Trouble after meal

[D-.No]

Hey guys! So Roxanne is three months old now and 200g
Her behavior has been consistent and she’s been a sweetheart and eating great. Poops aren’t frequent, urate (little white pebbles) here and there but only one real clean up (heavy poo n pee) since last shed a month ago or so.

But since her last feeding she seems off, I’m hoping shes full and maybe starting shed since she has been spending the bulk of her time in her humid hide. I’ve been monitoring her and sometimes she seems in normal relaxed behavior but the majority of the time she’s all S’d Up position quarter out of her humid miss hide. The last rat I fed her was pretty big 26 g rat and the last one of the frozen batch I had. After I prepared it didn’t smell, wasn’t any discoloration or anything but it definitely didn’t look like the prettiest of the rodents that I have thawed. Like someone stepped on his head. This was going to be my last once every five day meal and switch her over feeding to once a week.
(it’s been a little effort readjusting her habitat to the weather changes and home temperature changes)

Is this expected behavior for a snake when they might be having trouble digesting? Is there anything I should be offering to comfort or inspect?
if I didn’t have just fed her two days ago I would think she’s acting hungry.

Should I completely leave her alone, make sure she has what she needs and hope she either sheds or digests and resume normal activity in time or be concerned there is some issue she’s Constipated or ill cause I overfed her?

[Homebody]

Hey guys! So Roxanne is three months old now and 200g
Her behavior has been consistent and she’s been a sweetheart and eating great. Poops aren’t frequent, urate (little white pebbles) here and there but only one real clean up (heavy poo n pee) since last shed a month ago or so.

But since her last feeding she seems off, I’m hoping shes full and maybe starting shed since she has been spending the bulk of her time in her humid hide. I’ve been monitoring her and sometimes she seems in normal relaxed behavior but the majority of the time she’s all S’d Up position quarter out of her humid miss hide. The last rat I fed her was pretty big 26 g rat and the last one of the frozen batch I had. After I prepared it didn’t smell, wasn’t any discoloration or anything but it definitely didn’t look like the prettiest of the rodents that I have thawed. Like someone stepped on his head. This was going to be my last once every five day meal and switch her over feeding to once a week.
(it’s been a little effort readjusting her habitat to the weather changes and home temperature changes)

Is this expected behavior for a snake when they might be having trouble digesting? Is there anything I should be offering to comfort or inspect?
if I didn’t have just fed her two days ago I would think she’s acting hungry.

Should I completely leave her alone, make sure she has what she needs and hope she either sheds or digests and resume normal activity in time or be concerned there is some issue she’s Constipated or ill cause I overfed her?

The behavior you are describing doesn't worry me. I consulted a few ball python feeding charts and they agree that a 26g rat isn't too big for a 200 gram ball python.

[GoingPostal]

The worry is that she's in the humid hide or that she's sticking her head out partially? Sounds to me like she's just out hunting a bit, my young ball seems to be always head out watching and waiting in case I'm going to drop a fresh meal in. Snakes can stay in feeding mode for a while after eating and young ones are all about the food normally. I don't fuss over which hide they stay in as long as temps are correct, they'll find where they need to be.

[D-.No]

Thanks guys. She just seems so stressed

[D-.No]

And yes. She is an excited eater. Kinda feel bad that she’s going to be fed less frequently. Roxy never turns down a meal.

do you guys throw out any frozen feeders that look ugly/malformed/damaged?

I am concerned on how they feed the animals we eat let alone our pets food. I was actually hesitant to feed her the rat just because it looked off. I like I said with inspection did not seem rancid or anything.

just ordered more from perfect prey per the board’s recommendation

[Homebody]

do you guys throw out any frozen feeders that look ugly/malformed/damaged?

Missing a foot? No. Has an extra foot? Yes.

[D-.No]

Haha- thanks

even if she’s in hunting mode during the day you would consider this normal?

[Homebody]

even if she’s in hunting mode during the day you would consider this normal?

Yes, I would.

[Bogertophis]

...do you guys throw out any frozen feeders that look ugly/malformed/damaged?

I am concerned on how they feed the animals we eat let alone our pets food. I was actually hesitant to feed her the rat just because it looked off. I like I said with inspection did not seem rancid or anything...

For me the main thing would be spoilage- off odors, or when you thaw them, if they're falling apart (as they will be if they've been thawed & re-frozen)- sometimes the hair may easily fall off (especially from the rodent's belly) & the belly may appear dark colored- gag! -that's spoilage.

Rodent feet are small, as are tail tips- so when frozen they're fragile & easily broken off- not any big deal at all, quite normal- no one bubble-wraps their rodents to keep feet intact. It would be very expensive if they did.

Malformed- use your best judgement, but I think "extra feet" would be extremely rare, & not something that would impact the nutrition either way. Extra feet are certainly not "contagious", lol- but I've raised rodents literally for decades (zillions of them!) & I have NEVER seen any with such defects. Post a pic if you do. My guess: most likely, the rodent got squished while packing before it was frozen solid, so it came out looking weird, though it actually was normal.

Sometimes from the quick freezing process a little bleeding will occur from broken blood vessels in the noses- normal- but you don't want to see animals that look like victims of torture or with smash-type injuries- if not spoiled, it won't hurt if they're fed, but personally I'd not want to support anyone treating any animals that way, so such evidence would matter to me when I decide who to support (buy from) -if I weren't raising my own, that is.