BP feeding response unnerving

[BPnuB]

When I got my BP the previous owner made a comment about being careful when feeding him. I didn't understand this at all until yesterday. I've had the snake for maybe two months and he is eating great. But he always seems hungry. I'm feeding him over double what the previous owner was feeding him but he still has his head out his hide at night, seemingly looking for food.

Point of my post is that he had never struck at anything other than a rat and he has only struck a rat after investigating for a few moments. Now that he has learned the regimen (night light comes on, I open his enclosure, in comes rat) he will sit there with his face right at the opening when it is near feeding time. I can walk all around in front of his enclosure and he will stay out in the open waiting for me to open the door and present him food.

Last night I open his enclosure and out he comes, striking. It was crazy. Scared the mess out of me. I couldn't get him back in without risking being bit so I put the rat in front of his nose and he got it and constricted, hanging out the enclosure.

So I went from having absolutely no fear of opening the enclosure and picking up the snake to being absolutely certain he is going to attempt to bite me if I put my hand anywhere near the opening.

Thoughts/suggestions? I love that he is so eager to eat but this seems a little overkill.

BTW, he was 350g when I got him, and is probably at least 450 now. He has bulked up a LOT. Previous owner was feeding him 1 pup every 5 days. I'm feeding 2 pups every 6 days.

[paulrobert]

Start handling the snake more when you're not feeding until it starts to realize that just because you are there doesn't mean he's going to eat.
My BP only goes into "hunting mode" when she see's me with my tongs.

[Eru_Iluvatar]

You created a feeding habit for your BP that know she associates that specific moment with feeding, remember that she is interested in the food, not in you.
Ball pythons are opportunistic feeders, and they will eat every single time they have a chance to do so (if they're hungry of course), give in a day or three so it can completely digest its food and then go handle it, fear not, getting bit is part of the hobby, and believe me, the idea of getting bit hurts more than getting bit.
Don't worry, it will hopefully mellow out it's overkill mode someday

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I agree

[BPnuB]

Thanks for the reassurance, guys - I have two BPs, I only want one. My banana is scared all the time and will only take a rat in complete darkness, from the confides of his hide. He rarely leaves his hide at all.

When we handle the snakes the albino is scooting all over the place and lots of fun. I just feel sorry for the banana because he is clearly terrified to even move. We were planning to rehome the banana and keep the albino since he is much more active. But last night's event had me second guessing which snake to let go.

I think I made several mistakes last night - I fed the banana first and the albino probably already smelled the rat and had seen food along with the tongs. In the future I'll take a much different approach.

[Eru_Iluvatar]

Don't worry about the Banana, snakes are really not emotionally intelligent animals (to a certain degree), so it's just a matter of personality. If it feels safe inside hiding all day long it's really not a problem, it prefers it that way. I personally have a really nasty of an attitude 2000 gr lesser female who I love but distrust because she is really susceptible to every single movement and change around her, she is constatly striking but nevertheless I won't let her go.
Cheers to your snakes!

[bcr229]

This is fairly normal behavior for a baby, as most are little garbage disposals. Once he matures and his growth rate slows down he will chill out - and then you'll be worried when he goes on a six month fast over the winter.

I agree with handling him more during non-feeding times. I would also do things exactly the same way every time you feed so he knows the difference between feeding time and handling time.

[zina10]

First step...he is ready for larger food items.

Imagine stretching your rat out. The widest part of that stretched out rat should be AT LEAST as big around, if not a bit bigger around, then the widest part of the Ball Pythons body.

After eating, it should leave quite the visible bump.

It seems to me that he is catching up on growing and is always hungry.

That said, mine definitely "wait" at the opening of the tub when they are hungry and it is evening or they simply think it should be time to eat. And when it IS time to eat, watch out...LOL. As soon as the tub opens, out flies the snake. There are a couple that do that and they grab the rat "mid flight" and then hang halfway outside the tub, wrapped around the rat. And then I lift the whole thing back into the tub. Sure gets your heart rate going when they do that

You want a BP with a nice feeding response and eating well. However, there should be times and days in between where he is calmer. I do think he is simply growing and the food leaves him hungry..

I "normally" do not need to take mine out when they are in feeding mode, because that only happens every few days and only in the evening. But, if I DO want to handle or I need to remove them from the bin while they are already " ready, set, go" mine have learned that a quick spritz (like misting them, but only one short burst of water, not getting them wet) means NO FOOD coming. They pull back and "settle" down. I can then reach in and grab them.

But try to keep handling during feeding mode to a minimum, as you WANT a ball python that is willing to eat.

Once you feed him larger prey and he catches up on growth some more, he WILL calm down in between feedings. Try to handle when he isn't already waiting on the edge of the cage.

Its normal to be intimidated when they are "in the mode" and come right at you..

But as you learn his habits and deal with him more and more, you will get over this nervousness. Main thing is to get him "full" and happy, and then to handle after he had a day or two to digest, but before he gets to be starving and in feeding mode again. Also , handle at the time of day they aren't all "excited" yet.

[blue roses]

My boy loves to eat , and his feeding response is very aggressive, but only when he is offered food. There have been a few times hes acctually jumped at the opened door to get to his food. So i know what you are going through. He has never biten anyone and between feedings. You might want to stagger his feeding days so hes not so conditioned to eat on the same day, and on the inbetween days take him out and handle him. This is what i do and unless i have food to offer, hes a real sweetie and likes comming out. Good luck with your new guy, just be a little patient, he'll calm down as he grows and you handle him between feedings.

[Insane]

Do you pre-sent the room before feeding? I heat my rats up in the snake room so my snakes know it's feeding day and start anticipating for dinner. My GHI girl is my aggressive feeder and she will literally fly out of the tub as soon as it opens with fangs bared. She has tagged me a couple times, but if there is no rat scent in the room she is more calm when I open her tub. I still carry an empty paper towel roll to push her head back if she is particularly jumpy though.

[BPnuB]

Thanks for the feedback. I was really starting to worry that I had made a bad decision by feeding him in his enclosure. Unfortunately I don't have a dedicated snake room and there is a lot more movement in their room than there probably should be. He can see me moving around every evening so any indication it is feeding time (before I open the door) has to be from smell.

Here he is - love this guy.