I think I blew it this time...

[JamminJonah]

So I thawed out a mouse - I think I was just trying too late at night because tonight was different. First off, I noticed him cruising around his cage this late morning/early afternoon which was nice since I haven't seen him around for a few days. I thawed the mouse by placing it in a disposable tupperware and leaving it my room this afternoon for a few hours. Then I set the mouse under my heat light for about four minutes. Then I took my tongs and danced the mouse in front of his hide and as soon as I stopped the dancing he struck! I had the lights off so it took me by surprise and I fell over backwards and dropped the tongs... I was so excited my hand was shaking so i quickly grabbed my tongs and got the mouse back in my grips - two more strikes two more misses... or maybe releases but none of the subsequent strikes had the gusto of the first. I think I may have scared him out of eating tonight but I left the mouse outside his hide should he change his mind. At least he is hungry right? Is striking a good sign? Any advice would help I'm half excited half dissapointed.... in limbo... wierd....

[JamminJonah]

Oh yeah I tried feeding around seven rather than nine tonight

[beaglegod]

Striking is bad..............hahaha Nah JJ, thats great he sounds ready to chow, and with the fact that he struck twice more Id say, that mouse will probably not be their tommorow.

I had the lights off so it took me by surprise and I fell over backwards and dropped the tongs... I was so excited my hand was shaking

Too funny you sound like me when I fed my Sumatran last week, scared the hell outa me.

[Eddie_Z]

Yeah Jonah, the first time i fed Hissy, she struck the thawed mouse, pulled it into her cool hide & then just left it there. So, I fished it out & made it dance again & she sniffed & sniffed it & then decided that she didn't want it & went back into her warm hide. So, i just left it there & while I was talkin to someone, smulkin or sminx I think, my girlfriend lifted the towel & told me the mouse was gone. So, since Icculus is showing such strong interest, i would be willing to bet that he'll eat that tasty treat right up. If not, just wait til next week & try again buddy!

[JamminJonah]

Thanks I was getting sooooo worried! I really think he'll eat though now that he realizes it is food!! Thank everyone so much - I'd be a nervous wreck living on pepto bismol if it weren't for you!

[Smulkin]

Yeah fret not, bro - many a shaky attempt left in the python's court has come out ok. You did right in leaving it by his hide - he knows what it is. The first few times that watched pot rarely boils - a couple of ours won't even investigate further until they are full and well convinced they are alone - and snakes have a lot more patience than us. This recent feed I was feeling the same way as Neph showed decided indifference in the "dancing" mouse-ghoul, even a couple hours later it was still flopped down by the hide entrance - the next morning - gone. With 'Suki, Benny and Betty the mouse is pretty much just left by the hide entrance anymore without the lord of the rodent dance needing to make an appearance. First few feeds some of em had when they settled in were a tong-dangled mouse - which they hit so hard it knocked the tongs against the enclosure and made them rethink their approach - i felt the same way - as if I had erred greviously and wounded their appetites.

And I know what you mean on the Sumatran front, beagle - maybe it is a function of a heavy-bodied snake (at their size anyway) rather than an exception - that heavy build is muscle, and in their youth they don't have to manage huge body weight and so their strike seems much more forceful relative to thinner bodied snakes. Seems our lil red blood Kali strikes fear into everyone who sees her fast hard strike (defensive ones much subsided).

[gen]

The striking sounds like a good sign to me! Don't be hard on yourself. I'm sure he'll eat in no time.

[Marla]

I've done the same darn thing when taken by surprise. I wouldn't sweat it. Just make sure you toss/flush the mouse if it's still there in the morning and try again on your regular feeding day.