Eating habits

[Xeperxi]

Hi everyone,

First off, happy holidays to everyone!

Just wanted to post this, trying to see if others have seen this behavior on a regular basis.

One of my bloods, a male, is a complete sweetheart. He eats every week and doesn't mind being handled at all. Out of all of my snakes he is growing the fastest and has the most docile attitude, even more then my ball pythons.

Anyway, to get to the point. Ever time I feed him, he hits the rat from the head, waits a minute or two, releases then lays on the rat for about 5 minutes like he is telling you hey, this is my rat...lol

After about 5-10 minutes he always starts knawing on the rats foot and continues to eat the rat from the back end. He never eats from head first, always the opposite. I present the rat head first and he grabs it from the head but always eats from the back end first. So far he has always got the rat down, but he is the only one of my snakes that does this, just peculiar to me.

[dshin963]

I wouldnt wirry about it my blood does that too at times lol if they want to work harder for their meals let them as long as they are eating every feed I dont mind which way they eat my blood doesnt even strike most of the time... Ill present the ft rat she'll sniff at it show interest for like 5-10 mins then I just throw the rat in with her close the lid check back in half an hour usually had the head down at the point rarely misses a feed, only missed feeds twice since I got her once was from stress when I first got her abd second time was two weeks ago because she was in shed

[Xeperxi]

Lol thanks. Not too worried he eats every tomes me just thought it weird he only will eat from the back end. Takes him longer but he does get it down not sure why he does it the hard way though lol

[dshin963]

Hmmm I wonder what darwin would say... :-S ohhh I cant wait for my two new bloods first feed :-D they have some attitude :-D I'm hoping they will be really good feeders!

[ZARADOZIA]

My ball does this sometimes. I have started taking a book with me on feeding day to kill time while I monitor her eating.

[CDN_Blood]

It sounds like young snake behaviour. One of the great things about raising a Blood is their size - their head and neck is proportionately larger than most snakes of comparable size, so they can start eating larger food sooner. Once they do, they'll figure out that it's a lot easier to start eating head-first. He just sounds young and excited about his food. They're like that.

My youngest started life with a few meals of mice, then went quickly to small rats and was eating full-grown (but not huge) rats by 6 months old. Now he's 2 1/2 and has been on XL rats for about a year.

[KORBIN5895]

Kota, my bci, has taken his last two meals by starting behind the head. Which means he is swallowing the neck first and the rat is doubled over.

If your snake is just looking at you for several minutes try covering the tank and leaving him alone while he eats. It may save you time.

[alessia55]

My 2yr old ball python sometimes eats head first, sometimes back first, and once he ate it starting from the shoulder and doubling the neck over. He'll probably figure out that head first is faster eventually :p