Snake Appears Hungry

[JuanPablo]

I fed my BP one fuzzy the size of his girth this afternoon. He quickly ate the mouse. He retired to his hide for a few hours. He is now waiting just outside of the hide with his head and neck in an "s" shape. It looks to me (a novice) that he is waiting to hit another mouse? Does this mean he is still hungry?

[JamminJonah]

generally it can take hours even a day for some snakes to come out of feeding mode (aggressive mode). This could mean that he is hungry You could try another but do it this evening. And remember snakes take up to 48 hours to digest their food so after feeding (even just one prey item) DO NOT handle the snake for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours unless you want a half digested regurgitated mouse on your person or in your tank. Regurgitation is not good for the snake either and can damage the digestive tract also takes days to recover from.

[JLC]

If I were in your shoes, I would let him wait a week, even if he seems a bit hungry. The primary reason is that I would want to switch him over to pre-killed or frozen/thawed mice...and a hungry snake is more likely to make the switch. If they had tried to feed him nothing but crickets, he's probably VERY hungry...and in that case, it's also best to start with a small meal anyhow so as not to overwhelm his digestive system.

[gen]

I agree. Wait a week.

[JamminJonah]

I RETRACT my previous statement. I wasn't thinking clearly about transitioning to F/T I was just thinking about getting your snake fattened up since it had such shabby care - but these two lovely young ladies are absolutely correct! Hold off a week and try to get him feeding on Frozen Thawed. Remember that this is MUCH easier when they are younger and gets difficult as they get used to and eventually rely on live prey items. Thanks for clearing that up Gen and JLC!

[JuanPablo]

Did not feed him last night. He appears to be out of his aggressive mode this morning. Thanks for all your help. This can be overwhelming to someone who has never cared for a snake. My boys, wife and I are all really enjoying the snake.

[Ginevive]

I agree; wait a week.
Goblin my big male, does the exact same thing. For a whole 24 hours or more after feeding, his little head is stuck out of the hide, waiting for more grub. But I only feed him once a week, and even now he appears a tad on the chubby side. Overfeeding is never a good thing!