My ball python won't leave his hide after traumatic experience...

[PeachCreature]

So the other night I took my 2 year old ball python out to feed. He'a always seemed easily spooked, he snaps every once in a while but had never bitten me. Anyway, he snapped at the dead rat I was holding, but eventually he's wrapped around it like usual. I walk into the other room for a moment. When I came back in my cat (who is usually outside) was pawing at my snake! Probably trying to take the mouse. He was not hurting him, just curious. I immediately threw my cat out. Limbo (my snake) unwrapped himself from the mouse and snapped the air multiple times. I put him back in his hide.
He has not left his hide for over a week and I am worried about how this has affected him, and of anyone has any "scared snake" occurrences and how you handled them. How long will it be before he eats again/feels normal?

[alessia55]

Welcome to the forum! Please read our sSNAKESs forum rules. (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/new-forum/53647-read-first-forum-rules.html)

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I have a few questions...
Was the snake being fed outside his enclosure?
Why did you leave him unattended?
The whole situation could have (and should have) been avoided all together.

That being said, you might want to give him time alone to settle down again. I'd wait another 7-10 days before offering food again, and avoid handling. In the future, feed inside his enclosure, and supervise him. The cat should not be able to come in contact with the snake at any time. It might also be the case that your ball python isn't leaving his hide while you're around, but moving at night while you're asleep. What are your temps and humidity? If he's spending too much time in one hide, your temperatures might be off. Double-check your husbandry, and then leave him alone until you attempt feeding again next week.

[PeachCreature]

He was being fed outside his enclosure, in a box he is always fed in. Some have different opinions on whether or not snakes should be fed inside their enclosure or not. I choose to feed him outside of it. After he seemed to begin feeding I walked into the kitchen to turn the oven on, a moment. No patronizing necessary, things happen sometimes. The cat is an outside cat and must have snuck in and found his own little hiding spot. He's very gentle and was only curious, but of course my snake wouldn't understand this.
I have been leaving him to himself. Hopefully he has

[Snakefood]

^^^ what she said^^^^

if you don't want to feed in the enclosure, get a feeding tub, either way, there is no reasonable explanation why a snake was left where a cat could "paw at it" you keep doing it that way and you're going to end up with a dead snake or a dead cat, either way, you're going to feel very bad about the end results.

Balls do tend to spend alot of time in thier hides even when they are not traumatized, but like Alessia said, wait another week or so before offering food again and DO NOT leave the snake eating out in the open.

[Becky Goings]

If you feed in his enclosure, this isn't an issue. Handling a snake while it's digesting food is very stressful for the snake, even if it's right after eating. Plus, you increase the risk of a feeding response bite when handling right after feeding. Please follow Alessia's advice, she really knows her stuff, and has a great care sheet for ball pythons.

Welcome to the forum! :)

Edited to add: the link to her care sheet is in her signature!

[Snakefood]

nobody here is trying to be patronizing, we all get that crap happens, does your feeding box have a lid to it?? if not, maybe you should find one that does, then even if mr sneaky cat does get in, you don't have to worry as the snake is safe ina feeding tub.

I feed in feeding tubs too, mine have lids, therefore I can walk away for even just a second and not worry that my cat, dog, kid got interested.

Also (not be patronizing, just honest) outside cats are hunters, you cannot count on it to be "gentle and curious" if this were to ever happen again.

[Lankyrob]

Unless i hunt for my Royal i never see him, he hides constantly - this in itself is not an issue. You seem to have learnt from an experience that could have been 100000000% worse than it was, just ensure that it can never happen again :)

[KORBIN5895]

Well to save yourself from every having this problem again I recommend you kill the cat.

[Terranaut]

Your snake is fine. Royals hide a lot. Mine snaps at the air when I feed him. They are just not so bright. Wait a week then feed him... Away from the cat... In a tub with a lid if you must walk away. Fix it or your next post will be "I lost my snake during feeding".
And welcome!!

[Snakefood]

well to save yourself from every having this problem again i recommend you kill the cat.

must you???? Lol!!!!!

[DavethePython]

Royals are not always creatures of habit . Both mine change their "routine" constantly. I never know what to expect of them . One day they are the most social. Testifies and then we won't see them for weeks . Nothing to worry about. The snake has probably long forgotten about it. Just follow allissa's advice and all should be fine.

[Stevothompson22]

I know this may sound funny but I got told by someone that if you put an item of your clothing like a sock or something with your smell on it your snake will get use to it and be less twitchy.
Also why not try moving your tank to a quieter room to give it some silence to relax.
Or in my experiance putting a background in the tank with some ledges and branches and some more plants and cover works well my royal is always out of her hides it's not very often I find her in it to be honest.
Hope this helps

[StudentoReptile]

I know this may sound funny but I got told by someone that if you put an item of your clothing like a sock or something with your smell on it your snake will get use to it and be less twitchy.

And I have heard accounts of snakes trying to eat the sock. I'll try to find a link to the article of the Burmese python that had to have surgery to remove the electric blanket she ingested. Of course, that instance was because the owners mistakenly put the blanket in the enclosure to help keep the snake warm (a useless gesture), but still...I think putting any kind of clothing-type material in with a reptile is a bad idea.

[mykee]

"Well to save yourself from every having this problem again I recommend you kill the cat. "

LOL. I concur.
Cats are no good.

[Will0W783]

Your snake is perfectly fine eating in its enclosure. A lot of people do say that feeding the snake outside of its enclosure keeps it from associating the door opening with food; however, it's not good for a snake to be jostled around after a meal. When you are removing the snake and putting it into a specific container for feedings, it will associate coming out of the cage or that container with food, and you stand just as much of a chance of being bitten. I have been keeping snakes for 8 years, and have never once fed a snake outside of its enclosure. None of my snakes are aggressive or even cage defensive. I feel that by feeding them in their homes, it keeps their stress levels down, and they do not need to be moved right after they've eaten.

Whether or not you continue to feed your snake in a separate enclosure, you are VERY lucky that you didn't have a much harder lesson to learn. Cats and snakes do not get along, and one can and will hurt the other. Under NO circumstances should you leave a snake unattended for even a second if it is not in a secure, locked container.