Missed strike at live feed

[Bennie1986]

So my BP has been on short feeding strike after trying to switch to FT. We tried again after a few days and she took a shot but missed the mouse! Does this happen sometimes or is there a large issue I should be concerned about?

[piedlover79]

Not every lunge is going to hit, and sometimes they just strike in the general direction of the prey out of fear to try and make it go away. When my gal isn't feeding she will strike 'at' the f/t but not hit it.

[Mangiapane85]

So it missed and then gave up or what?.. sometimes some of mine will miss, but they gain their composure (lol) and go back after it. I only have 2 live feeders though.


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[Sauzo]

One of the hazards of snake ownership. Wait until they miss and almost grab you lol. That's when you will thank the gods for the glass sliding doors on your cages or the forceps/tongs you use to feed with. All of my snakes have missed here and there. It's not a big deal. They just recoil, reload and launch again. Whats the worst is when they grab the rat and wrap it along with the tongs. That's when feeding the horde stops for a bit until the snakes uncoils and starts eating the rat so you can grab the tongs back lol.

[Bennie1986]

So it missed and then gave up or what?.. sometimes some of mine will miss, but they gain their composure (lol) and go back after it. I only have 2 live feeders though.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No I left the mouse in there for another 30 at least. Had to give up at that point because o had to leave and know not to leave live alone with her. Trying again now with a different mouse.

[redshepherd]

Did she strike and pull her head back again, or strike and left her neck stretched out? It could be a defensive strike, which often "misses", because they weren't going for a coil. From my one BP who goes on feeding strikes, when I pressured him too much with the feeder and he didn't want to eat, he would strike at it defensively.

Sometimes feeding strikes miss though. I just pick the mouse up and offer again, and they coil it right away.

[Mangiapane85]

No I left the mouse in there for another 30 at least. Had to give up at that point because o had to leave and know not to leave live alone with her. Trying again now with a different mouse.

If he refused, he will probably refuse again. That's why you need to give him 5-7 days off. Otherwise you run the risk of stressing him out worse and putting him off feed even longer.


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[Bennie1986]

She finally ate again yesterday. She ate two of the three mice but still refused to eat the one she "missed" the other day. That mouse was alot more hyper than the others so maybe that made her nervous, I won't offer her that one again.

[Mangiapane85]

You could always start switching her over to rats. She will need rats eventually anyways... plus, they seem to be less jumpy and active as mice.


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[Micki]

Mine missed a frozen thawed an hour ago and bit the floor. So I had to pick Aspen out of his mouth. Then reintroduced the meal and went well. Mine gets strike happy and antsy.

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