Hi there,

I got my BP May 2018. She was ~2 1/2 yrs old, and eating f/t when I took her. However, she wouldn't eat for me. After she came home with me, week after week which became month after month went by without eating.

I got a lot of advice. Tried a lot of different things. No luck.

In October 2018 (5 months of not eating), I gave Alice back to the original owner. He was going to see if he could get her eating. First night, she wouldn't take the f/t rat he offered her. Next day, he tried live, and she took it. He gave her 2 more live (total of 3) that she ate. So I got her back with a "full belly" in November.

Since she's come home, she's taken 2 f/t rats from me. I was thrilled the first time she actually took food! Amazed. And so relieved. If she wouldn't convert to f/t, I would have to give her back permanently, because I won't feed live.

At first, she ignored the f/t rats (when she got back home). She took her first rat from me on January 20th. It was so amazing to see. I checked her hide the next morning, to make sure it was gone, and it was. Finally, a win!

I tried to give her another one on January 28. She seemed very curious, but didn't strike. It was left uneaten overnight. So I tried again February 2nd (last weekend). She struck/constricted and ate it. Gone in the morning. YAY! So that's 2 f/t rats she has eaten for me since I first got her in May!

I tried to give her another one last night. She struck it, and curled around it. But later when I checked on her, the rat was left on floor of enclosure and she was on top of one of her hides. I went to bed thinking maybe she'll eat it later, since she DID strike at it and constricted it. But it was still on the floor this morning.

Why did she strike/constrict/then leave it? Is this a normal thing that just happens sometimes? Did I feed too early and she just wasn't hungry? But if that's the case, why bother striking at it at all? I am a bit confused by this behavior? Anybody have any input? Thanks in advance! (I am very new to snakes, and appreciate this site very much!)