UH OH! Need immediate help!

[Artemis]

Ok so Ive been waiting and waiting for the python to come back to life since our move, which he finally did tonight, out hunting. The corn has been doing better than ever, but near as I could tell the python hadnt left his hot hide since we moved. So I went to feed him and accidentally dropped the rat in the enclosure. I know he doesnt like to eat unless his rats are actually "dangled" because he is a spoiled python. Well he has been sitting with the rat on top of his tail POISED at the TOP of the enclosure WAITING for his rat. So I had the genius idea to thaw the other rat I had on hand, get him to stike at that, and then take the other one out, Which WOULD have worked had I not accidentally dropped that one, too.

So, there are 2 thawed rats and one hungry snake in a tupperware in my office floor. Im not ABOUT to take the top completely off and stick my hands anywhere NEAR that. Should I leave them in there for a while and hope he stops being so picky?? Should I wait till morning and hope he gets un-frenzied? Im willing to take a bite if have too, but Id rather not, lol! He has been crawling over top of the two rats without seeming to care that they are there. After feeding him in the big deep tank he still expects them to come from above I think, as he has been expectantly lifting himself up and trying to wait for one...... grrr...at least he is out and abou and hungry- its good to see him looking well and not so lethargic!


Help Artemis not get bitten!

Thoughts???

[BornboreD]

Just leave em in over night. Make sure it's dark and don't disturb him. In the morning if they're still there, he will hopefully have calmed down and it may be easier to pick them out. Do you not have tongs or forceps?? If you can get them out tomorrow, heat em back up again and try one. If he takes it good, if not chuck em.

Hope this helps

Colin

[Artemis]

I do have tongs! I was using em. The ends of them arent very grippy though, and so the tails slip out sometimes (in this case, both times) Even trying to get in there and grab with the tongs seems like a dunderhead idea the way this snake is waiting in the wings. He is keying to the heat of my hands OUTSIDE the rubbermaid, so why give him a clear shot?? LOL. I figure if they are still there in the morning, ill go buy even MORE rats and keep trying my original strategy! LOL.

Thanks for writing so fast. I feel REALLY bad cause the snake is practically having a spazz in there trying to find them. They were good and warm too. I hope he figured it out, and I hope they wont reak up the house in there overnight!

Artemis

[peterm15]

im sorry i couldhelp but laugh.. you couldnt only drop one but you had to drop 2.. third times a charm ya know :D.. lol.. im just playing with ya... id say go with colins advice.. its the best i could suggest.. that and go to the dollar store and pick up a par of tongs just in case this happens again.. good luck...

[peterm15]

sorry u posted before i did.. good luck and look at it this way if there not there in the morn.. you have an easier way to feed you python...

[ChunkyMunky]

You could throw a towell or something over his head then grab the rats and reheat them. Good luck trying not to drop them. I actually do that sometimes too. My hemostats suck and sometimes while dangling the rat over my boas I will drop it on their head and they really dont like it!

[daiyoukai]

It's a ball python, dump everything out on the floor (python included) and brush the rats to the side. feed the snake and freaze the second rat.

we arnt talking about a viper or huge constrictor, we're talking about a ball python.

[Artemis]

yeah true dai but we are talking about me, too, and im choosing to be a sissy. He means business right now. I havent been feeding him for the last few weeks because of the move and the adjustment, and apparently he has adjusted and his appetite is back!

[BornboreD]

Dump em on the floor??? Ok, yeah lets take a notoriously easily stressed species of snake known for problem feeders, and dump him on the floor. He'll eat for sure then!! Sheesh....... Just leave em in overnight, by the morning if he hasn't eaten them, they'll be cold and he would have lost interest. Shouldn't be hard to pick em out after that. Sorry if you anyone takes offense to this but "dumping" a snake out of it's home on to the floor is not the answer. I may be wrong though..........

Colin

[Artemis]

hahaha i dont care if its the answer or not. Its the smell that has set him off and im not dumping my little live wire anywhere near my exposed flesh right now! heehee. I think it might be trip to the feeder store in the morning! Ill buy a bunch! I cant drop em ALL dagonit!

[Davey213]

you dont have some sort of welding gloves or something that will block the heat coming off of your arm and protect your hand? you can probably throw on a glove and a long sleeved shirt and grab it.. depends on the snake though, just my advice.. might wanna judge your snake first.. wouldn't want you getting bitten because of me. lol

[justinO]

If you don't want to wait till morning, Try tapping the snake on the nose with something long first.. I find that sometimes the snakes snap out of the feeding mode when i do that.

good luck.

Justin

[Artemis]

Justin are you being serious??? Anyways naturally he didnt eat them by this morning, so trip to the feeder store it was. :)

Thanks for all the tips guys :)

Artemis

[Vengeance]

I'd get a good long pair of Hemostats as well, mine are long enough that I can grab the rat and put it in the cage without having my hand enter the cage.

[Linds]

If it happens again, just get a long poking device (broom stick, snake hook, whatever) and move them away from him so that you can grab them. If you are still within range, use something as a sheild between the two of you.

[Artemis]

Linds you're so smart!! Why didnt I think of that! Good tip!!! :)


Art

[BornboreD]

Yeah, the shielding things works too. I use a small piece of cardboard with my agro little JCP female when I change her water, or to get her head back down in the tub when I'm trying to slide her back in the rack. LOL!

Colin

[rwg]

Justin is being serious. Often a little tap on the head or nose will take a python right out of feeding mode. Never tried it with a BP, but it works with a lot of other species.

IMO, the best thing to do in these situations is just use a shield of some sort. Even just putting the bin lid in between the snake and whatever you want to grab is usually good enough. I do this all the time for all sorts of defensive and "feeding mode" snakes with great success. You can even pick snakes up using this technique. Block the head off, and grab the back half of the body. Once they're out, you're usually safe form any bites. If you're worried about bites and your tongs are not long enough to keep you out of range, it's maybe time to buy some longer hemos.

other Roy