Help asap! Questions about BP

clmclark · 03-02-11, 09:57 PM

I set her humidity box in another box and took the lid off it then put the mouse in with her. She pulled some of the moss out with her when she came out to get the mouse. Now she starting to eat the mouse but there is still moss tangled with her and the mouse. I'm scared that she'll get some of the moss. I imagine it's the same as eating substrate. She seems to be moving the mouse away. She doesn't have a good hold of the mouse yet. Is it ok to interupt her to pick the moss out once she's got a good mouthful of the mouse? This is the first time she's eating for me. I've had her 5 weeks. I'm so excited that she's eating! What do I do about the moss?

TeaNinja · 03-02-11, 09:59 PM

if the moss will harm her if she eats it, and you think she actually will, I would interrupt it and take the moss off. the snake might not like it at all, and MAY even bite you, but its better then eating something that will mess it up.

if its non harmful to eat, i'd leave it.

as for the fact, is the moss harmful, i have no idea

clmclark · 03-02-11, 10:00 PM

update- ran back to check on her. she moved the mouse away from the moss and just the tail is sticking out. No sign of moss anywhere. YAY! SHE FINALLY ATE FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!! She struck at me last night and has been out moving around all night for the last 2 nights so I figured she must be hungry. Gave it a shot tonight and finally! Now to get her back in her tank with out pissing her off.

TeaNinja · 03-02-11, 10:02 PM

nice

hopefully she will eat regularly

clmclark · 03-02-11, 10:08 PM

How old is your BP? How old was it when you got it? I'm used to an older snake that was accustomed to being handled. I haven't been handling her at all but when I reached in last night to get her water dish, thinking she was hiding- she struck at me. Didn't get me, not that she could do that much harm for how little she is so I'm not scared. But Made me a little sad that she tried. She hadn't eaten in 5 weeks and was very antsi. But is that normal?

TeaNinja · 03-02-11, 10:49 PM

my guess is she was probably hungry after 5 weeks and saw the warm hand and thought it was a mouse. i'm not sure how old my bp is but i got it a month or so ago. mine always ate like a champ and hasn't missed a feeing yet for me, and now that i think of it, i've fed him/her 6 times, which would mean i've had it for just over 6 weeks. at first mine was super panicky and didn't like to be held and stressed out super hard. but i made it a point to hold her every day or two for short amounts of time and she'd panic at first, then once she'd calm down i'd hold her for a few minutes then put her back in her viv. after a few weeks of that she was muuuuch better. the only time mine has struck at me so far is when i reached my hand passed the shoebox she was in when she was in feeding mode lol.

clmclark · 03-02-11, 10:55 PM

She seems nervous when I'm around her or near her enclosure. I'm going to give it another feeding or 2 before I handle her at all. Then I'll do what you did. Just short visits once every day or 2. I'm a little nervous around her now that she struck at me. Trying to remember she was just a very hungry snake. It's not personal. She is an animal with limited means of action/communicating. I'm hungry and get the heck away from me are the same message. lol
I'm used to training dogs. I'm sure its just because of lots of experience but knowing what to do with a dog comes naturally. Where even though I've done research and everything this is just out of my element. I'm learning though. Now that she's eaten I'll enjoy the process more and relax.

Lankyrob · 03-03-11, 05:27 AM

You will learn over time to "read" your snakes to a certain extent, there are days when i have gone to change my SD Retic waterbowl - started to open the cage door, taken one look at him and decided to change the water the following day! Mind he is a very easily readable snake compared to my others, you can instantly tell whether you can stick your hand in the cage or pick him up etc.

TeaNinja · 03-03-11, 05:30 AM

i agree. i can totally tell when my dumerils is in a "leave me alone, i want to hide" mood. but the ball python is in that mood FOREVER lol. at least mine is used to me now and doesn't freak out when i hold it or anything.

Lankyrob · 03-03-11, 05:32 AM

My BP has two moods - when i open the viv he will either hide (leave me alone) or actually come over and slither out of the viv (pick me up)

TeaNinja · 03-03-11, 05:43 AM

mine doesn't come to me yet and he's still pretty flinchy, so whenever he's halfway out of his hide and i open the top, he SHOOTS back into the hide lol. nigma on the other hand has come out of the viv to me on numerous occasions, he's awesome.

clmclark · 03-03-11, 08:18 AM

I am learning to read her. I would love for her to come to me to pick her up. I'm realistic enough to know that may not happen. The first time I tried to feed her she seemed happy to be held and check me out.
He new thing is to lay inside her humidity box but poke her head out and rest it on the outside of the box. It's really cute but seems strange to me. She looks relaxed most of the time. Sometimes she looks more alert and I just stay away. I've been covering the hole on her H/B when she's in it so I can change the water with ease.
Yesterday wasn't her typical feed day. I usually try on Mondays but she didn't eat on Monday. That night and tuesday she was all over the place all night long. Flicking her tongue so I figure she must've been hungry. I just gave it another shot and sure enough she ate. I'm soooo relieved.
I wanted her to feel extra secure after eating so I put a towel up around her enclosure so she had complete privacy.