Why is my ball python is acting afraid of her food?

[theoremofgoats]

I just got my first ball two weeks ago, and started handling her regularly about a week ago. She's just a baby, and yet so much calmer than my adult corn snake and king snake. I think she likes being handled-whenever I open her habitat to change the water and spot clean, she pops right out of one of her hides and starts cruising around until I pick her up, and then she starts navigating her way around my arms and shoulders. So I'm guessing she's happy and comfortable-temps are all good, humidity's great, and I even put blankets around the sides of the glass to give her more privacy. The only concern I have with her is that in the two times I've tried to feed her, she balls up, hisses, and/or jerks away from the mouse-I've been trying to feed her frozen/thawed like with my other snakes, and she was eating live before I got her-which I certainly know could be the problem-but I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem before? I just wanted to know if anyone else has had this issue or has solutions before I go out to buy her a live mouse.

The first time I tried feeding her in her enclosure-I personally don't find my snakes to be any more or less aggressive this way-and the second time I tried feeding her in a plastic box, but I got that same reaction both times.

[KMG]

You will find we do not buy into cage aggression here and feed in our cages....well most of us.

It is very possible that its just not recognizing the f/t.

I would try to feed in the dark while being silent as possible. Then make sure that you are presenting the prey at a temp that mimics a live rodent. That will be around 100F.

If it doesn't take it while you dangle it or zombie dance you may try leaving it and leaving the room and see if it doesn't eat it then.

[theoremofgoats]

You will find we do not buy into cage aggression here and feed in our cages....well most of us.

I have had people jump on me for this, but I've never bought into it...glad to see the majority is with me.

I will definitely try feeding her in the dark...I know that two weeks is nothing to worry about in a snake, but the fact that she acts afraid of her food freaks me out a bit.

[KMG]

Unless they are feeding live there is no reason for it. When you think about and read some threads here feeding in another cage actually raises your chances of getting bit since you are moving a snake in feed mode and may smell like food.

You can see my collection below and you probably know that some are some very aggressive feeders. Good luck my gtp into another cage or my 30lb blood. No thanks!

Maybe try a f/t that smaller than its regular prey. My BRB refused f/t for a good while and acted as if he was afraid. I cut down the size of the feeder and BOOM. He hammered it! After a few weeks of feeding the smaller prey I went back up in size and he hammered it too. He has not refused them since.

[nightrainfalls]

Balls can by ravenous or shy eaters. You probably have a shy one. Just leave the mouse near the snake with the lights off. Bet it disappears.

[Gouzman]

Leave the prey near the entrance of the hide and check back in an hour or two. Normally it's gone. Also don't handle your snake until it becomes a regular feeder.


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[theoremofgoats]

Tried this exactly, and at first she wouldn't take it...then I left the mouse under the lamp for about another hour and tried the zombie dance with the tongs again AND SHE TOOK IT WITHIN SECONDS! I'd thank you (and the others who suggested this) a billion times if I could.

[Ld1973Rn]

I am having this problem. I've had my snake for 2 months. She ate a live small mouse, immediately, a couple days after I got her. She's very friendly, I can handle her with no problem, and was taking her out every night. I have tried to feed her live, killed, frozen, pinkies, in her cage, in a separate cage, and nothing. She is afraid of the live mice and curls up and hides her head, I wiggle a dead mouse near her, and nothing. She has gone through a full shed, and I thought she would definitely eat then, but no. So it's been about 7 weeks since she's eaten, should I worry, stop handling her, I'm just not sure. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Laur

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Stop handling hr until she eats for you, and offer a live prey, if she was eating live you need to get her to eat first which means same prey item than what was previously fed, do that for a few feeding and once she is consistent than attempt to switch.

It is much easier to switch an animal that is settled and eating than a brand new animal that has not ate for you.

[SmoothScales]

Some information might help as well. Such as what type/size of enclosure and what's in it. Also husbandry numbers.

Prey size and snake size might be a factor as well.
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