Strange Feeding Response and Tips for Feeding in Enclosure?

[Mommabear.Yoli]

I can only recommend what works for me lol. My snakes will sniff right on it and bump into it with their nose and lick it then strike. Everytime. Lol.
But to each their own

[royalreilly]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Small update: it's been about 2 1/2 days since he fed. Last night my sister walked into my room to talk to me. When she walked past his cage he was sticking his head all up, once again in "feeding mode". When he saw her moving he struck at the glass! He's being a sassy little noodle right now. I don't understand why he's still wanting food, I know there's no way he's hungry! Snakes are weird. I'm going to attempt to take him out today for some handling, as well as maybe weighing, if he isn't still in super-feed-mode. Hopefully if I do it in the daylight he won't be as crazy about it, since he is used to feeding in the evening.

Side note about the possibility of him actually being a female: it's very possible!! He's never been successfully sexed as far as I'm aware. I got him as a baby BP at PetCo (I was in middle school and didn't even know about snake breeding and that culture, would never buy from a chain pet store again) and they weren't positive of his sex but told me he was most likely male. After getting him we brought him to the vet. The vet tried popping him to check his sex, but didn't have a successful result. The vet also told us he was most likely male, though. He has significantly sized spurs, but I know that isn't an accurate way to sex. He's either on the big side for a male, or on the small side for a female, so that doesn't help much, either. Since he's just a pet and I don't even intend on breeding or anything, I figure it doesn't matter too much to me, haha.

[Bogertophis]

It's not the size but the APPETITE that says "female" to me....they instinctively eat more to facilitate breeding success, whereas the males are more often picky
eaters as adults, because they're busy thinking about the females... Personally I'd enjoy this BP....had my fill of fussy-eaters.

[royalreilly]

It's not the size but the APPETITE that says "female" to me....they instinctively eat more to facilitate breeding success, whereas the males are more often picky
eaters as adults, because they're busy thinking about the females... Personally I'd enjoy this BP....had my fill of fussy-eaters.

Haha, he makes for a pretty good first snake! I'd looove to have more snakes one day, but I want to wait until I finish college and figure out where I'm going to live permanently. He's a good pet though, pretty easy going and good temperament for a BP, until he does silly things like this. He does love food... The only times he's ever really fasted were the last two winters, but only for a few weeks at a time. I love him, but gee does he love to worry me!!

[Craiga 01453]

I'd looove to have more snakes one day, but I want to wait until I finish college and figure out where I'm going to live permanently.

Very smart. I commend you. You're thinking more maturely, responsibly and logically than many adults. Keep up the good work!!! When the time is right I'm sure you'll add a few more snakes to your crew and continue to be a great snake keeper!

[royalreilly]

Very smart. I commend you. You're thinking more maturely, responsibly and logically than many adults. Keep up the good work!!! When the time is right I'm sure you'll add a few more snakes to your crew and continue to be a great snake keeper!

Aww, thanks! I try to think ahead because I don't want to end up in a situation I know I can't handle, like moving half a dozen or more snakes cross-country, lol. It's a little difficult to wait when I see so many beautiful snakes everywhere, but I know it'll be worth it




Small update: He let me handle him with no problems this morning. Also I was confused about the feeding numbers for when I was saying 500g for a medium rat, I meant 1000g, I just got mixed up. So I got him weighed... he's 1364g!! I knew he was a little bit on the bigger side, but I honestly expected him to be like 900-1000g. I may try a medium rat because I really think he's big enough, but if it doesn't work I'll go back to smalls. I also crudely measured him with one of those flimsy tape measures for sewing and he was right around 4 feet. I know males can be as big as him, or even a little bigger but I'm seriously curious now about if he's secretly been a female this whole time, especially considering his appetite and such, haha.

[Craiga 01453]

Aww, thanks! I try to think ahead because I don't want to end up in a situation I know I can't handle, like moving half a dozen or more snakes cross-country, lol. It's a little difficult to wait when I see so many beautiful snakes everywhere, but I know it'll be worth it




Small update: He let me handle him with no problems this morning. Also I was confused about the feeding numbers for when I was saying 500g for a medium rat, I meant 1000g, I just got mixed up. So I got him weighed... he's 1364g!! I knew he was a little bit on the bigger side, but I honestly expected him to be like 900-1000g. I may try a medium rat because I really think he's big enough, but if it doesn't work I'll go back to smalls. I also crudely measured him with one of those flimsy tape measures for sewing and he was right around 4 feet. I know males can be as big as him, or even a little bigger but I'm seriously curious now about if he's secretly been a female this whole time, especially considering his appetite and such, haha.

You're definitely right, it'll be worth it. I've moved many times and moving all my animals is always the hardest part. I've also had to re-home animals (for personal reasons) and that was heartbreaking.
But yeah, seeing all the amazing species and different morphs and localities...it's like I want them ALL!! Hahahahaha.

Ah ok....way bigger than 500 grams, hahahhaha. Honestly though, at that age and size I'd stick to smalls. If s/he keeps growing you can always upsize later. It certainly won't hurt to stick to smalls. But going bigger may result in more frequent food strikes and inconsistent feeding.

[Bogertophis]

...
Small update: He let me handle him with no problems this morning. Also I was confused about the feeding numbers for when I was saying 500g for a medium rat, I meant 1000g, I just got mixed up. So I got him weighed... he's 1364g!! I knew he was a little bit on the bigger side, but I honestly expected him to be like 900-1000g. I may try a medium rat because I really think he's big enough, but if it doesn't work I'll go back to smalls. I also crudely measured him with one of those flimsy tape measures for sewing and he was right around 4 feet. I know males can be as big as him, or even a little bigger but I'm seriously curious now about if he's secretly been a female this whole time, especially considering his appetite and such, haha.

I was pretty sure you goofed when you said 500 g. but didn't say anything. I'm personally not much for weighing my snakes...I just estimate prey compared to the snake's mid-body size, but I've been at it for a long time.