I personally dont have a ton of ball pythons I would guess around 20, and the feeding responses range from barely taking the rat off the tongs and never wrapping it just swallowing it, to a fesponse that rivals the SD retics.

I also see the problems like you are describing and honestly it happens most with one female spider she has a feeding response like crazy she hits the food and wraps it up quick, the problem is she just gets so over excited striking it and wrapping it from time to time she just seems to forget what she is doing (she is beautiful but not the brightest crayon in the box) Feeding usually takes me about an hour any way so I feed her first, come back and check on her and if she is doing her dingy man I am hungry but cant find me food routine I just offer her another warmed feeder, and when she strikes it I take the other one out and reheat it for someone else to eat....

I see it happen alot, they usually grow out of it, but it usually happens with animals with a good strong feeding response and they get so excited to strike and wrap, the just kinda forget what they are donig.,.... Hope this helps