Stuck on feed mode?

Yesterday I fed all 5 of my BPs. Nothing unusual about it. Today I get home from work and I go to check on them and 4 out of 5 definitely went into feed mode for a few seconds. My big female struck and came at me. Got about halfway out of her tub. That got my attention real quick. She calmed down as soon as I picked her up. This has never happened before. Any theories?

There are two reasons I can think of and experience with my own collection.

I find those with a stronger feeding response need a little more time to get out of the response. I have one female and one male I have to leave alone for 48 hours for this reason.

The second reason is after they eat, they are slower and more vulnerable. BPs and other snakes, whether born in captivity or not rely heavily on their instincts. Your BPs could have been defending themselves (yes from you even though you meant no harm) while they were in the middle of digesting their meal.

I guess I am surprised because this has never happened before. The only thing I did different was that yesterday they all ate live. Other than 1 BP that doesn't take F/T they have not had live in about 5 months. I don't know if maybe that could make a difference. All my BPs definitely have strong feeding responses. Today when I opened their tubs they were all out of their hides and had those very noticeable movements of being in feeding mode.

If she doesn't usually do it, it was probably just a fluke. Any time I've worked with wild animals (including wild animals that live in captivity like BPs) it's like 90% of the time they are aware of their surroundings and remember that you won't hurt them, but sometimes a smell or a shadow or just the way you move will trigger an abnormal response like that.

I have had similar experiences, especially with other python species like retics and burms. What we call a 'feeding response' is really a complex interplay of various physiologic functions. There is a whole cascade of neurological and hormonal events that take place to ready the snakes system to first catch, and then digest a whole animal prey item. Many times, once this system is ramped up, it has a hard time dissipating.

This is analogous to the flight or fight mode people experience when in a dangerous or stressful situation. The sympathetic nervous system releases adrenergic chemical messengers that dilate bronchioles and increase heart rate. Once the threat is diminished, the cholinergic parasympathetic nervous system takes over, slows breathing, and ramps up digestive functions. However, if you have ever experienced this, you know that it can take some time, even after the threat is gone to regain normal heart rate and breathing. Some snakes just deal with it better IMO.

I don't think live has anything to do with it. Because of F/T availability in my area, I have to feed live sometimes. I have been very lucky that many of my BPs will still take F/T after being offered live. But I see no difference in behavior whether I feed live or F/T. I really don't think it is something you have to worry about.

In my ball pythons ( I have 12.28 currently), if I go to mess with them at night, 90 percent of the time they are in feed mode. I just use a hook to tap them on the head lightly to get them out of feed mode, and that usually works. I hook train pretty much everything though, just as a safety precaution, and because I WANT them to retain strong feeding responses.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

I have had similar experiences, especially with other python species like retics and burms. What we call a 'feeding response' is really a complex interplay of various physiologic functions. There is a whole cascade of neurological and hormonal events that take place to ready the snakes system to first catch, and then digest a whole animal prey item. Many times, once this system is ramped up, it has a hard time dissipating.

This is analogous to the flight or fight mode people experience when in a dangerous or stressful situation. The sympathetic nervous system releases adrenergic chemical messengers that dilate bronchioles and increase heart rate. Once the threat is diminished, the cholinergic parasympathetic nervous system takes over, slows breathing, and ramps up digestive functions. However, if you have ever experienced this, you know that it can take some time, even after the threat is gone to regain normal heart rate and breathing. Some snakes just deal with it better IMO.

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This totally makes total sense after seeing my sweet girl stuck in ravenous wolf mode.


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Originally Posted by Reinz

This totally makes total sense after seeing my sweet girl stuck in ravenous wolf mode.


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Haha! That's one way to protect your home.

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to just call this a fluke.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Haha! That's one way to protect your home.

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I was referring to my sweet snake turning into a ravenous wolf that won't shut down her feeding mode. :)

When she gets in that wild mode, she follows me in pure attack mode and even charges the door.

Totally unlike her normal behavior.


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Doesn't sound like you're describing an animal being stuck in feed mode, since she snapped out of it immediately. This is why hook training is essential for larger species.

Josh and Marissa nailed it right on her head. I generally feed my collection on Saturdays, when I'm up later at night, just to make sure they are all in feeding mode. By this time, everyone for the most part, is in "feeding position" with their heads out their hides. If someone isn't in ambush position, I check them out (usually, they are in deep blue and ready to shed). I try to schedule my routine husbandry (deep cleanings, water changes, etc.) mid week. That way, it's 48 hours after a feed, and I've given them enough time to come out of feeding mode, if they are a bit on the feisty side. I currently have a female super pastel and a female het albino who are like that.

I also try not to mess with my snakes less at night.

With some snakes that are always striking at anything that comes near their tub, I'd double check to make sure that they are unintentionally being under fed. This is particularly true with growing BPs that are right at the cusp of moving up to the next larger prey item.

I highly doubt it has anything to do with whether or not they are on live prey. The 2 BPs in my collection that prefer live are also my 2 shyest snakes.




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