, Skull hit so hard that he ripped the tail off the rat. He doesn't tend to strike in the same area all the time either. I've watched hit the rear end first and just swallow it like that. It's not unusual for him to take a couple of strikes before he actually hits it to his satisfaction. He just hits so hard that he knocks the prey around.

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Mine does this too. It actually made me question his eyesight. Hearing he's not the only one makes me feel a bit better.


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Originally Posted by Garnet

I'm glad I feed F/T because my boy isn't all that accurate.

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I'm not sure what your thawing/heating practices are, but it may be because the entire prey item is the same temp. I usually run my thawed feeder's head area under warm water for 10-15 seconds right before offering. Since I started this, my spotnose girl has had no issues figuring out where to strike.

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Originally Posted by jessica87

Lately my snakes been striking good ''Finally'' I say that because my normal has a weird butt fetish lol for the first 3 weeks of feeding's, when I would dance the f/t she flick your tongue and would always go for the butt even when the tongs were holding that area, weird! even has ate a rat pup butt first. It's maybe cause she is small and still learning.

The photo look's like a winning strike! :)

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Jessica,I have to agree with you,my ghost in the pic at first struck behind first and ate behind first a few times,but the more he kept getting fed,he adventually went for face first,from striking to eating..my black pastel,just recently started stroking face first for a while wasn't it all and was striking mid body to the butt also,he'd constrict and all I'd see was the poor preys face,I felt so bad.

to me it sounds like you have an S&M snake on your hands,lol:O

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Originally Posted by Kensa

I'm not sure what your thawing/heating practices are, but it may be because the entire prey item is the same temp. I usually run my thawed feeder's head area under warm water for 10-15 seconds right before offering. Since I started this, my spotnose girl has had no issues figuring out where to strike.

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Interesting! I warm the prey to 98 - 100 degrees using warm water. The entire prey item is pretty much the same temp. I need to think about how to fix this.

I normally heat the head more with either boiling water or a hairdryer, I've also been told using a bulb is a really good way to get the head hot too :)

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Originally Posted by Garnet

Interesting! I warm the prey to 98 - 100 degrees using warm water. The entire prey item is pretty much the same temp. I need to think about how to fix this.

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Jut hold his head more towards the heat source,that's it.. When I fed FT I would put it under a heat bulb,about 6 inches away from the entire body for a few mins,then put the head right next to the bulb for a good 30 seconds to a minute...always worked out well for me.i never used a hair dryer or water. I would let the FT defrost at room temp,then warm with a heat lamp

I always take the food out and put in a little baggie in the fridge a day before feeding. Day of feeding I leave hot water in a cup for about 40mins changing the water twice the rat will reaches about 101. Sometimes while moving the f/t to the feeding area I lose about 5 degrees. I will warm it up on the red light bulb, which will do the trick.

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I would let the FT defrost at room temp

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Never try that.....Like pre scenting?

We just fed him. This time, while I was warming the prey, I poured the hot water directly on the head of the rat. When I measured the prey temps right before feeding, the head was 3 degrees warmer than the rest of the body. Result? Perfect strike first time.

Thanks for the advice, all.

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Originally Posted by jessica87

Never try that.....Like pre scenting?

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No..the prey FT I was feeding him was small and medium mice. When I was feeding FT,now I only feed live...They would defrost completely with in 30 mins....now if I take it out the night before then I leave it sealed up,very sealed up and let it defrost in my fridge..

plus I was told by someone that defrosting them in water depletes nutrients,true or not, I never took the chance..I want my snakes getting every bit of calcium and protein and fat possible. That's the reason I Let defrost at room temp

I got you..

I don't understand but maybe it's true (don't know) how a f/t will lose it's nutrients from water all those nutrients are in the body. :confusd:

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Originally Posted by jessica87

I got you..

I don't understand but maybe it's true (don't know) how a f/t will lose it's nutrients from water all those nutrients are in the body. :confusd:

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I have no idea,I guess when the FT is defrosting sow thing is going on lol...I heard that a few times..but I guess it's one of those things,I heard it and just went with it..I'm going to google it,see what comes up

Well what I just read is that boiling veggies in water can suck the nutrients out of them,so your better off steaming them,now does the same go for rodents and live or FT feeders and basically meat,idk,but I don't see why it wouldn't...plus I just read leaving frozen rodents frozen to long,the vitamins start to naturally dimish,which I guess makes sense...

No vegetables are completely different in composition.

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I thought something being frozen always get preserve

Actually the rodents with fur last longer frozen, than those without.
If you leave meat in the freezer too long, what happens to it?

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Originally Posted by Crazymonkee

Actually the rodents with fur last longer frozen, than those without.
If you leave meat in the freezer too long, what happens to it?

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Is this a trick question?

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/...psb01f7b9e.jpg

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Originally Posted by BrandiR

Is this a trick question?

http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/...psb01f7b9e.jpg

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Lol that's awesome!

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