killing but not eating ???

gladys · 02-19-10, 08:00 PM

Ok so I've had my ball for 3 months already (she is 6 months old) and she has been doing great!

Her last shed was amazing! One complete piece with just a little tear. She has been eating fuzzies and hoppers and was doing great with those. I recently tried to change her to rat pups. Last week we tried and she killed it but didn't eat it. I figured it was too big so today I took her to the place (the guy is a snake owner and breeder himself, has 3 amazing green tree pythons and more) and made sure I got one appropriate for her size. But once again she KILLED it but DIDN'T EAT IT!!!

any ideas as to why this is happening? I tried frozen when we first got her, but she showed no interest in them. I'm just confused cause she kills them! thanks for all the help

Hillsberry · 02-19-10, 09:23 PM

Well rats have a different smell then mice. So she might not eat it because of the different smell. I know some snakes will just eat either of them. But yours might not take a rat. I dont know thats what I think. Hope this helped! :P

=Carinata= · 02-20-10, 12:51 AM

what country do ball pythons originate from? are you sure its hungery? how long scince its last meal?

Hillsberry · 02-20-10, 08:58 AM

Ball Pythons originate from Central and Western Africa. Ball Pythons are very picky eaters. You can try many different things.

gladys · 02-20-10, 11:41 AM

she hasn't eaten in 2 weeks! I'm sure she is starving.

But what I don't understand is why she is attacking the little rats and killing them if she wont eat them? when I tried feeding frozen mice she didn't even bother cause she didn't like them... so does she like the rats but there's some reason she is not eating them or does she not like them but unlike the frozen mice she wraps around and kills them?

Will0W783 · 02-21-10, 08:48 AM

2 weeks is nothing. I feed my snakes every 2 weeks. I wouldn't worry until she's gone 2-3 months without eating.

mykee · 02-21-10, 02:44 PM

She is killing it because she is pissed off with it in her cage and doesn't want it running and jumping all over her.
If you are feeding a 6 month old ball python "fuzzy and hopper" mice, you have been severely underfeeding it. I feed my hatchlings almost adult sized mice as their first meal.
Try a rat the same size as hopper mouse (pinky?)

gladys · 02-23-10, 08:39 AM

i was feeding her two hoppers. and one hopper and one fuzzy when i first got her. it was really hard finding a place to get rat pups and when i first took her to the pet shop where i used to buy the mice they suggested just a fuzzy. (but i knew that wasn't enough)

the little rat pups don't even move, but i guess i wouldn't like intruders in my territory either. i will try to find a pup that small, but the ones i've seen lately are quite big.

i think i read somewhere that smaller balls can't go as long as bigger ones without eating and its been more like 3 weeks and a half. im not really worried about that though because i know if i feed mice she will eat. i was just wondering why she was killing this pups and not eating them.

thanks for all the suggestions

mommanessy247 · 03-29-10, 06:28 AM

years ago i had a ball python that killed but didnt eat the food i gave it. was never able to find out why as it died a short time later. back then i knew nothing of snakes and their care but now i am researching my butt off before i buy another one.