Is my baby BP always going to be a feeding retard?

[Boacephus]

Okay I got my little guy about two weeks ago. He was a farm raised baby so he came directly to the store after hatching. I could tell by his color and "glow" that he had recently shed so I figured it was time to eat, even though he only acclimatized to his new environment for 2 days. So I feed him two pinkies, the first one went well strike constrict swallow. The second one, weirdo, he didn't even strike or constrict he simply started swallowing, butt first!! These pinkies were live, I figure what can a pinkie hurt, I wanted to get him feeding and will swithc him over to P/K or F/T prior to reaching regulars size mice, hopefully with the hoppers. Okay no big deal being butt first my BCI has done that one before, but the pinky was still alive and kicking, half the mouse was gone the othr half was moving around, talk about feeling bad for the little mouse. So that was a week ago I figured I would go to a fuzzy this time. Good at first,sorta, he struck butt first, constricted started to swallow, oh o wait a minute it's still moving. No problem for him, I guess he thought well I can still constrict him with half of it down my throat, lol. So that what he did, constricted some more then proceded to swallow, what a weirdo. Will he change his ways, I never knew they had to learn I thought it was completely instinct. I have also never had a snake that I gave him his first meal.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Ed_r]

Be thankful its eating. My baby BCIs even took a live pinky without constricing, just ate it down live. Sometimes with very small prey they take it for granted i guess. they get out of it quickly though. I have BPs they are a couple years old that are problem feeders. I wouldnt worry about it. BUT Definately get the snake on f/t as soon as possible. As a baby it's much easier to do.

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Reptiles are like Pokemon... Gotta catch em all!!!

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Boaguy]

if you give my rosy boa she will do that.
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[coferj]

The first time I fed my BRB he ate his pinkies but first live. He constricted the first one for a little bit, but not near long enough to kill it, but didn't care. The second one he just bit, and started swallowing. I knew he was too big for pinkies, and needed to move up...so I just went to f/t to make sure not to cause harm to the snake. From what I understand lots of snakes do this, so I don't think yours is retarded. Once you get him into p/k or f/t, it'll be all good.
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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.

[JC86]

My corn snake did that too. I switched to f/t a few months ago and now he doesn't even try to constrict or anything, he'll just snatch it from my tweezers by the head and start swallowing.

My BP and BRB still constrict even tho it's f/t...and they definately do it long enough hard enough that if the rat/mouse was taken alive it would have died.


Scott
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	Corn Snake The Corn Snake or Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata) is a species of Rat Snake.

[Boacephus]

I figured it had to do something with the small size. My juvenile BP, about 1yr, is a problem feeder, she eats when she wants to. I had her on P/K then she got sick, my fault(chemical burn from not diluting betadyne) now she is very picky. I wish all were like my BCI, she doesn't care.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Reticu-Lady]

Several of my young snakes would do that as well. I think they would rather spend their energy digesting and growing than by killing a 'harmless' meal. Now, one of my former live swallowers kills the f/t rat pups, actually ;overkill' fits better, she constricts her entire body around it. It's funny, maybe this weekend I'll get a pic.
Looking on the bright side, your bp is eating, things could be worse. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

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

[slaponte]

Well, guess what BoaC?

My first baby BPs, first feeding, first fuzzy goes in, first strike : And she eats it backwards!

The brain damage must run on the breed... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
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	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[impermanentrage]

Most snakes will eat neonatal mammals live. Constricting varieties wont constrict, ven's wont inject. As Reticu-lady said , they are simply conserving energy in the case of constrictors, or venom in the case ven's. Depending on the level maturation,or possibly intelligence, captives will do this their entire lives. I've got a female BCI who'll take dead from hemostats, or hand, without a "normal" feeding response. She'll simply begin the ingesting process. No striking, no constriction, just swallow.
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	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.