Very Concerned!!!! Please Help!!!!

[robinetteautum]

I'm new at this, my son got a ball python 12/26/2015 for Christmas this year for Pet Smart. We fed him once the Sat. after and he did fine. He seems to be happy in his 10 gal tank. I remove him for feeding to a plastic container, feeding frozen mice small to med size. This is his second time feeding that he has been willing to eat the prey. Didn't take long to latch on and coil but he has been in there for at least 2hrs. still not swallowed, still constricting but seems to be having problems swallowing. What should I do? Don't want him to die. Is this normal? Please Help!!! Thanks.

[AerialArtist]

Is the mouse partially down his throat? What do you mean when you say he's having problems swallowing? Can you post a picture?

[Herpo]

I second posting a pic, but don't worry about feeding outside the enclosure. I don't do it, and the snakes are fine. They don't like to be moved back after feeding.

[KMG]

There is no reason to move the snake to feed it. It does nothing but add stress to the snake and put you in place to get tagged. The snake will not become aggressive because it is fed in its cage.

Think about those of us that have large snakes like bloods or even larger retics. Or smaller guys with an incredible feeding response like a gtp. Can you imagine trying to move something like that to feed it? That would be nutz. I feed all of my guys in their cage and nobody has bad manners on non feed days with me going in and working with or around them.

As for your issue it sounds like you are dealing with a young snake that is still figuring out the proper technique of eating. Sometimes the food may be a tad larger than what they are used to or can easily swallow so it takes them extra time to figure it out. This will also occur it they try to swallow it sideways or butt first. Its no real issue and just a learning experience.

If that is not it more details and a pic would help us help you.

[Sauzo]

First off, there is no need to feed outside their cage. If you use a substrate like aspen or eco earth, you can put down a paper plate or a piece of newspaper or printer paper. And also like others have said, I don't understand what you mean by he has still not swallowed after 2 hours. I mean it usually only takes my gals about 5-10 mins to swallow their rats once they start actually working on it. Pictures would help. Or at least more of an explanation.

[PitOnTheProwl]

First please keep it to one post, you will get more answers and it keeps all the answers on one post.

There is no reason to move your snake to anther container to feed.
This would keep you out of the situation you were in last night.

Did it ever get the mouse down?

[wolfy-hound]

How did you thaw and warm the prey item?

It's not normal for a ball python to constrict for hours, nor for it to take hours for it to swallow the prey item.

[LittleTreeGuy]

How did you thaw and warm the prey item?

It's not normal for a ball python to constrict for hours, nor for it to take hours for it to swallow the prey item.

Yea... I'm hoping it was in fact thawed out....