Snake bit himself!!

[ReefMedic1]

OK, I think based on all the helpful replies that have been comming in, I've configured a plan for next week:
Thaw frozen fuzzy in paper towel to pre scent, get a rubbermaid or sterilite tub as the feeding container and drop in the paper towel..add Harley(my pastel BP) and leave him in there for 5-10 min to get the scent (and maybe a clue) and then dangle the ft fuzzy and see how he reacts.
OR if the plan fails....
Plan B is to pre scent the container with a live mouse in a container for an hour...take out mouse-in-a-box, and add Harley, wait 5-10 min for him to get the clue, and add mouse to tub.
I really want to stick to the F/T way of feeding, but if this is the best means to get him started to eat for me, I will try LIVE under supervision....and hopefully he will grow out of LIVE back to F/T in no time and not tell the difference.
On another note, if and WHEN he feeds and constricts his prey, can I THEN at that constricting ball phase of his meal lift him up and put him in his regular tank house?? Or will that possibly cause him to let go of his mouse and ruin my plans?
thanks everyone again!
*update on the bite: No wounds visible on his body

[starmom]

I would not remove him from the enclosure to feed as this might well cause more stress responses. Ball pythons are ambush hunters and hunt best when in their own enclosure and often times from within their hide.

I pre-scent with the prey in a bag thawing by the snake environment. When the rodent has thawed, open the bag and leave it open for at least 30 minutes so that the snake will know what is going on.

It might helps us to help you better if you describe the enclosure that the snake is in and how you're measuring temps, humidity, etc.

For now, indeed wait a week and let your snake settle in more

[scotty99]

I don't take him into another container to feed, agree with you there starmom.I pre scent on top of enclosure

The theory goes that they don't associate putting your hands in the enclosure with food time if you feed outside the enclosure. Every time you take the snake out for handling/ cleaning, surely the snake is going to think it's food time. But hey,If taking them out to feed works for other keepers then fair play to them. Everybody has their own routine.


I really strongly recommend changing prey ReefMedic1, The BP is not going to grow on fuzzy mice, been there so i know first hand.May be take fuzzys back to where you bought and see if you can swap them/part ex them for something bigger.

RE Sonya- Thanks, yeah don't think he will ask for snakes back, he's not contacted anyone of his friends inc me since he left. The BP struck at him twice(didn't bite though) while he had him, so think he took the easy option and palmed them off to me. BP has not shown any aggression towards me...yet....now I've said that he will rip my face off next time i change his water!! lolz

[icygirl]

try live mice, then after you get him started well then try f/t. this will also save you money if he dont eat just keep the mouse fed for a week.

This isn't a good idea unless you are able to buy a live mouse every week or care for a bunch over time. You probably will not be able to get him back to f/t easily once he's eaten live. If you decide to feed live there is nothing wrong with that, of course; personally I find f/t is less expensive and more convenient.

Seems like either you've got a picky eater (it happens), or the snake is not feeling secure in his enclosure. If he is constantly roaming around it sometimes means he does not feel secure. What does his enclosure look like?

Also, was this snake eating f/t mice well with whoever you bought him from?

[scratchypen]

I had a 2100 gram female do that to herself. She was a he, now, he is a she, but, we named her when she was a he. Her name is Oscar after Oscar the grouch. You cannot take her out of the rack without a hook, you have to be very cautious when you have her out, and, you cant touch her when shes in her home. She sleeps belly up and is a bit retarded. Anyways, she thinks everything is food and so thus she tried to eat me and instead of getting my hand she got herself. She preceded to strangle herself and she coiled around tighter everytime we tried to free her. We left her alone for about 15 mins and she had given up on trying to kill herself at that time. Luckily, no blood was spilled and no broken bones seemed to have come from it. Snakes are strange at times...

[scotty99]

I had a 2100 gram female do that to herself. She was a he, now, he is a she, but, we named her when she was a he. Her name is Oscar after Oscar the grouch.

Blimey, I'm dizzy So you have shemale snake lol or is that a maleshe???

Sounds quite a character you snake does. Glad no harm was done when biting strangling herself.

[blackcrystal22]

This isn't a good idea unless you are able to buy a live mouse every week or care for a bunch over time. You probably will not be able to get him back to f/t easily once he's eaten live. If you decide to feed live there is nothing wrong with that, of course; personally I find f/t is less expensive and more convenient.

Seems like either you've got a picky eater (it happens), or the snake is not feeling secure in his enclosure. If he is constantly roaming around it sometimes means he does not feel secure. What does his enclosure look like?

Also, was this snake eating f/t mice well with whoever you bought him from?

What's more important? Getting the snake EATING or convenience?

Right now you need to get this snake eating, and you may have to change some things. Because you said he's 'roaming' his cage a lot, this tells me that in some way he is stressed out (cage too big, insufficient hides) ext.
You can switch a live eating snake to a f/t eating snake. But first let's find out why he's not eating.

Also, like everyone else said, removing him from his enclosure to eat is just going to stress him out even more.. so keep him in his cage.

Go out and buy a mouse that seems about the size as his thickest point on his body and put it in the cage and watch from a distance. Make sure lights are off and all is quiet with no traffic.

Tell us all of your husbandry details in case you missed something. Where is the tank located? Is it high noise/traffic? Size of tank? Bedding? Hides? Temps? Ext.

Good luck!

[montypython123]

Thats weird but was the snake eating when you bought him?

[ReefMedic1]

Sorry everyone about the delay in response..
His enclosure is a 10 gallon glass aquarium that sits on one of my nightstands with a black background. His light/heat source is Night light (purple) that gives off heat on one side of the cage. Aspen is the bedding. Hide is one hide rock on the heat side ( I mentioned to the reputable reptile store guy that maybe two hides are best, and he said not always the case as a baby and that he'd do fine with one hide for now. Water bowl on the cool side of the cage. Current temp 85F and humidity at 40. The light/heat is always on. The tank is in the bedroom, no excessive traffic or noise.
The fuzzys seem to be the size of the thickest area of the snakes body, so I thought this is the right size.
When they say to pre-scent by the enclosure, do they mean just outside the cage, on top of the cage or inside of the cage, what might work?
Yeah, Im going to give him a few more days before I try to feed again FT, and if that doesnt work I'll try live. And maybe not mess around with getting another enclosure.
Thanks for everybody's help!! Keep 'em comming, hope I described the enclosure well enough

[ReefMedic1]

Oh and where I got him was at on of the Reptile Conventions in Orlando Convention Center. The guy that sold me him didnt tell me what he was feeding on or when the last time he ate, so I'm kinda gauging it right now.