Feeding help. Strikes but doesn't eat?

[NickP]

Weird. I was just feeding my bp and he quickly struck at the F/T and constricted, so I turned the light off and went out of the room. 3-4 minutes later I came to check on him and he had dragged the F/T inside his hide and is sitting over him not eating and yawning (?) (or adjusting his jaws).

The F/T was slightly wet so I put it under the lamp to heat it up a bit more for 1-2 minutes. Could it have been cooked or something? Or did he not eat because it was wet?

All the temps, humidity are right.

[West Coast Jungle]

possibility of rejection is high with FT, I have had snakes do that with pre-killed too. Some are just finicky

Where in Cali are you?

[NickP]

Los Angeles.

He has only rejected from me once and that was because the mouse was too big (he didn't even strike) but up until now he has had over 5 fuzzies, and 5 adult mice F/Ts. The thing is, he STRIKES and constricts but then drops it. I just took it from under him and re-dangled it; he quickly struck and constricted again. After few minutes I checked on him and he had dropped it and was laying on it again

[West Coast Jungle]

Los Angeles.

He has only rejected from me once and that was because the mouse was too big (he didn't even strike) but up until now he has had over 5 fuzzies, and 5 adult mice F/Ts. The thing is, he STRIKES and constricts but then drops it. I just took it from under him and re-dangled it; he quickly struck and constricted again. After few minutes I checked on him and he had dropped it and was laying on it again

I have had it happen too, only with dead rodents though.

I'm in the San Fernando Valley

[NickP]

I think I'll reheat the head and offer it one more time and if rejected skip a meal I guess. I don't know what else to do :\

Btw, I actually live in Santa Barbara, but I'm home with parents for few months in Glendale.

[NickP]

Ok, so I tried offering one more time and he struck again. I paid more attention and it seemed like he was swallowing, so I left for a minute came back and BAM he's in the hide. So I thought YES he ate. About 10 minutes later I checked on him and he had His head out and looking around, so I'm kinda worried that the F/T is in his hide behind him where I can't see. Don't want it to stay there and stink the place up, but I also don't want him to regurge if I scare him or whatever by lifting the hide right now. Any recommendations?

[dr del]

Hi,

You should be fine to lift the hide just to make sure he ate. I wouldn't try and lift him out or make him move (that would be rude! ) but the small amount of disruption caused by lifting his hide off him and then putting it back is better than having him sitting next to a decaying mouse for a couple of days if he didn't eat it.


dr del

[edie]

my little female BP does the same thing sometimes.. but usually she'll eat the following week.

she'll strike at it, then leave it and go back in her hide.. and she won't strike at it at all if it is wet.. I have to blow dry her f/t mice or she won't even go near them.

just try again next week, I haven't had her refuse f/t for me 2 weeks in a row.. and shes a big girl with no weight problems so I don't worry about it too much.

[NickP]

Hi,

You should be fine to lift the hide just to make sure he ate. I wouldn't try and lift him out or make him move (that would be rude! ) but the small amount of disruption caused by lifting his hide off him and then putting it back is better than having him sitting next to a decaying mouse for a couple of days if he didn't eat it.


dr del

Yeah, I thought about that but the problem is he cramms himself at the end of the half-log and if I lift it, he will flatten down and become wider than the log, so I'd have to try to squeeze him together again before I can put it back on :\

On a good note, I think he did eat it because he's way back there and has been there all night/morning which is what he always does after a meal.

Either way, thanks a lot for all the responses!