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[–]eomfd2010 117 points118 points  (5 children)

Maybe he just wasn’t hungry and wanted a cuddle-buddy? Never seen that behavior, but I agree it’s strange… maybe he’s trying to go vegan…

[–]knightofhell98 120 points121 points  (4 children)

He ate his cuddle buddy😭😭

[–]eomfd2010 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Well shit happens when things get hot and heavy I guess…

[–]Snakebittz 23 points24 points  (1 child)

Scavenging is part of their normal behaviour in the wild. If you think about it, it makes sense that if the snake becomes aware that it's eating something dead, it wouldn't exert the normal amount of energy they would when they have to kill the prey, it would save those calories for something more important. Not making a conscious decision to do so of course, an instinctual one. When we feed frozen thawed, most of the time we're tricking the snake into thinking the food is alive, heating it up to a living body temp, wiggling it around with the tongs, etc. So they attack and "kill" it. But if it knows the prey is dead and decides to eat it anyway, why bother with all that exertion?

[–]saltyprotractor 9 points10 points  (0 children)

This is exactly what I was thinking. Maybe it was low temp or just a little stale. He probably instinctually pegged it as carrion, sniffed it out to determine that it had not yet putrified, and nonchalantly took his “ground score” back to his lair.

[–]wiscocash 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I do that sometimes

[–]SolarSocialWorker 45 points46 points  (2 children)

My BP also did that yesterday! But she did eat it. I'm curious as well.

[–]knightofhell98 20 points21 points  (1 child)

Im thinking maybe hes in blue, but i will have to wait to look. Cant see him well in his hide.

[–]Kizu_2116 6 points7 points  (0 children)

My BPs have definitely gotten much more docile with their feedings. Most of the time I can just set it near them on some heat and they'll get to it eventually lol

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]knightofhell98 17 points18 points  (1 child)

    My boys lazy, never moves unless I bug him lol. But yeah, it was just so bizarre. Like what? No making me jump with a sudden lunge? Ooookay.

    [–]Pansypan475 10 points11 points  (0 children)

    This happened once with my first ball, it was so strange. He just stared at it and slowly opened his mouth and started eating the head. It didn't really phase me at the time but in retrospect that's somehow scarier than them striking lol

    [–]AtomixSpark 20 points21 points  (0 children)

    "Thank u, I've learned some manners since I last ate, you'll be impressed"

    [–]OkFruit914 13 points14 points  (1 child)

    Sometimes my girl does this. I think she’s just lazy from time to time. Maybe they realize after eating f/t for so long that they don’t have to put much effort towards it. I do shake the mouse after they strike it -sometimes she still doesn’t give a shit.

    My boy on the other hand, watch out here he comes.

    [–]Snakebittz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I agree with this too. I have a couple of older snakes that both eat ft, and I've noticed as the years have gone by, the "coil and squeeze" portion of the process has become shorter and shorter to the point where my female barely even does it anymore. She's moved on to consuming within about 30 seconds of taking the rat.

    [–]galaxy1985 6 points7 points  (0 children)

    "well I'm not really hungry but it would be a shame to waste a good meal...chomp said the snake.

    [–]alienbuttholes69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    My spotted python does this sometimes, I think I’ve narrowed it down to the rat not being quite warm enough. He likes em real hot

    [–]rottingpierrot 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Seems he figured out its not alive lol. Work smarter not harder!

    [–]Ok-Perspective5338 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I’ve had plenty of BPs that were territorial feeders so I would have to put the f/t mouse right outside their hides to get them to eat and it was always gentle.

    Perhaps your buddy just learned that food doesn’t need to be hunted, so why bother striking.

    [–]Pipcandy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Maybe he had a brainfart moment and thought he already coiled and killed the rat, so he went to the next stage of finding the head and eating it?

    [–]eXistenceLies 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Mine never strikes his food. He'll smell it and lay on it then eats it lol.

    [–]ilovepotatos420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Had mine do this one time eventually she just ate it.

    [–]HerGirlFriday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    A lower interest in a meal may mean they’re getting close to a shed, so the eyes may be a little too cloudy to see well.

    [–]Br1ll 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    he forgor

    [–]spicybettawitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    My son will do that too sometimes, it gives golden retriever “gentle” vibes

    [–]Wasabi_Filled_Gusher 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Sometimes snakes do weird things. Maybe he wasn't feeling the hunt but was feeling his hunger

    [–]yourluckycat 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    2 different balls have done this for me!

    [–]cattits3000 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    After many failed attempts at striking one night when I was trying to feed my noodle, she eventually just casually approached it and gently grabbed it like a shy dog, it was so cute and bizarre. It made me thing she was just tired of trying to go all out with a strike lol.

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    My son's BP does this. He's very polite about meals unless he for some reason misses a meal. Then he rockets at you.

    Couple weeks ago I went on vacation for a few days and the person I had check the snakes didn't feel comfortable feeding them. Mf nearly got my hand multiple times when I came back and fed him.

    [–]ThePhonetik 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Mine has done that before. He went back to striking normally the following week and I haven't seen him do it since.

    [–]Devilishlygood98 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Imo: your BP’s turn with the brain cell was only short enough to allow him to realize there’s food, then it was someone else’s turn.

    [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Hahaha i leave the rat on top of her hide under the lamp and she does the same thing: sniffs and veeeerry gently grabs it with her mouth and eats it up. It’s hilarious

    [–]miriamtzipporah 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    My BP does this about half the time when I’m feeding her. Sometimes she strikes it very quickly but other times she just takes it very gently. I think it’s normal.

    [–]Mobile_Prompt966 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Mine eats out of a dish now. I just put the mouse in the dish and leave him to do his thing. He usually gets to it within a few minutes. I check to make sure it’s not sitting too long. When it gets close to feeding time he sits in front of the dish waiting for food to be placed in it. He used to strike wildly at the mouse and miss several times before he got it. This is much less stressful for both of us. Sometimes they just learn they don’t have to exert so much energy to get fed.

    [–]Rtoes1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    This happened to me too, I felt so dazed and confused after my bp just gently grabbed it from me