# Striking feed, but then just dropping it



## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Unusual behaviour at feeding today, my Royal struck as normal, crushed for a few seconds and then just dropped the feed. I've left the multi in the viv, but currently it's being ignored and Fluffy has only ever struck fed. 
Just wondering what would cause such behaviour? I've used a different supplier this time due to difficulties getting multis, nothing else has changed. I know Fluffy will be fine missing a feed, just after thoughts on this 🙃


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## NickN (11 mo ago)

I had a similar incident two days ago with my Rosy Boa: he struck, constricted briefly and then dropped and ignored.
So (as I had another mouse defrosted ready for another snake) I offered him another one, which he struck, constricted and swallowed! After a minute or so, he ambled towards the previously discarded one and gobbled that up as well...


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Would guess either not hungry, or put off by the smell.

Some carpet pythons are notorious for doing this, and it can be frustrating 🤷🏻‍♂️

A fresh meal item or a change in prey type can sometimes help.

If a rodent (asf, mice or rat) doesn’t spark interest, try a day old chick for variety? 

Continue to make sure access to fresh water, incase the royal is dehydrated, but not thought to have a drink


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Oh, and Fluffy is a male? What age?


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Swindinian said:


> Oh, and Fluffy is a male? What age?


Sex unknown at the moment. Fluffy is 16 months old and I feed multimanmates as they're the ones thing Fluffy eats. They're searching for food and has been for last few days. I always feed weekly and only time food is refused is during blue and shed phase. 

Huge ceramic dog bowl of water refreshed daily. Moist, moss hide etc. I've recently been considering offering a chick, but been a bit reluctant as it took a while, when I first got Fluffy, to get feeding going. 

The one thing that I did think off is, Fluffy was right on the doors (you can barely get the feed in now before sticking happens) and this meant that, when I shut the doors, they may have nudge them??


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

I've had a few do that over time. Even re-heating with the hairdryer and offering would result in the same, strike, coil, constrict and then drop rather than search for the head. No idea why, no correlation between others from the same clutch, who would feed without issue. My theory is that either they are not that hungry, or that they feel its a threat and just needs to be killed, but not hungry so don't eat. I also tried offering a different food item, switching to mice rather than rats which often worked, or removed the uneaten item and waited until next week to feed.

At 16 months if fluffy is a male (worth having him probed to confirm) then at 16 months if male, he could be sexually mature. Also at that age he might be hitting the 1kg wall that nearly all Royals seem to play with food and refuse food around that weight. Why no one really knows.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Malc said:


> I've had a few do that over time. Even re-heating with the hairdryer and offering would result in the same, strike, coil, constrict and then drop rather than search for the head. No idea why, no correlation between others from the same clutch, who would feed without issue. My theory is that either they are not that hungry, or that they feel its a threat and just needs to be killed, but not hungry so don't eat. I also tried offering a different food item, switching to mice rather than rats which often worked, or removed the uneaten item and waited until next week to feed.
> 
> At 16 months if fluffy is a male (worth having him probed to confirm) then at 16 months if male, he could be sexually mature. Also at that age he might be hitting the 1kg wall that nearly all Royals seem to play with food and refuse food around that weight. Why no one really knows.


Will try again next Friday and see what happens. Won't touch feed left in the viv, they're so unlike corn snakes that's for sure. Still got a way to go before we hit the 1kg mark. Although feeding weekly, I think I should have gone up in feed sizes a little sooner. 

I do want to get Fluffy probed, just need to find someone local to do it.


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## Jibbajabba (Jan 31, 2011)

I had that tons of time back in my breeding days (ok, not 'my' breeding days). I wouldn't worry. If Fluffy isn't eating next Friday, I'd give it maybe two weeks. They go back eventually. And no, they won't starve to death  I had one royal that went without food for six months.


