Ball python doesn’t know how to swallow food

[AzJohn]

Okay, so I have a ball python that doesn’t know how to get his food head first when he’s eating. It eats its food side ways. This means that it only eats smaller prey items that it can swallow side ways. It eats fine other than this, great prey drive. It is a male, so it doesn’t need to get as big as a breeding female. I guess I can feed it way too small food forever, but still.

if anyone has ever dealt with this before. Please, any hints on how to get him eating right?

[bcr229]

If he eats f/t and not live try heating the head more than the rest of the body. If the head is hotter he'll be more inclined to strike it and hopefully start eating from there.

[AzJohn]

If he eats f/t and not live try heating the head more than the rest of the body. If the head is hotter he'll be more inclined to strike it and hopefully start eating from there.

F/T isn’t the issue. He’ll take anything. I’ll try heating the head more though. That might help.

[Bogertophis]

Some snakes are pretty obtuse, it takes them a while to get "skills". Believe me, it's not just yours... And yes, heat the rodent's head.