Rat Bite

[jenaero]

So I offered my bp a live rat on Saturday. She's been refusing anything but live for about the last 2 months. I watched closely. She made a few attempts at getting the right angle, gave up and went into her cave. The rat was at the other end of the tank. It ran up to her, bit her, then went back to the other end of the tank. Was this just a freak thing? I mean, it's not like the rat was acting in self defense or something.

I have since been following my vet's instructions. It's not a gaping wound. Some scales were lifted, it bled slightly but it looks better now. I cleaned it and I've been applying polysporin twice a day. He said to bring her in if it starts to look like it's getting swollen or infected, which I'm reasonably sure it won't.

Just wondering what could have set the rat off? I was ready to whack it but I didn't want to kill something just for the sake of killing it. Even then she wouldn't have eaten it.

[elevatethis]

Chances are, if that rat didn't do any damage beyond what you listed, the rat wasn't really "biting," but just trying to see what the snake was - they tend to explore their world with their mouths.

In any event, check you husbandry. Ball pythons shouldn't refuse food like that unless something isn't right on the keeper's side of things. Make certain your temps are where they should be (measured with an ACCURATE thermometer - those crappy stick-on thermometers don't count), and that the snake has plenty of places to hide on both the warm and cool side of the tank.

Hope that helps.

[lillyorchid]

Hmmm odd. I've actually never seen a rat do that before, but then again I don't let the rats "explore" once my snake seems not interested in it. I know rats are chewers and will eat and chew on just about anything. I give my BP's about 15 minutes to eat. Normally if they are hungry they will get that rat within 5 minutes or less. Also if they aren't poking their heads out of their hides and in a "S" position I know they probably aren't going to eat.

[jenaero]

Yea I had a stick on thermometer (a dial, not just one of those strips) and it was always reading 90deg. I just picked up a digital indoor/outdoor one and it's now saying 90-92 while the dial is at 100.

I had her on f/t since I bought her in May and she went on a 2 month fast a while back and the only way I could get her out of it was to offer live. Now that's all she'll take. I think I'll switch back to mice for a bit. I'm sure now she's intimidated by rats anyway.

It was only in there about 10 or 15 min. She was acting like she wanted it until then. Kept trying to sneak up on it.

[lillyorchid]

Ball pythons can be big time imprint feeders. If you offer another mouse now, the snake may only eat mice for the rest of it's life. If that happens, it may be very very hard to get your snake to switch back over. I would stick with the rats.

Also I've noticed when my BP's "stalk" their pray they normally don't eat that time. They would rather harass the prey item then eat it. Also they are ambush predators. They usually use a hide, to hide in out of sight.

[jenaero]

So next time if she doesn't take it right away I should be done w/it? I figured stalking meant she was trying to get the right angle or somethin.

Ah well. I'll try something different next time I guess.

Thanks!