My BP ate a bark chip...

Yeah, he's definitely not the brightest bulb. He misses a lot when he strikes his thawed mice, and I feed him directly in his cage (I won't be anymore). He ended up over-striking and grabbing onto a bark chip slightly larger than the width of his neck, so it's not huge. Either way, though, hes obviously feeling some discomfort and wont touch his mouse. Is he a goner or will he recover?

i would moniter him closely. he shouldnt be a goner but if you feel worried i would bring him to a vet jus to make sure

Yeah, he's chewing on a mouse right now, the vet I spoke to on the phone said that if he wants it, let him have it, and it should also help him pass the bark chip.

Why don't you just use a different substrate?
Or try feeding the F/T mouse with tongs so he strikes up and not at the substrate.

That's also a good idea. I read somewhere that feeding them in a separate enclosure than his tank is good because they're less likely to strike at you, however his extremely friendly and gets plenty of attention each day, so that hasn't been an issue yet. Either way, though, I think he'll be fine. He's finished that mouse and seems content.

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Originally Posted by cptnwhizbang

That's also a good idea. I read somewhere that feeding them in a separate enclosure than his tank is good because they're less likely to strike at you, however his extremely friendly and gets plenty of attention each day, so that hasn't been an issue yet. Either way, though, I think he'll be fine. He's finished that mouse and seems content.

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If anything, feeding in a separate enclosure will just make him more likely to bite at you. Also, moving right before a meal and right after can be stressful for the snake and can sometimes (though it is rare) cause a regurg. It is safer for you and the snake if you just feed in the normal enclosure. Cage aggression is a myth.

I'll probably just use tongs from now on, if he can manage to actually strike the mouse, haha. He's so strange.

Yeah, mine miss all the time. Such goof balls. (Haha get it? get it?)

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Yeah, mine miss all the time. Such goof balls. (Haha get it? get it?)

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hahaha lol

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Yeah, mine miss all the time. Such goof balls. (Haha get it? get it?)

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lol, my younger brother was reading this over my shoulder and cracked up.

Feeding in the enclosure works way better. I started my first male feeding him in a box. When I'd put him in he'd be ready to strike from then on, even after he had eaten. Now he only gets crazy when i pre-scent the tubs.

ya i heard it was a myth about feeding in a seperate enclosure

I'm switching to aspen. Bark seemed to turn my snakes stomach brown when she shed becuase of the moisture. Of course, at the moment, my snake is try to work a piece of aspen out of her mouth :confused: paper towels work great too, and newspaper (plain white). Oh. she got it out. She's checking to make sure it wasn't part of the mouse falling out. She is such a pig!!!

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Originally Posted by cptnwhizbang

Yeah, he's definitely not the brightest bulb. He misses a lot when he strikes his thawed mice, and I feed him directly in his cage (I won't be anymore). He ended up over-striking and grabbing onto a bark chip slightly larger than the width of his neck, so it's not huge. Either way, though, hes obviously feeling some discomfort and wont touch his mouse. Is he a goner or will he recover?

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Well if it took down the mice already it should do just fine, it ill just digest it....and about feeding it in a different cage....try feeding it in a different cage so this wont happen again about getting your snake stressed out is mostly a myth if your snake still eats then it doesnt mind and plus they will get use to it....

I honestly try to feed all my balls in another cage. Only a few times have I had to do it in the enclosure, but that was during a few first feeds after they had come from their shipping boxes.

I have aspen bedding in the cages, but still don't exactly want them -eating- it since it's these little chips that I am sure wouldn't be comfortable being swallowed/passed. I have never had a problem moving them from the cage and then back after they have eaten either, they let you pick them up no problem just to put them back away. They do not and have NEVER regurged.

I also DO believe that feeding them in the cage might get them used to YOU opening it and sticking your hands inside as "feeding time". My pastel Rin was fed in her cage a few times after she arrived because she liked "hide feeding", but then when she was used to everything I got her in another cage for feeding time and she eats fine now when moved.

-However-, one time when I was rearranging some leaves in her cage she was watching me and I got just a little to close and got bit. I am pretty sure it was a feed bite too since it was a decent clamp, but she realized that it wasn't a mouse she was biting and let go.

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Originally Posted by Coils

I honestly try to feed all my balls in another cage. Only a few times have I had to do it in the enclosure, but that was during a few first feeds after they had come from their shipping boxes.

I have aspen bedding in the cages, but still don't exactly want them -eating- it since it's these little chips that I am sure wouldn't be comfortable being swallowed/passed. I have never had a problem moving them from the cage and then back after they have eaten either, they let you pick them up no problem just to put them back away. They do not and have NEVER regurged.

