feeding habits

axwielding1 · 01-04-04, 11:38 PM

I have a 26" Sumatran Yellow Blood Python.It took her 5 weeks to start feeding,at the time she was 16" and I think pretty young. To get her started, I put a drop of clean bacon fat on the mouse, and she took it right away. No strike, she sniffed and swallowed. Now, 4 months later, she eats a large mouse every 3-4 days for the most part, except during shed which takes+- 2 weeks from start to finish. My question is this: she's a butt sniffer! Ahe sniffs the mouse up and down, and when she gets to the but, she can't resist, and starts eating backwards!
I've tried to get it turned around but she won't have it! I'd say she eats 75% backwards! Does anyone have a butt sniffer like mine? She has no trouble getting it down, I even tried putting the bacon fat on the head only. I've been thinking about a small rat that she might feel better about going down properly.
I have always eaten my vegetables first to get them off my plate, maybe thats her theory? Or does she just like eating ***?
WTF?

Linds · 01-05-04, 10:07 PM

She's taking it down backwards frequently most likely because it is too small. At 4 months of age she should be eating something larger than a mouse. Have you been scenting with bacon fat the entire time as well?

Mark · 01-05-04, 10:49 PM

My blood who is about the same size(24" or a bit more) on large(300g-400g) rats and he takes then no problem.

Invictus · 01-06-04, 01:42 AM

My blood is on 4 mice per feeding, because I don't have rats small enough for her at the moment. She's also about 16" or so long. Maybe 18".

axwielding1 · 01-06-04, 09:22 PM

I wondered the same thing. I will try a small rat on saturday and see what happens. I don't think she'll have a problem though.
And Yes, I have kept using a drop of bacon fat on the neck of mouse since she started feeding. But I won't scent the rat, and see how it goes, if she eats well, then I will drop the scenting. I rescued her from a pet store, and think she had a rough start. She was only in there a couple days when I picked her up. I also saved a ball python that appears to have bite marks all over him that have scarred. Probably from a neglected first live feeding.
He has always been a good snake for me, and eats well, so, for $29.99, I gave him a good home. Hopefully, I'll get some good Kharma!

axwielding1 · 01-06-04, 09:27 PM

The Ball python was $29.99... Not the Blood! I just wanted to clear that up! The Blood was $175. I don't want to piss anybody off! LOL!

axwielding1 · 01-10-04, 11:49 PM

Well, I tried a small rat Friday night, she didn't eat it. She sniffed it , sized it up, and went back in her hide. Saturday, I got a smaller rat, just larger than a real big mouse, and nothing. I'll thaw it tomorrow and try again, if not, I'll go back to mice...

axwielding1 · 01-12-04, 11:38 PM

I fed her a mouse on sunday. Today(monday) she ate the thawed rat, easily! Next week she's getting a medium rat.
One rat a week is cheaper than 3-4 mice a week.