Funny feeding story, has this happened to anybody else?

[Shadowy]

So I go to feed my little 131g ball python tonight, and it was my first time feeding her a rat over 15g. When I opened her cage I found her exploring, not even close to her hides. She seemed somewhat interested in the rat, but no strike. I leave the rat in the corner. I come back about 20 minutes later. The rat is still there, but she is in the hide on the opposite side of the tank with her head poking out. As if to say “okay, I’m ready to eat now!” I warm the rat back up and dangle it in front of her, immediate strike.

I find it hilarious even though she practically lunges herself completely out of her hide to strangulate the rat, she prefers the safety of the hide while striking. She’s such a timid and finicky little thing.

Does anybody else have any funny feeding stories??

[Lord Sorril]

Does anybody else have any funny feeding stories??

So last night I was trying to feed my juvenile non-eating ball python (the last one out of my hatchlings that refuses to eat). So as usual he backs away from the mouse and hides in a ball in the corner and peers warily through his coils as the mouse inanely scurries about pooping everywhere and making a mess...So I figure I have to assist feed yet again. I grab the mouse and snap its neck (humanely mind you-I'm Lab trained: death=instantaneous) and I'm about to assist feed...and then I'm like...maybe I'll just toss the mouse in and see what happens. A minute later he moves over to the still twitching mouse and immediately coils and starts eating---wtf...

[Zincubus]

So I go to feed my little 131g ball python tonight, and it was my first time feeding her a rat over 15g. When I opened her cage I found her exploring, not even close to her hides. She seemed somewhat interested in the rat, but no strike. I leave the rat in the corner. I come back about 20 minutes later. The rat is still there, but she is in the hide on the opposite side of the tank with her head poking out. As if to say “okay, I’m ready to eat now!” I warm the rat back up and dangle it in front of her, immediate strike.

I find it hilarious even though she practically lunges herself completely out of her hide to strangulate the rat, she prefers the safety of the hide while striking. She’s such a timid and finicky little thing.

Does anybody else have any funny feeding stories??

My Royals will only strike from within their hides ... low light and warm mice /rats


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[FollowTheSun]

They are such finicky creatures I often wonder how they survive in the wild! Yours probably just feels vulnerable still because it's a baby and may get braver with age. When a snake has its mouth full of rat it can't defend itself and might prefer to feed only when safe.

My BP Spot often struggles with trying to eat rats sideways. Silly Spot!

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

[Zincubus]

They are such finicky creatures I often wonder how they survive in the wild! Yours probably just feels vulnerable still because it's a baby and may get braver with age. When a snake has its mouth full of rat it can't defend itself and might prefer to feed only when safe.

My BP Spot often struggles with trying to eat rats sideways. Silly Spot!

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

That’s a very good point about them surviving in the wild !!


I often think the same thing when I see one of my Corn / King snakes in a feeding frenzy sliding past and sometimes OVER the flamin mouse !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Skyrivers]

Shiva struck her prekilled rat last week. Constricted and not eat it but looked up for another for almost half an hour. I eventually pushed her off of it with a hook and heated with the hair dryer and she grabbed it and eat it quickly.

[Bogertophis]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has wondered how snakes survive in the wild... especially with no place to plug in their hairdryers?

[RickyNY]

They are such finicky creatures I often wonder how they survive in the wild! Yours probably just feels vulnerable still because it's a baby and may get braver with age. When a snake has its mouth full of rat it can't defend itself and might prefer to feed only when safe.

My BP Spot often struggles with trying to eat rats sideways. Silly Spot!

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

That's why they don't eat as much in the wild. The opportunities show itself, but they probably miss half of them.

[Luvyna]

Glad to hear Scylla is eating now!

I recently started feeding mine inside his hide (used to remove it before offering since that was how I first got him to take food when I got him) and he'll also fly out of the cave to grab the food, then slowly drag it back into his lair to eat lol.

My BP seems to think the F/T mice he is given might come back to life at any moment. I've seen him start positioning the mouse to eat, only for it to shift slightly causing him to believe it's moving on its own accord so he'll start constricting it again

He also sometimes grabs the body of the mouse and has to let go of it to get to the head. The last time he did that it was funny to see because he released it, then very quickly grabbed it again as if he was afraid it would dash away the moment he let go.

[Jellybeans]

That doesn't surprise me as they prefer to ambush their prey. I don't know about all of them only wanting to do an ambush but probably most. My boy on the other hand will take prey any way shape or form.... he would even do it balancing on his nose. Lol