Hi everyone.

Is it just me or do ball pythons get bashful at times? Kaa is usually a pretty aggressive feeder, but she missed a strike a few weeks ago and has been weird about attempting to feed since then. She hasn’t even struck for two weeks and now this third time she grabbed and let go of the mouse twice. The first time because it was in her water dish (which she usually aggressively drags her prey out of) and the second time she worked for about 5 minutes to line the head up for swallowing, couldn’t get it, and gave up.

She has very seldom been interested in striking a second time if she misses the first one and always gets a little ‘awkward,’ but usually she’s pretty quick to strike at the next feeding, although she’s often noticeably more hesitant. She’s about 3 years old.

Does anyone else’s snake do this? Nothing has changed, and the week before the failed strike she pounded two jumbo mice days apart like her life depending on it. Even now, she’s rearing up and waiting at the glass as I prepare the meal, but just isn’t following through.

It frustrates and worries me, although she seems perfectly fine. I’m just wanting her to eat something because it’ll be hitting the 4 week mark when I try feeding her again.

Does anyone else’s snake do this?? I honestly think she’s embarrassed when she misses... and she has sort of bad aim at times. Haha

She’s in her favorite place right now, on the floor of a heated bathroom. Humidity is in the upper 40s, ambient temp. cool side reads upper 70s to low 80s, and the ambient of the warm side is in the mid 80s-90s. She spends 95% of her time under the cool hide which is typical of her, but has 3 hides that are exactly the same to choose from in different areas around the tank.

She’s pretty sociable and likes to come out and stare at our cats, myself, or others when we enter the room. Usually this is a hint she’d like to eat, but right now she’s being a weirdo. I’ve attached a couple photos after her failed feed patrolling her home (actually, she was testing that I’d properly locked her doors and she couldn’t escape). She’s in a V332 for size reference.




I ended up breaking down and letting her out



Is she just quirky? Any suggestions?


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