BPs/Corns Eating Speeds

I know that ball pythons always constrict their Frozen thawed pray before they eat it.
I know some corn snakes constrict and some don't. But with experience I've had lately my corn snake sucks the food down basically she's very fast and my ball python on the other hand takes it much slower..... like a slow-motion version compared to the corn snake. And actually I fed my 7 month old corn snake 2 pinky mice tonight instead of just one. I think I may start doing that. What do ye say?
And Saturday I am going to move ball python into 40 gallon and my corn snake into a 20 gallon. Wanted them to go into their new homes with a full belly but also digested food. LOL

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Without seeing the size of prey compared to size of snake, it's hard to advise...but 2 pinks should be fine. Might also be time for fuzzies, but no harm using
up a supply of pinkies first.

Yes, rat snakes are faster than BPs on all fronts, whether it's moving or eating, they know how to get it done. ;)

I'm sure they'll enjoy their new digs...

Corn snakes are very serious about their food. The pinkies don't really leave much of a bulge in her so I think you're right maybe time to step up to a fuzzy. I always judge by the widest part of their body as to what their meal size should be

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

Corn snakes are very serious about their food. The pinkies don't really leave much of a bulge in her so I think you're right maybe time to step up to a fuzzy. I always judge by the widest part of their body as to what their meal size should be

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Me too (that's why I said "without seeing"...). Rat snakes are just plain fun to feed...

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Me too (that's why I said "without seeing"...). Rat snakes are just plain fun to feed...

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Yes they are! I can't wait till mine gets much bigger

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They're fun at any size, IMO...I love their alertness, & the way they learn to feel safe snoozing openly on their branches & platforms. I have snakes because I love
to SEE them, & I like that they learn to relax openly & show curiosity for their surroundings, even if they are hoping more for food than for me, lol.

Yeah, in my experience, most colubrids eat way faster than most pythons or boas, regardless of prey size.

I've noticed colubrids tend to eat faster too. The corns and Kings I've kept are all business, and my hognose is pretty quick too.

My King eats like he's in a hot dog eating contest.
My Borneo STP eats like he's savoring every second, he's soooooo slow.

And BPs never seem to be in any hurry, in my experience.

Gopher-bull & pine snakes (Pituophis group) all eat fast too, & yeah, king snakes for sure, lol.

Rosy boas fall into the slow eater group too, I'm afraid...:D You know, I think a big difference comes down to the fact that most colubrids realize they no longer
have to kill their food when fed f/t, so they don't bother constricting. All that constricting takes time...that's what rosy boas do too, they gotta hang on a while to
"make sure". My Aussie spotted python totally freaks out over food, like a ravenous king snake, but she too has to constrict for a while before eating...:confusd: Anyway,
I think that's a big part of what makes BPs (& STPs) 'slow eaters', that & all that "savoring", lol. Colubrids just realize quickly that prey is ready to swallow, so they
get on with it. As you might expect, racer-type snakes are fast eaters too: I've known a few coachwhips...they do NOT constrict food, they just gulp it down
live (or pre-killed in captivity).

That's why I find it interesting to own two different species of snakes just to compare the way they do things

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

That's why I find it interesting to own two different species of snakes just to compare the way they do things

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And pretty soon you'll want at least 2 of each kind, because hey, they aren't all the same even if the same species...;)

We were just discussing that sometimes snakes do things we don't understand, well.. always when my ball python eats he goes in his warm hide and you usually don't see him for a good day and a half. Well he's been out roaming the tank a little tonight.
I don't recall ever seeing him do this after a meal

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

That's why I find it interesting to own two different species of snakes just to compare the way they do things

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I agree. I have 4 species and 6 snakes. They are all different both species wise and have their own individual personalities as well.

I also have 7 lizards and 5 different species. The same holds true for them as well.

Yes my Ratnsnake is soooo fun to feed! She just really chomps them down without any fuss at all. She can eat a mouse in 2 minutes or less
My BP has to have the stars aligned and everything set up just so, and once he starts to eat I leave him alone for 20 minutes because it takes him that long. And he only constricts sometimes.

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Originally Posted by Jellybeans

We were just discussing that sometimes snakes do things we don't understand, well.. always when my ball python eats he goes in his warm hide and you usually don't see him for a good day and a half. Well he's been out roaming the tank a little tonight.
I don't recall ever seeing him do this after a meal

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He might still be in feeding mode, higher energy than normal.All that adrenaline still pumping.

It typically takes me the same amount of time to feed my 30 colubrids, retics and boas as it does to feed 6 BP's. They corns will definitely let you know when feeding day is getting near.

I have a ball python and he usually takes about 10 minutes to eat, that's including the constricting time but sometimes he takes longer. One time he took a whole hour to eat his rat, I think he was having a hard time finding the head. He usually goes in the warm cave after his meals for 2 to 3 days but sometimes he'll act like he didn't even eat and just roam around everywhere in the enclosure and want to come out. Even though he's all over the place sometimes I still don't let him out no matter how cute he is until 48 hours has passed. One time he really went all out and climbed his branches, it looked hard on his bulging stomach, well after he did that he went to bed for 2 days straight, I think he got an upset stomach and learned his lesson as he didn't do it for a long time after that.

I had a young Dwarf SunGlow Boa that would strike instantly every time but then seemed to go to sleep for about ten minutes with the rat ( thawed) in his jaws before eating !?!?


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I had a young Dwarf SunGlow Boa that would strike instantly every time but then seemed to go to sleep for about ten minutes with the rat ( thawed) in his jaws before eating !?!?


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Yes, some snakes do that instinctively so they are SURE not to swallow a living rodent that can harm their insides. If you use your tongs to jiggle their prey, it's resets
their "timer" to wait longer & make sure it's dead...;) The BCI I had for many years often did that. It wasn't that she didn't want to eat, she had a huge appetite, but
living prey was a deal-breaker. Clearly no relation to bull snakes (Pituophis)...they happily gulp down rodents that are still kicking. :O They are active diurnal hunters with a very different perspective.