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Jacko23
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
27 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  21:21:13  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tried to feed Freddie again tonight after not feeding last week, every time the mouse comes near him he just balls up and ignores it!
I'm not touching him with my hands or the mouse just dangling it near him, warmed and brained it tonight but not so much as a Tongue flicker!
Left his food in there tonight to see if he eats it!

Doesn't look like he is coming into shed and I have him in the same RUB as he has always been in while I've had him, he fed the first week missed last week now looks like he will miss this week as well


Thanks
Jacko

Jacko23
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
27 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  21:22:14  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Sorry point of that was, can snakes be scared of their food, and if so? How can u rectify it!? He is only on small mice!
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Kelfezond
The bearded one

United Kingdom
4803 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  21:27:54  Show Profile  Visit Kelfezond's Homepage  Click to see Kelfezond's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
They're not scared of the food they're scared of the big people waving dead mice at them ^^

Just give him time royal pythons go on and off their food all the time it's natural to them.

\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
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Margwar
Yearling

United Kingdom
211 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  21:33:48  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
My female does this when my OH is in the room, but if it's left over night she comes out and gobbles it up.


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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal

United Kingdom
1197 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  21:53:52  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jacko23

Sorry point of that was, can snakes be scared of their food, and if so? How can u rectify it!? He is only on small mice!



Yes as alrady said food dangling over them, do you have tongs? if so then just riggle the food around on the base of the rub.

Royals owned "lots"

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Jacko23
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
27 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  21:55:27  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Kelfezond, I never even thought of that! Good point well said though!
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Jacko23
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
27 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  21:56:51  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hodgie, I haven't got tongs but it's next on my list to buy at the weekend, tongs are better than hands I gather?
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator

United Kingdom
5008 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  22:06:43  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jacko23

tongs are better than hands I gather?



Royal pyton teeth aren't small and they have great big heat pits on their noses everything about them is designed to catch and kill the hot blooded rodent, they smell rat, they see rat but the heat pits pick up the heat of rat only problem is thwe rats not hot, that just happens to be your hand you've just become the target of a strike. OUCH!


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Kelfezond
The bearded one

United Kingdom
4803 Posts

Posted - 19/07/2011 :  22:53:23  Show Profile  Visit Kelfezond's Homepage  Click to see Kelfezond's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Yeah you won't use your hands against after an adult royal strikes and constricts hehe

\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
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anatess
Sub Adult

USA
669 Posts

Posted - 20/07/2011 :  01:45:38  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
If he's scared of the food (or your hand), more likely, he wouldn't ball up and ignore it - he will go on a tight s-coil ready for a defensive strike with his head very close to his body. He might strike once or twice without constricting and keep a tight, balled up, nervous posture, or he will completely ball up tight with his head buried in his coils on a complete defensive retreat (there's quite a difference between the nervous ball and the relaxed ball).

If he's balled up like lazily and relaxed, he just doesn't want to eat.

Maybe he's ready for a rat...


Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
0.1.0 pastel royal
1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose

Edited by - anatess on 20/07/2011 01:47:51
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acd1984
Sub Adult

United Kingdom
687 Posts

Posted - 20/07/2011 :  05:03:42  Show Profile  Click to see acd1984's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
This might sound daft (and opposite to others opinions)but its worked for me since i got mine.

Take your royal out for armchair walkies just like its a normal day - put him back and give him/her maybe half hour - open the tub (if you use one), at this point mine starts darting all over the rub looking for what he can smell - i then leave it a couple of minutes to tease him and get him really excited by the smell - then i pop in the rat and bam - strike - feed = full happy snake.

thats just my routine, im sure it wont work for all but its worth a try if all else has failed

Good luck

*quick note* if you do this make sure he/she cant smell it before you want him/her to, otherwise he/she might want finger food instead lol


1.0.0 Lesser - Helios
2.0.0 Normal - George & Kairo
1.0.0 Mojave - Bolt
0.1.0 Mojave - Roxi
1.0.0 Leopard Gecko - Leo
0.0.1 Crocodile gecko - Pheonix

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acd1984
Sub Adult

United Kingdom
687 Posts

Posted - 20/07/2011 :  05:13:29  Show Profile  Click to see acd1984's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Ignore the he/she him/her crap iv not slept yet so my brain didnt process the name freddie when i read your post lol

another possible option is to allow the food to defrost overnight (rather than a couple of hours) in a tub, its more stinky, so it might be a snake version of walking past kfc......hmmmmmm kfc *dribbles*

other than that i always defrost in a tub so when i open it, all that lovely flavour spews out, just hold it away from your nose!

1.0.0 Lesser - Helios
2.0.0 Normal - George & Kairo
1.0.0 Mojave - Bolt
0.1.0 Mojave - Roxi
1.0.0 Leopard Gecko - Leo
0.0.1 Crocodile gecko - Pheonix

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Jacko23
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
27 Posts

Posted - 20/07/2011 :  15:05:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Anatess, I have never weighed him but i will today, but he has only just moved onto small mice and has only eaten one! Really think a rat might work?
Was also thinkin about trying a chick to see if that helps, I know I shouldn't worry about the lack of eating as it's clearly just a royal habit, but I can't help it!

Bigdon, I had the mouse in the car while I went to the gym so it was is a daily warm car for a couple hours and got a good blast with a hairdrier!
Wish the little bugger would eat!

Cheers for the help so far!
Jacko
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n/a
deleted

7384 Posts

Posted - 20/07/2011 :  15:48:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi, sorry to hear he's being an absolutely typical royal ...

In my experience, if the snake seems to recoil from the rodent, it's just not interested in eating. I know how you feel, though, because I've got a girl who's doing the same. All we can do is reflect that they've had a meal or two in the past weeks and tell ourselves that they're royals - this is what they're like and they won't fade away overnight. Royals are awkward little gits! Love 'em though!

About the tongs, don't buy from a rep suppliers - they cost the earth. Wilkinsons' kitchen/barbie tongs are just as good and only cost a couple of quid. The ones with the yellow plastic grips are my favourites, because then snakey won't bang the royal nose on cold metal if the royal strike misses slightly ...yes, he will strike ....eventually... I promise you!



Edited by - n/a on 20/07/2011 15:50:23
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Jacko23
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
27 Posts

Posted - 20/07/2011 :  16:01:29  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Just weighed the little bugger and he is only just a nudge over 100g!
I'm on my way to the rep shop to get some bits and pieces for his rub so I might get a
Chick and a little rat just to see is he fancies a change from mice! His feed sheet shows that he has only had three of each size before he
Moved up, so I may try a rat slightly bigger than a small mouse!

BATS, can't help but love them!

Again thanks for all the help
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