underwater dinning?

pythonregius · 10-13-05, 10:11 AM

my newly aquired ball python has this habbit of killing his prey underwater. i have moved the dish in several locations within the tank but fate seems to favour the other hand. when this happends, should i intervine at anytime before both the rat and the snake drown or will nature take its natural course of action? and is it healthy for the snake being submereged that long?

End Times · 10-13-05, 10:45 AM

The snake's head itself is submerged? Weird. During the whole constricting process? Well, I highly doubt your ball would drown itself so wouldn't worry about it...

Can you post a pic of this, I'd love to see it!

YoungBuck · 10-13-05, 12:08 PM

This isn't a very good pic of it, as his water level is only at half and the rat is 1/4 of the way down already...but you get the "just of it." My JCP likes to do the same thing as your ball does every once in awhile. I was worried at first, but doesn't seem to have any negative effects on him

Mike

kronic2005 · 10-13-05, 10:07 PM

Thats awesome! post some pics of teh baal doin it

pythonregius · 10-14-05, 06:46 AM

thanx guys, you're all a great help!! i haven't had my python regius long. i actually took him from a man who was not taking care of it very well so i decided on taking him, and hopefully making a better life for him. i'm not even really sure he's male, but he is pretty long-little over 3 and a half feet or so.

pics would be cool but i unfortunately don't have a camera and when he was eating everything underwater it was the first thing to come to mind.

one again thanx so much!!

pythonregius

Shmike · 10-14-05, 12:22 PM

thats not a ball pyton!

deborahbroadus · 10-24-05, 01:53 AM

[QUOTEYoungBuck This isn't a very good pic of it, as his water level is only at half and the rat is 1/4 of the way down already...but you get the "just of it."
My JCP likes to do the same thing as your ball does every once in awhile. I was worried at first, but doesn't seem to have any negative effects on him

[/QUOTE]

Of course it isn't! He never said it was. :medwhistl

robitza · 10-26-05, 12:34 PM

I suggest feeding freshly killed or frozen/thawed prey. It is better for the animal. Less chance of something going wrong and the snake getting injured.

Is the rat venturing near the water for a drink when the snake strikes? In nature, large snakes would wait along an animal trail to a water source and strike at the moment when the pass.

YoungBuck · 10-26-05, 02:51 PM

The prey I feed all my snakes is F/T

deborahbroadus · 10-28-05, 08:53 PM

Galadriel did the same thing last time I fed her, Wednesday last week. She killed the stunned ratpup and then by some freak accident it ended up in the water. Her head was completely submerged as she tried and tried to figure out how to begin her feast without drowning. lol She's only about 5 months old now.

I finally took pity on her and took it out of the water, and as it was soaked and probably no longer warm, I heated it under the lights to attract her back to it. Thank goodness, she finally ate it.

But it was weird seeing her swimming underwater trying to get the ratpup in the proper position to eat. lol