I also DO believe that feeding them in the cage might get them used to YOU opening it and sticking your hands inside as "feeding time". My pastel Rin was fed in her cage a few times after she arrived because she liked "hide feeding", but then when she was used to everything I got her in another cage for feeding time and she eats fine now when moved.

-However-, one time when I was rearranging some leaves in her cage she was watching me and I got just a little to close and got bit. I am pretty sure it was a feed bite too since it was a decent clamp, but she realized that it wasn't a mouse she was biting and let go.

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Why would you be sticking your hand inside the snake cage during feeding time? You should either drop it in or use tongs. Your hand should never be associated with feeding. That doesn't make sense. Rodents are what triggers the feeding response. Not a giant human hand waving around.

The only reasons for biting is
1. You smell like a mouse and the snake is hungry
2. You pissed the snake off
3. The snake is scared and bit out of defense.

or 4. the snake is jus mean lol

I can't for the life of my get my bp to eat outside his enclosure. He's a picky eater when I pre-scent, wait till midnight, and sneak up so he doesn't see me. He's just that picky! Also when you get a few snakes it becomes a hassle to remove to a separate feeding enclosure.

And I agree, your hands should not be associated with feeding. Get Tongs!!!

I feed in their cages but keep tongs handy to pull any bedding off the rodent or out of their mouth. To the OP: in the future when you see your ball pick up a piece of bedding you should try to take it away from him/her don't just watch them eat it. That being said I hope your BP digests it just fine, I've had snakes swallow bits before with no issue, no big pieces though so I wish you luck.

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Originally Posted by truthsdeceit

I can't for the life of my get my bp to eat outside his enclosure. He's a picky eater when I pre-scent, wait till midnight, and sneak up so he doesn't seem me. Also when you get a few snakes it becomes a hassle to remove to a separate feeding enclosure.

And I agree, your hands should not be associated with feeding. Get Tongs!!!

I feed in their cages but keep tongs handy to pull any bedding off the rodent or out of their mouth. To the OP: in the future when you see your ball pick up a piece of bedding you should try to take it away from him/her don't just watch them eat it. That being said I hope your BP digests it just fine, I've had snakes swallow bits before with no issue, no big pieces though so I wish you luck.

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It's much less stressful to feed in the enclosure. In their own comfort of their home. :]

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

It's much less stressful to feed in the enclosure. In their own comfort of their home. :]

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Exactly! Like I said, he's picky. There's no way I could get him to eat if I was stressing him out moving him all the time. Feeding in his home is the only way to go.

on the subject of snakes missing the prey item:

BPs seem to really rely on their heat pits for strike aiming. The one time I fed a room-temp prey item rather than a slightly warmed prey item, she had the worst time figuring out where to strike.

Always feed prey that is warm enough for heat pit detection.

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

on the subject of snakes missing the prey item:

BPs seem to really rely on their heat pits for strike aiming. The one time I fed a room-temp prey item rather than a slightly warmed prey item, she had the worst time figuring out where to strike.

Always feed prey that is warm enough for heat pit detection.

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That's definitely a good tip. I heat my feeders using a bowl of warm water and I always make sure to run the head of the rat under hot tap water right before I feed so that it's extra warm.

I had the same problem when I bought my first ball. Definately switch to aspen and use tongs. I used to use bark too. Looks good but you run that risk of your snake eating bark as well. At least the aspen is smaller, plus its much easier to clean up waste. As far as moving to another enclosure, I dont suggest that. I feed live and as soon as I get home with rats all of my snakes are alerted to their scent. After getting tagged by my normal, I bought tongs.

i dont know if anyone has said this yet but what do you think the do in the wild? its not like there pray is perfectly clean, in the wild there going to eat stuff like that every once and a while.

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Originally Posted by ericson1777

i dont know if anyone has said this yet but what do you think the do in the wild? its not like there pray is perfectly clean, in the wild there going to eat stuff like that every once and a while.

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I agree with this, it's why I mostly don't worry about it.. but I'm not gonna let my snakes eat large pieces of bedding if I see it. Might as well prevent it if I can.

And just to say this: I bet snakes in the wild occationaly die of digestive issues... not like they can slither to a vet.

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Originally Posted by truthsdeceit

... not like they can slither to a vet.

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:giggle:

:snake: < To the vet!

Update on Carlos! (My BP)

He's been doing fine, although I'm pretty sure he broke a rib or two (They're sticking out funny). The uneducated man at PetCo said that happens occasionally if they eat something too large, so it shouldn't be a problem.