Striking but not eating

I got a snake from Petsmart Friday, it is Monday and I just tried feeding him. I tried 1 F/T small mice. I put in a warm cup of water for 45 minutes and tried to feed. When I first tried it took he/she about 15 seconds to strike and he struck the middle and held on for a minute or 2 and then let go so I tried again and the same thing happened. Then I tried for a 3rd time and he wouldn't try at all to strike. I would dangle it around for 5 minutes and he did nothing. He is less than a year old probably 6 months. His temps are for the warm 88-92 and for the cold 76-80. He is in a 6 qt tub with under tank heaters and a thermostat.

Only two days to settle in isn't much, most people give a solid 5 to 7 days with no interactions besides spot cleaning and water changes before attempting feeding or handling. Your husbandry sounds on point so it may possibly be stress from not allowing her time to acclimate.

Could also be that the mouse isn't hot enough. It needs to be nice and warm to the touch, almost hot, when you offer it... and from what it sounds like leaving the mouse in warm water for 45 minutes probably didn't do the job, especially since it will lose a lot of the heat between you taking it out of the water walking over and offering it to the snake. 98 to 101 degrees is average body temp for a rat, and I usually achieve good temps by holding the rat under the tap with the water running hot (but not uncomfortably so) for a minute or two.

Do you know if it was eating F/T on it's own before (and I insist on it's own as some will be assisted in stores) if not you need to focus on having the snake feed not trying to switch it. That means offer live for 3 to 5 meals and then focus on switching.

I usually recommend to leave the animal alone no handling for a week before offering food you might have been in a rush to offer IMO, leave your snake alone for a week, no handling and try again.

You also want to walk away when the prey is snatched and not stare some will find it disturbing enough to abandoned their prey. It is normal for them to let go sniff the prey and then swallow it you taking it back and trying again is counter productive.

When it comes to F/T and young animal the most efficient method is to let the prey thaw at room temp near the enclosure to entice the snake to eat and let it thaw slowly and warm it up with a hair dryer, holding the prey from behind it's neck and dragging it moving it around like a live mouse would.

I would follow the advice given above. Let the snake get comfortable and acclimated for a week, only going into the enclosure for quick spot-cleans and water changes. If it were me, I'd probably wait til at least Saturday to try feeding again.
What was the animal eating prior to you taking it home?
You may have not warmed they prey enough (but be careful not to cook it by heating too fast under too much heat)
It will be best to walk away after your snake strikes and takes the feeder in it's mouth. Resist the temptation to watch, and let the animal eat. The most important thing is the animal's health, so some privacy may be what the animal needs to feel comfortable eating.
The second and third attempt probably stressed and discouraged your snake from eating.
Give your snake some time to settle in. With proper care, you will have many years to enjoy your new snake.

Are you putting the mouse in a bag before its in the water?
Did you test to make sure the mouse is warm to the touch?

Ive never had a snake any picky towards eating due to relocation. But thats just me.

it was in a bag. I think it could of been to cold because it didn't feel to hot. I am gonna feed him Saturday and after he gets it i am gonna turn lights of and walk away. I think it could of been me watching him to much and it was bright.

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Originally Posted by Dillonfail

it was in a bag. I think it could of been to cold because it didn't feel to hot. I am gonna feed him Saturday and after he gets it i am gonna turn lights of and walk away. I think it could of been me watching him to much and it was bright.

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The secret of feeding thawed is to get them nice and warm and offer IMMEDIATELY with tongs , best to offer in the evenings as they're nocturnal of course , low lighting and let the heat-pits do their job.

Most of my Royals will only strike from within their hides and drag it in to eat so I just dangle it in front of the entrance and BOOM !


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

The secret of feeding thawed is to get them nice and warm and offer IMMEDIATELY with tongs , best to offer in the evenings as they're nocturnal of course , low lighting and let the heat-pits do their job.

Most of my Royals will only strike from within their hides and drag it in to eat so I just dangle it in front of the entrance and BOOM !


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Should i feed him again today because I don't think he ate because it was cold and because i was watching him in a light area?

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Originally Posted by Dillonfail

Should i feed him again today because I don't think he ate because it was cold and because i was watching him in a light area?

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I'd normally say leave for 5 to 7 days but if he's such a good striker it maybe worth trying again tonight .
Just has to be WARM . I have a hairdryer in the snake room. As long as he shows interest or tongue flicks then offer warm , especially if he's in his hide .
Just keep warming and offering till successful .
If there is not even a tongue flick then best leave it for a while . Remember low lighting .

I've even used a torch in the past but don't shine it near the snake of course

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I'd normally say leave for 5 to 7 days but if he's such a good striker it maybe worth trying again tonight .
Just has to be WARM . I have a hairdryer in the snake room. As long as he shows interest or tongue flicks then offer warm , especially if he's in his hide .
Just keep warming and offering till successful .
If there is not even a tongue flick then best leave it for a while . Remember low lighting .

