stopped eating after large meal

[themorganator4]

Hi, I have a normal ball python which I bought in January as a hatchling, she was eating medium mice (F/T) once a week, I then increased the size to large mice and feeding every 5 days as she got bigger all the time never refusing a meal.

One day I fed her a rat which, looking back, was prob a little bIt too big (not overly so but one of the biggest weaners in the pack), she eventually got it down ok and showed no problems (this was about a month and a half ago), since then she has been fussy about eating, refusing meals then eating 3-4 days after, also when she eats, she has since decided to take ages to strike at it (like half hour) where as before it was no more than 1-2 minutes. I know ball pythons can be fussy eaters but this seems to have been caused by the rat I fed her I mentioned above as she was fine before.

I also feed her in a separate feeding container (always have done)

Apart from this she is healthy, pooping and shedding regularly, active (for a snake) and looks normal. I haven't changed anything in her environment (same temps, hides, position etc) although with spring on the way, it is a tad warmer in the house.

Is this normal? Do you think I am doing something wrong?

[hungba]

So everything seems fine. She ate a big meal and isn't hungry. She's still eating too. What's the problem?

[Sauzo]

I fed my BP a small rat which actually was a medium rat(I wasn't paying attention) and after about 30 mins of wrestling, she got it down and went into a food coma for almost 2 weeks. I usually feed her once a week but the super size meal tied her over longer. After a couple weeks, she was out looking for another rat. Just give her an extra week to work up a good appetite and she should be fine. When mine was a baby, she was ALWAYS hungry. Now she is 1064g and about 7 months or so old and she isn't nearly as hungry as when she was a baby. Just wait until she comes out and looks for food, then buy her a rat. That's kind of what I do now. I used to feed 3-4 days as a baby and weekly like clockwork once she hit 400g ish but now I just kind of feed her when I see her out, usually right around the 1-1.5 week mark.

[bondo]

Welcome to the forum themorganator4. Has anything else changed like are the lights left on or more noise around the snake? Sometimes they just get goofy for no reason also. I would stop feeding in a separate tub also. That can turn hem off also.

[themorganator4]

Welcome to the forum themorganator4. Has anything else changed like are the lights left on or more noise around the snake? Sometimes they just get goofy for no reason also. I would stop feeding in a separate tub also. That can turn hem off also.

Thank you Nope all temps are the same, humidity etc too, as the evenings are getting lighter, there may be more light but I normally have the lights on until about 10-11pm but always leave the light off where she is.

I only feed her in a different tub because I am scared she will swallow some substrate (using hemp bedding at the moment)

[Eric Alan]

I only feed her in a different tub because I am scared she will swallow some substrate (using hemp bedding at the moment)

That's more of a perceived concern than an actual concern. If you're worried about it, you can put a plastic lid/tray down before feeding time and offer food on top of that. Truthfully, though, they can digest a little bit of substrate with their meal and be perfectly fine. Nearly everyone with multiple snakes, and many (most?) with just one, feeds in their regular enclosure without issue.