Tank Nipping.

[dave_lp]

This is the second feeding that I have given my Ball rats. Before now he was on large mice. I always but the mice in live, but the rats are so much bigger, that ive been having them kill them at the petstore. Both times I've done this he has jumped at the tank, smashing his face after i closed the lid. Could it because, he knows its in there, but i'm the only thing it sees move?

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[dave_lp]

And I was wondering a good probing age?

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[Sinbad]

well for ball pythons and all snakes for that matter take em out of the cage so that there isnt a chanse that they will eat the substrate Iam not sure about probing but you sould if he was used to live knock em your self (i had to do this with my ball) then put them in while it is flailing around look live but with no harm to snake.

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[Sinbad]

and put them in like a shoe box much much easier in my eyes

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[dave_lp]

TY Sinbad. I do have a little carrier, that is 12x6x6 with a vented lid.

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[Gecko-Guy]

the thing with ball pythons is that they tend to lose feeding response when you touch them. They basically won't eat after you pick them up and put them in a container unless you are lucky. If you are using loose substrate as a bedding, You can put a blanket of newspaper over half of it and put the dead rat on the paper. BTW, it's cheaper and safer to get frozen rats, just something youmight consider.

[Sinbad]

I never had a problem with my ball doing that

ya but hes fead his live ( wich is a nono)

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[dave_lp]

I pay 12 dollars a month to feed him rats every 7 days. Ive never picked him up before feeding, because i wouldnt want him to think that everytime he gets picked up, foods coming. I uses cell-sorb as a substate, its like bigger soft rabbit pellets. Are frozen rats just disease free?

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[Shadrach]

Ok first off I disagree with Balls loosing their feeding response because touched. Point and case I'll let any Ball Python grab constrict and then pick one up to prove it while its still wraped around the rat. Dave he's striking the cage because he see's your body heat and smells the rat thinking you are the rat moving. Try dancing the rat on tongs and letting him grab it from you this will stop the striking the tank. Also f/t'd rats are cheaper and mite and disease free freezing kills any parasites the rats may be carrying.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[ChrisBallPython]

yes, f/t rodents are safer than live rodents. live rodent may hurt your snake and they may have some inside parasites or outside that u cannot see. but paraside on f/t rodents had killed by the freezer and it cannot move,too.
for myself, i would feed him live rodent cux that's the my favourite moment. i love to see him catch the rodent. it's a prodigy. But, many ppl wouldn't recommand u to do that.

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	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[CC]

i would feed him live rodent cux that's the my favourite moment. i love to see him catch the rodent. it's a prodigy.

Not trying to be rude but you need to do whats better for your snake, instead of what you like better. It won't be to much fun to watch the mouse or rat rip you snake up.

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[Sinbad]

yes it is I belive betterto take them out of there cage and put them in a carrier or shoe box because they have a less likely chance of mistaking your hand for food

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[Sinbad]

I dont think it is good to feed snakes live but if you made the mistake to do it when they are young make sure to watch the snake until you are sure the mouse or rat is dead

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[dave_lp]

ty all

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[Sinbad]

and again no prblem

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[pathfinder36]

He doesn't "see" any body heat. Ball pythons are not pit vipers.

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[Mac]

You may want to feed your ball on tongs until he stops this behavior however one bad thing about feeding in an enclosure is that you are creating a behavioral pattern, door opens I get to eat- for breeders this is acceptable but for a pet you may want to feed in a seperate container. Snakes can sometime get an infection or inhjury from banging there face- could cause mouth rot etc... as I am sure you are aware

But I would bet you are correct that the movement by a warm object coupled by that good smell (rat) could be causing the 'striking/feeding' reaction.

I would feed him off tongs or in a seperate container, you can tail that rats and feed him also just be careful and its not my official recommendation

Good Luck

[SnakePool]

He doesn't "see" any body heat. Ball pythons are not pit vipers.

Are you serious?!

I always thought they could sense heat but I guess I learn something new everyday.[/quote]

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[Mac]

I liked to pop hatchlings (manually evert w/out a probe) under 6 months to a year and probe after that (for me its more of a size issue and my comfort with the snake), but there are exceptions to every rule, any kind of tree boa or python for me personally fall into this area to me.

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[Gecko-Guy]

Ball pythons do not sense heat the same way that pit vipers and tree boas/pythons do. Pit vipers and tree boas/pythons have heat sensing pits on the sides of their heads that are like extra eyes that sense heat. Other snakes can sort of feel that there is something warmer near them than the rest of its surroundings but this is no where near as accurate as the pits. I think one boa (can't remember the name) is an exception. It is a ground boa but it posesses pits.

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