Idiotic snake

[bladespark]

So you recall when I said Anthonly wasn't inclined to ball up? I've found something that makes him do so. Wiggling a dead mouse at him.

Yes, Anthony is terrified of his dinner.

*sigh*

I've quit wiggling it, in the hopes that if it's not scaring him he'll notice it's food, but right now he's just nosing at the feeding container around it, looking for a way out, and ignoring it. He's not half an inch from a warm mouse, he's due to eat today, but he can't seem to figure out that this is food. Eesh.

Edit: Because apparently I need to say this - I was relating an amusing anecdote here. NOT asking for advice in feeding snakes. If I did wish advice on feeding snakes, this post would have contained phrases such as "Does anybody have any suggestions?" or "What should I do about this?" As it does not, it is safe to assume that I do not wish advice, since if I had wanted advice, I would have asked for it.

Comments

[wolfmare.livejournal.com]

I dunno about dead mice... The ball python I snakesat wouldn't touch a dead mouse, only live ones. They aren't much by way of carrion eaters.

Not exactly professional advice, and you'll hear a lot of people screaming in protest at the idea of a snake killing it's dinner like it's supposed, but instinct says kill it if it's small and wriggling, and they usually will.

[beetlecat.livejournal.com]

What did he eat before you got him? I don't know snakes, so I'm truly curious. Maybe leave it on the bottom of the cage and just jostle it a bit

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

He's been raised eating dead mice. Dead mice is all he's ever eaten. MOST snakes in captivity eat dead mice, warmed up and wiggled to look alive.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Dead mice, same as this one. *shrugs* It may just be that in a new place he's not settled in enough yet. I'll try again in a few days. I can't just leave it in the cage though, if it's sitting on the bottom he might eat shavings along with it, and that wouldn't be good for him at all.

[wolfmare.livejournal.com]

Heh...

Another odd thought... I've heard of snakes that would only eat certain colored mice. Usually darker, natural fur color. Don't ask me why, I have no idea, but at least it's an idea.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

I'm more inclined to think he's just not settled and comfortable enough yet to want to eat. It WAS a dark colored mouse, so that's not it.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Given that he's only been in my possession for four days, and that there are many other things to try first, I think not.

[emirasan.livejournal.com]

Yea, I got one like that. We were warned he would only live, but the guy we got him from forgot to mention that not only would he only eat live rats, but that he would ONLY eat live dark rats. At the time the little one we had would eat fuzzy's but only if we warmed them and left them lying on a rock. Unfortunately once she got a taste of making her own kills on a small live mouse that we were trying to feed the big one, we could never get her to eat frozen again. Figured it was better to just be really careful feeding live than taking them to the vet for force feeding when their was a chance they would regurgitate the food and be overly stressed by the whole ordeal.

Once the little guy gets hungry enough he will probably eat. Or maybe he only likes white mice. I have no doubt you'll figure out what the little guy needs SPark.

[svashtar.livejournal.com]

It's a good thing I read the whole post. I was going to suggest something.

I *am* going to ask something. Was Anthony being fed frozen/thawed at the pet store? And did s/he eat while there? When I was working at a pet store in San Jose, I always made a point of feeding a ball python on the day it was to go to its new home, just to be sure it was eating okay.

Balls are just weird stressy snakes. Cute as the Dickens. But stressy.

A lot of them are afraid of their own shadows.

[svashtar.livejournal.com]

Okay, my first question was answered here. Pip wouldn't touch a dead rodent, even if it was the last thing on earth to eat. Tried a bunch of times, finally gave up. She likes her food to MOVE.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's weirdly twitchy. Totally mellow about some things, freaks out for no real reason about others. He did eat at the store, about three days before we took him home, so it's only bee just a week since his last feeding.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Clearly you are feeding the snake entirely the wrong things!

You need to go out there with an axe, find an extremely stupid person (bonus if they are a Bush supporter, bigoted fanatic or otherwise nucking futs). Apply axe to head. Repeat until twitching stops

Of course, you amy question how this will create food for the snake, and I admit I haven't quite made the connection myself yet, but it will amuse me muchly

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Well, if I could get my hands on a large enough reticulated python or anaconda, then I could feed that snake with idiots. I'd only have to feed it a couple of times a year even, and idiot is a nice, big meal.

[reaverta.livejournal.com]

Hm.

You have a neurotic snake.

That's kinda awesome, in an odd sort of way... ;)

[khukuri.livejournal.com]

My black-headed pythons were the same. Chill about everything else, but OH DEAR GOD MOUSE DEAD MOUSE AAAIE like a 50s housewife.

Sometimes I am curious about what exactly goes on in their little heads.