Ridiculously Hungry BP?? Help??

So, my snake, who is almost two years old, is acting very strange. She’s constantly acting like she’s starving, and I can assure you, she’s not. She used to get mice twice a week because she was in between mouse sizes, and we finally boosted her up to a much bigger mouse. I fed her on Thursday (today is Sunday), and she’s still wanting food. This has been going on for a while and the vet told us she was hormonal eating so I didn’t worry too much, except this last feeding (and tonight) were a little different. When I fed her on Thursday she struck at the top of the cage before I lifted it off, she also came all the way out of it, which is very unusual for her. We ended up pushing her back in with a snake hook and using the top as a shield (she striked it a few times) before she finally took the mouse. Now I’ve had her since she was a baby, and she’s never been that agressive. I was a little worried, but food was involved so I wasn’t too worried. However, when I went to turn off her UV lamp and turn down her heating lamp tonight, she immediately came out of her hide and struck twice. She usually gets fed after I turn off the lamps so she usually comes out in a strike pose, but she’s never struck without a mouse there. The mouse I gave her on Thursday was more than enough for her, so I don’t understand what’s making her act so crazed? Is it just hormonal or am I doing something wrong? My other friends with snakes haven’t had a problem like this so I’m not sure what to do, and vet trips are too expensive, especially if this is an easy issue.

Can you give us a weight? What size mouse are you feeding her?

I second the question, what size mouse?
I have never heard of hormonal eating for snakes. Sounds odd

Most Ball Pythons are eating rats by the time they are 2 years old, even before that. Try bumping her up to a small rat and see.



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Originally Posted by Snakeydoodles

Can you give us a weight? What size mouse are you feeding her?

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I don’t know how to weigh a snake, but she’s about 3 feet long and her mice are about the size of a bar of soap.

My boy's almost 3 feet and almost 2 years old, and he's on small rats. I would suggest switching yours over to small rats as well.

My 2 year old females are all on atleast small or medium rats. Shes probably being fed a meal thats much smaller than she wants. Just try switching to small rats once a week instead of multiple mice amd she'll probably calm down. Do you only have a heat lamp for its heat source?

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Originally Posted by debrisofamemory

I don’t know how to weigh a snake, but she’s about 3 feet long and her mice are about the size of a bar of soap.

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Ummmm, a scale...

A 2 year old female should be on something larger than an adult mouse. Those tend to top out around 32 grams. Definitely too small for a 2 year old BP.
For comparison, a small rat (what you're 2 y/o female should probably be eating) weighs in the 50-89 gram range. BIG difference in weekly intake.

Without an accurate weight of the snake and the prey item and without being able to see the snake and prey item it's impossible to know for sure, but it sounds to me like the snake is hungry.

I'll try boosting her up, but she seemed to have a lot of difficulty eating the new size mouse I gave her.

I forgot to add, she's on jumbo mice and when I took her to the vet a month ago they said she 'sturdy'. Meaning she wasn't thin.

Does your vet specialize in reptiles? Or are they a dog/cat vet who will see reptiles?
Vets have to be able to see lots of different animals, but that doesn't always mean that they're well studied in each of those animals.

Also soap comes in many different sizes. Do you have a kitchen scale? Those are perfect for weighing snakes and prey items (although you may not want to put them directly on the scale.)
I recommend trying rats. Your snake might be hesitant at first, due to it being a new type of food, but it'll be easier then feeding him so many mice.

It is a female. Most females want to be big. You are feeding her even less than a male would normally get. I don't have any two year old females that are not eating medium rats. This behavior will continue until she feels she is eating enough. Her body is preparing to breed even if you do not intend to breed her. Some vets know a little about medicating a ball python. I have not met one yet that knows how to take care of one.

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Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan

...Some vets know a little about medicating a ball python. I have not met one yet that knows how to take care of one.

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Wow is that ever the truth, from my experience too! (I wish it wasn't...)

My almost one year old female eats small rat and is almost ready to change to medium rat. No mice can be similar to small rat. Maybe largest of the largest jumbo mice might be similar to smallest small rat. My girl once did that when she had to take smaller meal because I was out of feeder.


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Well I live in Alberta so there really aren’t any specialized vets. The one I go to are probably the best in the city, they do avian pets and fish, rabbits, turtles, snakes, that kind of thing. I’ll weigh her tomorrow when I have the time. I took her out and she seems to be feeling better since that.