Who says ball don't bite? I've got bloody proof!

BoidKeeper · 10-11-04, 07:50 PM

Man the feeding response on this snake is crazy! She was literally waiting for me to open the carge. As soon as I did, BANG!
Tonight she's getting a hoper rabbit and a medium rat, both about the same size and in three days she'll be looking for more.

She's taken a swip at me before and missed but tonight she made up for it! This is the best hit I've ever taken from a snake. The only thing to come close to this was when my large adult male blk mex king got me.
Cheers,
Trevor

Artemis · 10-11-04, 07:53 PM

You've got a BP that eats rabbits????? As gruesome as the hand pic is, I wanna see pics of the snake, too!!

Sorry for your boo boo Trevor

Artemis

marisa · 10-11-04, 07:54 PM

hahaha just about five minutes ago a little female I have here came about two inches away from my getting face as I was about to feed her. I LOVE the ones that love to eat!

Marisa

Bartman · 10-11-04, 08:19 PM

How small do rabbits come? Maybe I can get my bp to eat those as he doesnt seem to care for rats.

What would the smallest rabbit be compared to a rat? He takes small rats whenever he chooses too..

BoidKeeper · 10-11-04, 08:34 PM

Here she is eating rabbit #2.

Depending on species some rabbites are born weighing as much as an adult mouse and up. These were a combo of a loppy eared and meat rabbit. The guy I get them from has two female meat rabbits. Once he gets a male I'll be laughing because meat rabbits are huge, bigger than a cat!
Cheers,
Trevor

zero&stich · 10-11-04, 08:56 PM

Eh, I'm not sure everyone relizes for a small python IMHO, have a decent jaw pressure. While back the boy was pissed I guess, lol, and didnt want to be handled anymore. The result was a smack on the top of my hand. Unfortunatly it hit the nerve and the wound was like Trevers there but a bit more blood. Minor bruises to, lol. Was kinda pain to stop the bleeding cause of the tag to the nerve.

VI Reptiles · 10-11-04, 09:02 PM

I got bit by my ball but it was my mistake

It got me on my thumb but didnt hurt or bleed much as that. By the way how much does she weigh and how much does the rabbit weigh?

BigBADace · 10-11-04, 09:12 PM

Nice looking bite, sounds a bit like my ball's feeding response, can't wait to get her on rabbits!

BoidKeeper · 10-12-04, 04:53 AM

I've got a bruise this morning on the bottom part of the bite. Man she got me good. The snake is about 1300g and the rabbit is about 120g.
Cheers,
Trevor

Invictus · 10-12-04, 04:55 AM

Nice battle scar!

cjice · 10-12-04, 09:13 AM

While we are on the subject of feeding...I have a bp who will not eat anything but live. (tried everything)..Anyways, he is about 7 months old and he has always been a good eater. I have unfortunately always given him numerous amounts of mice instead of one rat due to the live thing. Our pet stores around here sell very big rats and very small mice. I finally found baby rats at one store and decided that I would try a small one first as I have heard it can be difficult to switch them over. He took the rat almost as quick as he took his mice, so I bought another and he ate that too. I was soooo excited!!! Now that I know he likes rats, I will continue to use them (restrained). My question is, being that he has been on mice for so long, is he small for his age? I am unable to post a pic yet, but can anyone give me a size comparisan photo (pop can...ruler..) Im sure he could be bigger if he had been fed rats the whole time and I would like to know what an average weight, length is for a 7 mth old bp. I dont know if this helps but, I used a seamstress tape around his fattest part and he is 5 inches around, considering he ate two small rats two days ago...Does this sound "girthy" enough? I know you guys can help me better if I had pics..sorry

I was just looking for the averages. Thx

arkuden · 10-12-04, 09:58 AM

you are in the same boat as i am cjice! Ive got the same problems but im not sure about how big around my BP is right now. I just fed him a rat yesterday and now hes sleeping it off. I started mice just like you, but ive figured out a little pattern to get him slowly switched over to prekilled. Its kinda gross and maybe inhumane but its better than haveing a dead snake IMO. From mice i switched to baby rats (live) and after about 4 meals of baby rats under extremely close supervision, i would stun the rat the next time by putting in a plastic grocery bag and smaking it once real hard against the wall. This hasnt kill the rat very well so far but it will make noise and twitch like hell. All my BP wants is to see a little movement before he strikes and that twitch is just enough. I also prod the mouse once its in the feeding space of my bp with a piece of clear acrylic pole (harder to see) After 2 or 3 more times like that ill make sure the rat is dead before placing in the container. So far the plan is working great. Im just making sure not to go to fast and make a nice slow steady switch over. I had no problems getting him to feed on rats either. I also am a little worried about my BP's possible stunted growth from not having a complete nutrition prior to feeding him rats. The mice were always ratehr small it seems. Now that im better informed by BP is taking on a good amount of weight and seems to be getting back up to par i hope.

cjice · 10-12-04, 10:21 AM

Yeah, thats basically my concern as well, poor nutrition before the rats. Im hoping, like you, I will start to see some significant growth now. I wish us both luck..lol.

cjice · 10-12-04, 10:31 AM

I was just able to measure him...32 inches. Now all I need to do is weight. So, 5 inches (girth) 32 inches in length, 7 mths old. Does that sound ok as far as healthy goes?

arkuden · 10-12-04, 11:45 AM

hmmm that i couldnt tell you for sure. i need to get a scale also and have my bp weighed and measured. Sounds like his lenght is about right i believe... anyone know?