Spider issue

[Liquid]

OK so I have an 09 male spider that is awesome and he gets better looking with every shed. He is actually turning yellow with a bright yellow stripe (I have him as my avatar but those are hatching pics updated pics when I can get them) as he gets older.

My issue is that he is a retard ... and can not seem to connect with his strikes. He strikes every time but seems to miss and then dose the "Stevy Wonder Dance" for a bit and then he recovers. I have tried again and again he is just not getting it.

I normal feed frozen thawed or pre-killed off of 14in tongs to all my snakes.

I am starting to get worried because he has not been able to take a meal (not for lack of trying) in the last 15 days. He is not loosing weight that I can see and doesn't look skinny. I know he is hungry because he strikes every time. I have even tried putting a fresh killed mouse in the tank and then covering the tank with a black sheet turning all the lights out and leaving the room.

The only other thing I can think of is to get a live fuzzy or hopper rat and put it in there over night or get the dreaded pinky pump....

Any suggestions?

[TessadasExotics]

You can try to hand feed him.

[Freakie_frog]

Leave the P/K or F/T prey tiem in there with him.. I have an ivory that never strikes her food..she simply ease's up to it and starts swallowing it.. Nothing wrong with leaving the feeder in there even over night..

[Seru1]

Leave the P/K or F/T prey tiem in there with him.. I have an ivory that never strikes her food..she simply ease's up to it and starts swallowing it.. Nothing wrong with leaving the feeder in there even over night..

X2

Nothing wrong with leaving a P/K F/t. Not as fun to watch but atleasy that eat.


15 days is nothing to freak over though as I'm sure you know. Easier said than done.

[kylerimb]

The only other thing I can think of is to get a live fuzzy or hopper rat and put it in there over night

like Freakie_frog said, f/t or p/k is ok, but don't leave a live one in there. asking for trouble if you do.

[piper]

My spider female was doing that as well, couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.. I won't hold her for about a day before feeding because any stress I have found, will cause them to lose control. She completely missed the first 3 or 4 times I fed her, but they will eventually find it once they calm down. She still misses sometimes, but not very often and she has the wobble pretty badly. Don't try to feed the snake too often, do the once a week thing to let them calm down if they miss. If she misses, I let her calm down, then offer the rodent about 10 minutes later, usually works for the spider.. Just my personal experience.

For some reason, food sends them around the bend and I know what you are referring to, and it's a little unsettling at first but there is absolutely no reason to do the pinky pump.. That would be if the snake isn't eating at all and no attempts to eat are being made, but the snake is clearly trying to eat, but not that good at it.

Were you aware of the issues spiders had before purchasing one? They aren't a "retard" as you state, it's simply a neurological disorder they have. Some other people can explain it in more detail, but it is what it is. They are great morphs but take some patience I have found.

Cheers,

Mike

[SERPENT_MASTERS]

Your spider is not a retard. Check out videos and do some more research on the morph. Check out "spider wobble" on youtube. I have a spider and i love him. I notice he has a slight wobble but truth be told he never miss a mouse yet in 7 feedings. I also notice he will get tangle up some times " cork screw" but he is special to me.

Question where did you buy the spider from? ? If you brought him from a breeder big time or small you need to call him or her up and ask them some questions first one " how did snake eat when he or she was in your care".

Try this..... Get a small box put holes in it of course put the snake and rat hopper inside. Close the box and leave the snake alone. Leave it over night and hopper should be gone.

Good luck!

[SERPENT_MASTERS]

My spider female was doing that as well, couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.. I won't hold her for about a day before feeding because any stress I have found, will cause them to lose control. She completely missed the first 3 or 4 times I fed her, but they will eventually find it once they calm down. She still misses sometimes, but not very often and she has the wobble pretty badly. Don't try to feed the snake too often, do the once a week thing to let them calm down if they miss. If she misses, I let her calm down, then offer the rodent about 10 minutes later, usually works for the spider.. Just my personal experience.

For some reason, food sends them around the bend and I know what you are referring to, and it's a little unsettling at first but there is absolutely no reason to do the pinky pump.. That would be if the snake isn't eating at all and no attempts to eat are being made, but the snake is clearly trying to eat, but not that good at it.

Were you aware of the issues spiders had before purchasing one? They aren't a "retard" as you state, it's simply a neurological disorder they have. Some other people can explain it in more detail, but it is what it is. They are great morphs but take some patience I have found.

Cheers,

Mike

GOOD INFORMATION

[Liquid]

I am sorry guys this was posted this morning when I was still upset about his feeding atempts last night. I will admit he is my favorite of all 11 of my ball pythons. I just feel so bad that such a beautiful snake has such a hard time.

I know he is not a retard... that was just me venting ..it is just frustrating seeing him strike and miss so many times. I know about the spider issues and he doesn't seem to wobble much except when he misses then he goes in to Stevy Wonder mode... He never had this issue before and it seems to be a new development so that is why I posted.

I did talk to the breeder and I am doing what she suggested for feeding him. It is just that he has me worried...

The post was more to see if there was a better way to feed him or to see if any one else had the same issue and what they did than anything else . I know the 15 days is nothing to worry about I just don't want my snake to continue this way. I also wanted to make sure that I was not doing anything wrong.

Thanks for all of the good advice, and please excuse my mood when posting...

I will grab some hoppers and box him this weekend and see how that goes, and in the future I will try the 10 min cool of time for him.

Thanks

Mike

[Liquid]

Correction:
I did talk to a local breeder and I am doing what she suggested for feeding him. I have not talked to the breeder that I got him from yet.