Weird feeding experience...

Last night was feeding night for the adults. Java and Spoon took their rats just fine, Misty wasn't interested in her mouse. Diego knew it was dinner time so he was already awake and ready. I dropped the rat in there and instantly heard the "whack". But I also heard continued squealing, not the usual short squeak upon impact. I looked in, and Diego had the rat by its balls...I'm not kidding. The rat was trying to bite his sides and was just about getting his teeth in, so I reached in with the tongs to pull its head away from Diego. 30 seconds go by and I'm holding this rat's head with the tongs...and I notice it's nose, tongue, and paws are still pink, meaning it's not losing oxygen. I listen closely, and the rat is still breathing just fine. Diego was constricting the back end, not the chest cavity so he wasn't suffocating the rat. So now I'm basically thinking "Oh S***" and trying to figure out what I should do. I would have broken the rat's neck to make it quick, but the angle he was at prevented me from being able to jerk his head up or twist it. I tried tugging on him to see if Diego would let go so I could re-offer for a better grip, but he had a good hold on this poor rat's nuts and wasn't letting go. Finally I had only one option left...I had to put the tongs around the rat's throat and suffocate him myself.

I felt bad for him, the poor thing was going through all this in pain for about 4-5 minutes. Diego found the head after the rat was dead and swallowed him just fine...I have no idea why he grabbed the wrong end in the first place. That was definitely my weirdest feeding experience ever. :confused:

LMFAS. that reminds me about what happened to my husband when we got our kitten.

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Originally Posted by jessie_k_pythons

LMFAS. that reminds me about what happened to my husband when we got our kitten.

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:O :O :O

Do I want to know?

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Originally Posted by JenHarrison

I have no idea why he grabbed the wrong end in the first place.

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It happens. Not easy trying to catch your food, kill it, and eat it, without the luxury of things like arms and legs.

-adam

LOL... My Ball eats all his mice a$$ first 9/10 times so I feel ya...

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

It happens. Not easy trying to catch your food, kill it, and eat it, without the luxury of things like arms and legs.

-adam

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LOL! Right on. It was really odd, definitely one to remember.

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Originally Posted by JenHarrison

LOL! Right on. It was really odd, definitely one to remember.

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After you've been doing this for a while, there will be so many "definitely one to remembers" that you start to forget. :P ;) LOL

-adam

Oh boy, I hate to see what tops this one. lol!

It's unfortunate that feeding went so bad Jen. I hate to see a rat die in that manner. Is it possible that your snake is unable to efficiently handle prey of that size or this prey was slightly larger than normal. Just a thought. I don't know what I'd have done in that circumstance to alleviate the rat's suffering and also protect my snake from bites...it's a tough call and one I've not had to deal with thank goodness.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

It's unfortunate that feeding went so bad Jen. I hate to see a rat die in that manner. Is it possible that your snake is unable to efficiently handle prey of that size or this prey was slightly larger than normal. Just a thought. I don't know what I'd have done in that circumstance to alleviate the rat's suffering and also protect my snake from bites...it's a tough call and one I've not had to deal with thank goodness.

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I'd bet you dollars to donuts that the prey was too big.

Nice green Jamie. Is it really needed?

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Nice green Jamie. Is it really needed?

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I second that emotion. :groinkick

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Nice green Jamie. Is it really needed?

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Needed for what?

He's just trying to express himself. Didn't we already have a thread about this? ;)

I apologize for the green. It hurt my eyes also. I think this more reflects my personality...

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Originally Posted by jglass38

I apologize for the green. It hurt my eyes also. I think this more reflects my personality...

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FABuloussss! :hokitty: :community :hokitty:

To make your point LOL. The pink is ummm well if you like it go for it Jamie. Just never thought of you as the "pretty in pink" kinda fella. :P

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

To make your point LOL. The pink is ummm well if you like it go for it Jamie. Just never thought of you as the "pretty in pink" kinda fella. :P

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Its Magenta and it is what makes me unique.

I like it. ;)

Diego is over 4 feet long and 2141g. It was a small rat. Well, judging from another thread on another forum, it would technically be considered a medium rat since people down here size them weird. But anyway, it was the exact same prey he was being fed by the breeder I got him from, and the exact same prey I've been feeding him all along. Sometimes he gets the head, sometimes he gets a shoulder. But this time he grabbed totally backwards.

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Originally Posted by JenHarrison

I like it. ;)

Diego is over 4 feet long and 2141g. It was a small rat. Well, judging from another thread on another forum, it would technically be considered a medium rat since people down here size them weird. But anyway, it was the exact same prey he was being fed by the breeder I got him from, and the exact same prey I've been feeding him all along. Sometimes he gets the head, sometimes he gets a shoulder. But this time he grabbed totally backwards.

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Yeah, I don't think it was too big a meal.... like Adam said, "It happens." People have their own idea of sizes when it comes to rats, what some people call medium, I'd call small!

I feed FT to whatever will take it, but some won't. And we do all have our own ways... but feeding live has it's risks if you want a scar free ball.... I know that sounds bad too, but just reading your opening post about what happened made me wince! LOL

Made me wince when it happened! lol! Normally feeding never bothers me and it all seems routine...but that was definitely scary for a second. I'm just glad he's OK, I checked on him today and the two bite holes are small and already closed up. I don't even think he bled, I think his scales just got messed up. Whew!