I've even used a torch in the past but don't shine it near the snake of course

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I am gonna try again tonight and if he doesn't flick his tongue I am gonna wait till Saturday to feed.

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I'd normally say leave for 5 to 7 days but if he's such a good striker it maybe worth trying again tonight .
Just has to be WARM . I have a hairdryer in the snake room. As long as he shows interest or tongue flicks then offer warm , especially if he's in his hide .
Just keep warming and offering till successful .
If there is not even a tongue flick then best leave it for a while . Remember low lighting .

I've even used a torch in the past but don't shine it near the snake of course

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Can I assume by "torch" you mean flashlight? I recently learned by watching "Snake City" that a torch can be a flashlight!!! I always knew a torch as a blow torch which shoots fire out of it. Definitely wouldn't use a blow torch in any application when it comes to feeding my snakes. Hahahahaha!!!!

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Can I assume by "torch" you mean flashlight? I recently learned by watching "Snake City" that a torch can be a flashlight!!! I always knew a torch as a blow torch which shoots fire out of it. Definitely wouldn't use a blow torch in any application when it comes to feeding my snakes. Hahahahaha!!!!

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LOL. Yeah, across the pond they call a flashlight a torch. With some of the questions we get on here can you imagine what could happen if you told someone to candle eggs with a torch or an actual candle for that matter? ROFL

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

LOL. Yeah, across the pond they call a flashlight a torch. With some of the questions we get on here can you imagine what could happen if you told someone to candle eggs with a torch or an actual candle for that matter? ROFL

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Hahaha, I know it!!! I never knew that a torch was a flashlight til I saw that show. Hahahhahaha. I'm waiting for Zinc to reply, I'm hoping he got a chuckle out of it too!:rofl:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Hahaha, I know it!!! I never knew that a torch was a flashlight til I saw that show. Hahahhahaha. I'm waiting for Zinc to reply, I'm hoping he got a chuckle out of it too!:rofl:

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I tried to feed last night I got a tongue flick so I would wiggle it around for about 10 minutes, and never struck, so I tried leaving it in all night and he didn't bite it at all I warmed it up with a hair dryer and warm water. I am gonna try and feed it a live mouse Monday and hope he takes it. I have touched him or have been around him.

I do have a ball python that is roughly the age of yours and she does the same thing but ill let the rat go and come back some time later and she will have eaten it. In fact, a couple of my ball pythons do that. Just strike it then ill leave lay and they eat it. I've only had them about 2 months now and I think their eating habits have something to do with how they were fed by the breeder I got them from. You have 500 snakes you dont have time or energy to stand and dangle a rat in front of each snake trying to entice it so i guess its take it or leave it lol.

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Originally Posted by Dillonfail

I tried to feed last night I got a tongue flick so I would wiggle it around for about 10 minutes, and never struck, so I tried leaving it in all night and he didn't bite it at all I warmed it up with a hair dryer and warm water. I am gonna try and feed it a live mouse Monday and hope he takes it. I have touched him or have been around him.

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That's such a shame .
Did you try in the evening , low light levels ?
The idea is to warm it up with a hairdryer ( next to the viv ) then offer immediately whilst it's WARM , if it doesn't strike , follow the same procedure , hairdryer for 20 seconds and offer immediately . If there is even a tongue flicker you keep rewarming and offering .
Sadly , theres no real point dangling for 10 minutes as it's gone COLD , you're just stressing the snake and getting your self all worked up and frustrated ...

I agree, 10 minutes is a long time lol. If mine don't take it in a minute, they're done. They learn quick, if they are hungry take it fast! I never had one take it with a strike and then not eat it, some just take longer than others. Next time you get it to take the rat, just leave it alone and the rat will probably be gone when you come back to check later. I don't leave them over night though, don't want to wake up to a stinky rat. Just try feeding about an hour or two before you go to bed, if the rat gets taken, just check to make sure it's been eaten before you go to bed.

On a side note, when the snake struck the first time you tried, did it coil it? If not that's probably your problem, it may of been striking just to be defensive but not to eat. I have a couple scaredy cats that never strike unless its because they are scared and trying to agitate them to strike will only scare them more. Those ones like to just have a warm rat laid in the tub and left, I check back and the rats usually gone. Then others need to strike and coil the rat before they will eat it. I have good eaters of both types of feeding that almost never deny food and then I have a few that will only eat when they feel like it. Best not to pester them too much, just try again in a couple days. Luckily I've learned my picky eaters so I only defrost a few rats at a time and no rats ever get wasted, if they don't take it in a minute I just give it to a good eater and try the picky eaters a few days later. Every few days there is always someone ready to eat. If you only have one snake, best to only try once a week so your not wasting a bunch of rats. The next time you try, it might be worth trying once just laying the rat in there without disturbing the snake to see if it comes out and finds it on it's own.

Good luck :)