Help!!!!!!!!!!!!! Constricting and killing but not eating

[frenchy]

So Cleopatra my 2010 pastel whom i bought from PAINTED PYTHON at the Pasadena show, was recently switched over from mice to rats and was doin fine for 3 feedings now all of a sudden the last 4 times I have offered a rat she will be terrified of it seems interested and look about ready to strike and then the rat moves and she gets scared shes on small rats thinking maybe switching down to weanling rats. 1 cuz they are a lil smaller and 2 cuz the dont move as much.

But eventually she get the courage to strike sometimes viciously sometimes half heartily and she constricts and kills the just leaves it alone. i leave i her w it and she ignores it.

any comments or suggestions as to why she does that and how to fix it.

I switched her over to rats cuz the mice that i get are only 15 grams as adults. But she will eat those in a second and ive even tried to get her to eat a small rat after she eats the mouse and she attacks constricts and leaves alone. IS THIS CUZ THE RAT IS TOO BIG???????? PLEASE HELP

[majorleaguereptiles]

I've had ball pythons be ALL of a sudden afraid of rats. Then I switched back to mice and began eating again. Sometimes they lose the courage, and they have a memory of something bad, and it takes a while to overcome it again. Definitely double check all the conditions to make sure the temps are right and the snake is not stressed. No handling... but I'd definitely try mice again. Hope it works out for you.

[frenchy]

thank ou i talked to painted python she has never had a rat before me and now she switched over no problems ate as soon as she saw it never been bitten by one i watch very close to make sure then all of a sudden scared. I have been giving mice and she eats them no problem but makes me angry cuz i just bought a colony of rats cuz they all switched to rats now back to mice and 2 of the rats are prego gurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


when should i try rats again


wish i could get asfs here in cali

[majorleaguereptiles]

When you get her eating routinely again on mice, then I would try a rat pup or weanling again after a few meals.

[frenchy]

thank you very much will do where do you guys get the bigger mice only mice i can find are small adult mice only 14 to 15 grams if im lucky

[majorleaguereptiles]

smaller reallly isn't going to matter in this situation. The important thing is to get food into the snake and have it feeding regularly. Larger mice I am able to find locally in San Diego, not sure where you are located, but you could also try F/T.... a nicely warmed up F/T adult mouse or even rat pup might be less of a scare to your snake. Also if it refuses it you could always freeze it for one more try.

[frenchy]

lol if it aint moving on its own she will not touch it and ya she mows down on the mice no problem ive already been doing that. As i have corns also so i always have mice on hand. but thank you so much im just north of you bout and hour in orange county

[mykee]

Snake wasn't hungry.
Rat was bugging the snake.
The snake killed the rat.
Common sense.
Think people....

[frenchy]

Thought about that but the second she gets in there w the rat attack and constict instantly so u dont think that is the case even when I hold it it tongs for here she dies the same thing

[Ginevive]

Sometimes too, the snake will get distracted by outside influences, such as a pet walking by, or you. If this happens, I like to try with a new prey item, and then cover the snake's enclosure with a towel or blanket for an hour or so. Generally, if you go hack, the prey will be eaten.. if it is definitely dead, you can even leave it in overnight..