Your one stop reptile community - helllp my snakes\'s lunch is stuck in his mouth

ghostfacekilla1 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 03:02 AM

ok i have a ball python i gave it a fuzzy seeing that its not that old. its the same size as the one i gave him last week, and it seems to be stuck in his mouth. what should i do he is just sitting there with it in his mouth now for about 30 mins. how do i know if it is too big or if he just ate it sideways

he is just sitting there now with it in his mouth

mods: i posted this in feeding, but i need an answer QUICK
[addsig]

phaedrus · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 03:22 AM

Dude, First, Welcome to RTB.

Second, you'll hear this from one of the mods, but please don't double post. That's why we have mods: to make sure your question gets answered. Double posts only get deleted, get locked and definitely causes them more work.

As to food being stuck......I wouldn't worry. If it was the same size, then it should be fine. You'd be surprised what they can swallow. One of my snakes tried eating one sideways and after a bit realized that it wasn't gonna work, so she re-upped it and tried it all over again. It took her about 1/2 an hour to figure that one out. Don't worry. Give it some time.

Snakes know when prey is too large and usually don't attempt to feed if it is such. I'm sure others will be along to also lend their input.
[addsig]

ghostfacekilla1 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 03:24 AM

ok so i should just leave him in his feed box, and let him worry about it himself. its been like 45 mins and he still trying to swallow it
[addsig]

phaedrus · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 03:36 AM

Give him some privacy. One of my new snakes just did not like being watched. One time, when I walked in on him, he actually unswallowed the half rat he had in his mouth. Cover his cage with a towel, give him some privacy and carefully check in on him in a little bit.

We talking fuzzy mouse or rat? I hope it's frozen/thawed or fresh killed? BPs can be finicky eaters so you may not want to disturb him too much or he may go on strike.
[addsig]

ghostfacekilla1 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 04:48 AM

no he doesnt care if i watch him eat. but its still there like an hour and a half later i think its too big and he cant swallow it but he isnt regurgitaing it what should i do?
[addsig]

SnakePool · #6 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 04:52 AM

It should be taking more than 15 minutes if it is eating a fuzzy. The reason it's taking so long is because your standing there watching and the snake is seeing your movement. Leave it alone when it eats, it will learn to trust you eventually and let you see it eat.
[addsig]

ghostfacekilla1 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 04:54 AM

ok we watch it eat all the time it has no problems with it. i had in a box closed top for an hour and he cant swallow it, he istrying to swallow but he cant.
[addsig]

eddie · #8 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 05:17 AM

If it's been going on that long then it's time to nudge the snake and make him spit it out!
Sounds like the foods head may have turned down during the first few moments of the taking.
Just get him to back it out, warm it up and see if it will strike again.
If he does and eats, great!
If not, try again tommorrow.

If the food was fresh, you can freeze it at this point so it will keep overnight.
If it was frozen thawed, then toss it and use a new one next time.
[addsig]

#9 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 05:27 AM

Ok.. At this point now.. What's going on with this feeding ? HAs the snake eaten the prey , backed off or still seemingly "stuck" with the prey in it's mouth ???
If it is still in the mouth now, then I would work on getting it out of there were it my snake. REMEMBER.. The teeth of the snake are CURVED inwards ..so do NOT go pulling out directly. If you need to assist the snake in getting the prey out of the mouth, then you need to do it gently and make sure that you maneuver the prey in such a fashion so as to NOT cause any teeth to be broken or become pulled out either. Open the snake's mouth a bit more than it is atm in order to do this. Also expect your snake to become a bit "angry/testy" with you as well for having done such.
[addsig]

JuliusSqueezer · #10 (**permalink**) 10-07-2002, 05:35 PM

I had this happen once to a copperhead. I got lucky because when I went in with a hook and hemostats..the snake spit up the mouse most of the way back out but didn't let go...and then swallowed him correctly before I ever even touched him. whew.

Usually the problem with them getting food stuck is that the food gets folded on them...either they swallow from the middle or they get too far behind the head onto the neck and the head doubles back. If they are swallowing from the middle....this is a sign that you are feeding prey that is too small. Even though it got stuck...it got stuck because of how they approach smaller prey...not because it was too big so please evaluate this and make sure you are feeding proper size prey. fuzzy mice are probably too small for this snake. hold the dead rodent stretched out and his belly should be about the same size around as your snakes belly at it it's widest point. Many colubrids such as pituophis, elaphe or any of the kings and milks etc...do not have a girth rule really...it is amazing what they can put down....but boids have a bit more of a primative digestive system and a much slower metabolism so for many reasons it is important that the size prey they are getting is neither too large nor too small and that is just right.
[addsig]

Advertisement