Annoying habit

[marisa]

My ball python has a very annoying habit. Annoying in that cute snake way of course... :)

The first month he was with me, he was eating live pinkies (!) but within the month I had switched him over very easily to thawed small adults/adults which he eats from his hide.

For his second month here I place the thawed mouse in front of his hide, and I leave for awhile and he eats. Simple as that. He ate everytime, one try.

This last few weeks he has started a habit that is somewhat annoying. I place a frozen thawed mouse like normal, and I leave. A couple hours later I come back and he hasn't touched it. So thinking he is being a brat and not eating I go to grab it with tongs to give it to someone else. But he snatches it from me almost the instant I have it, and puts it back. I leave again, (anywhere from 1/2 hour to 4 hours) and he hasn't eaten, I try to take, he takes it back and puts it back down.

This little "thats my mouse" struggle can go on anywhere between 5-15 times before he eats it. Reheating the mouse doesn't seem to matter either. He just seems to enjoy teasing *Me*! It can be very annoying because most of the time if I don't give in and play this little "game" he will just leave it. And as you can see it can take me all night before he finally decides fun time is over and eats.

I am of course just happy he is healthy and eats like a champ eventually, but is there anyway this annoying little game can be shortened? *L*

marisa

[Lisa]

Maybe try dangling it and letting him strick and constrict...

[marisa]

I have tried that. He grabs it, constricts, then puts it down shortly after. He won't eat until I after I have a struggle with him over the mouse with the tongs. I would just take the mouse away and let him wait for his food until he is ready to just eat, but thats my issue. *L* When I "take it" he wants it. Big time...and flies out and grabs it away from me. And eventually, maybe the 5th "take" and maybe the 12th take (it varies) he does eat it.

I know its like he wants it to be live but he was fine for a month on thawed without any struggles.

marisa

[sSNAKESs.com]

awwww your baby just wants extra attention! LOL

[Linds]

Have you tried just leaving it the first time and leaving him overnight with it?

[Big Mike]

Mine used a dead mouse for a pillow for while before he eventually ate it...crazy snakes
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=Oilfan94&album_id=109989&image_id=5&param=76940

[impressivesmoke]

I've never had that exact problem, but it was simailar. When I first got my BP, she would grab the mouse, kill it, and then leave it. It was then that I heard from a friend that, since they are nocturnal, they don't feel comfortable eating in the light. "Duh," I thought to myself. Anyway, I began feeding her in a brown grocery bag. It worked. Now, I just dangle the mouse over her and she eats right away. After she's done, I just dump her out of the bag. I've also found that this is a good habit to get them into because then they don't associate eating with you reaching into their tank( a little problem I've started having with my newest addition). She's been eating that way for over a year now and I havn't had anymore problems.

[marisa]

Thank you for the replies.

Linds: Yes. Actaully thats exactly how he used to eat it. I would leave a mouse, and over the course of the night he would eat it. I tried to leave the mouse in there a feeding after he started playing this game, then just leaving him alone overnight. But it seems when i do that he doesn't even bother to touch it. Almost like he just wants it to live! *L*

impressivesmoke- Yes thank you, I will try feeding him in a brown bag from now on. I don't know why I wasn't thinking about that in the first place as I feed my kings and corns like that. thanks!

marisa