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## StuG (Nov 4, 2009)

Sometimes their feeding response befin


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## StuG (Nov 4, 2009)

StuG said:


> Sometimes their feeding response begins to tail off as just before they fast. Either that or the prey item isn’t triggering the feeding for long enough-if you heat the prey and it’s losing temperature is one example of when that can happen. Next time you feed after the snake strikes grab the rodents leg with the tongs and put up a bit of fight, sometimes that can help.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Are the mice WARM ??


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Lee Python, my Australian Spotted Python did that last week- I took the mouse out & tried again, dangling it once more in front of him, this time he took it again & ate it.


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

I have often thought we feed our captives way more than they would get in nature.

Imagine if a royal python only gets the opportunity once a month in the wild. Or three meals in one night, then nothing for 3-4 months. Could be one explanation for why they loose their natural feed response.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

wilkinss77 said:


> Lee Python, my Australian Spotted Python did that last week- I took the mouse out & tried again, dangling it once more in front of him, this time he took it again & ate it.


Tried that, but it didn't work 😕


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Zincubus said:


> Are the mice WARM ??
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Yes, defrosted and then warmed with a hairdryer


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Jibbajabba said:


> I had that tons of time back in my breeding days (ok, not 'my' breeding days). I wouldn't worry. If Fluffy isn't eating next Friday, I'd give it maybe two weeks. They go back eventually. And no, they won't starve to death  I had one royal that went without food for six months.


I know Fluffy will be fine missing feeds, just wondered what might cause the behaviour.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Swindinian said:


> I have often thought we feed our captives way more than they would get in nature.
> 
> Imagine if a royal python only gets the opportunity once a month in the wild. Or three meals in one night, then nothing for 3-4 months. Could be one explanation for why they loose their natural feed response.


Fluffy is still a youngster and still has a lot of growing to do as only around 500g at 16 months old. I've tried to not rush growth, though think I should have gone up a size in feed sooner. 

It's hard to compare wild and captive habits and feeding as so many variables.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Swindinian said:


> I have often thought we feed our captives way more than they would get in nature.
> 
> Imagine if a royal python only gets the opportunity once a month in the wild. Or three meals in one night, then nothing for 3-4 months. Could be one explanation for why they loose their natural feed response.


Agreed . 

Mine feed far , far better every 10 to 14 days rather than weekly 


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Elly66 said:


> Yes, defrosted and then warmed with a hairdryer


Ok ... .. just they cool down so fast even after a blast of the hairdryer.

I now have the viv doors open ready .. with the hairdryer plugged in next to the vivs .

I give the mouse / rat a good blast and dangle it in front of them in about a second .


The strikes are frightening sometimes 


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## Jibbajabba (Jan 31, 2011)

Elly66 said:


> I know Fluffy will be fine missing feeds, just wondered what might cause the behaviour.


I’ll be cheeky here but the reality is. Unless you get them to talk, it could be literally anything. Anything from ‘don’t care if the temps are right’ to ‘I just can’t be arsed’.


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Nothing like a good strong violent strike 😁 Still makes me jump sometimes.
Just finished feeding some of my snakes. Most were v vigorous but a couple I had to tease or entice.

So another thing I’ve come to suspect is that healthy gut flora may be better with infrequent feeders and varied diet than frequent feeders on the same diet.

Nothing to support this, just a, er, gut feeling 🥴🤦🏻


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Zincubus said:


> Ok ... .. just they cool down so fast even after a blast of the hairdryer.
> 
> I now have the viv doors open ready .. with the hairdryer plugged in next to the vivs .
> 
> ...


I unlock the viv doors ready, but as Fluffy waits right next to them, I only slide them open as I'm about to give the multi. I heat right next to the viv as well. 

Oh yes, even though I'm expecting the strike, it happens so fast I still jump 🤣


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

Jibbajabba said:


> I’ll be cheeky here but the reality is. Unless you get them to talk, it could be literally anything. Anything from ‘don’t care if the temps are right’ to ‘I just can’t be arsed’.


Yeah, I know. Snakes are funny buggers 🤣


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