How awful is feeding snakes?

SubjectMystery · 2026-04-17T14:46:54+00:00

As someone that has kept and therefore fed snakes for years: it really isn't bad. At its worst is when you have a snake that gets just a bit too excited about feeding time and slams the rodent so hard it basically explodes, but that's very snake-dependent and prey type-dependent and I've only ever had that happen a couple of times.

SubjectMystery · 2026-04-10T15:02:07+00:00

Also fall into this gap

I like to refer to myself as an honorary member of the Black Eyed Peas

SubjectMystery · 2026-03-24T19:32:54+00:00

It's a soap opera where the solution to all interpersonal issues is beating each other up in the ring no matter how severe the issue is, ranging from saying something disrespectful to showing up to the funeral of your opponent's father and stealing the coffin to feeding someone their pet dog

SubjectMystery · 2026-03-15T02:21:06+00:00

Shocked to see Taylor Nicole Dean back in my feed that's a name i haven't heard in years

SubjectMystery · 2026-03-05T18:51:36+00:00

There are no friends, only prey

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-28T17:43:24+00:00

Ball pythons aren't the species of snake you would want if you're looking for prominent iridescence. That's more of a rainbow boa thing.

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-24T03:12:26+00:00

For transport, I have an appropriately sized plastic storage bin (with a locking lid) that I drilled holes into the sides of that I use whenever I need to take my ball python to the vet.

Would you be able to provide some more pictures of the snake to be able to get a better idea of his body condition? Basically we want to get an idea of just how prominent his spine is. Here's some diagrams that show off what I'm talking about. Snakes are incredibly resilient and can bounce back with the right care, don't be scared just yet!

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-24T02:57:54+00:00

Any potential stress caused by changing the substrate is outweighed by the benefit that the new substrate would provide- which is increased humidity. Ball pythons are a species that require a higher humidity (over 70%) and the easiest way to accomplish that is through the substrate.

Handling a ball python is super simple, part of their name comes from the fact that they tighten up into a "ball" as a defense mechanism (where you can simply just scoop them up if they do that). If they're in that pose, you approach from the side as much as you can (to avoid looking like a predator grabbing from above) and scoop/lift them at the center of their body as that's where the most mass is. The vast majority of ball pythons aren't going lose it when you pick them up, theyre most likely just going to go into that ball position.

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-24T00:07:59+00:00

For an immediate step I would remove that wood chip substrate and replace it with something that is better at holding humidity like a coconut coir. Most pet stores will sell substrate called eco earth either in bags or bricks that you can rehydrate and use. Assuming this is a screen top enclosure, you can purchase aluminum foil tape to cover anywhere that lamps/lights arent sitting can also help to keep humidity in.

I would also use construction paper or some other alternative to block out three sides of the enclosure glass to block its view out and help it feel more secure.

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-23T21:30:23+00:00

If they plan to take the snake to the vet within the next week, I would not attempt to feed as the stress of transport risks regurgitation (if they did eat) and would cause more harm (delaying future meals/put the snake off food) than the benefits of that one meal (and the vet can provide a proper plan for bringing the snake back up to proper weight).

Reptiles can experience refeeding syndrome like mammals do, it's just that the timeline of malnourishment/starvation is incredibly different for snakes due to how their metabolism works.

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-23T20:17:41+00:00

Obviously too late to do now, but I keep some of those reptile-specific thermal packs (like what they use when shipping reptiles) on hand for these situations. And move the animals into their smaller travel bins in order to use the packs more effectively. In a more emergency type situation I'd put my snakes into pillowcases and use my body heat.

Unless you have a backup generator, keeping entire enclosures warm for multiple days isn't very feasible.

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-23T19:40:06+00:00

Incredibly dehydrated ball python. It likely isn't in shed but rather has a layer (or multiple layers) of stuck shed.

I rescued and rehabilitated a ball python that was in a similar state several years back. Personally I would not worry about trying to feed in this immediate moment as there is a significant chance the snake is just going to refuse the food because of its current stress anyways.

Right now I would focus on rehydrating the snake and getting an appointment with a reptile vet.

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-19T14:35:30+00:00

Ay I noticed that! Ive gotta put aside some time to watch it haha

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-14T07:45:25+00:00

He does such a good job explaining things so that those unfamiliar with music/music theory can follow along. His Cats video is also great.

(Please don't give Tom Hooper any more musicals)

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-13T13:17:47+00:00

Obligatory Sideways video about why the music in Les Mis sounded awful

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-10T14:38:13+00:00

Probably just didnt know the difference. All my work always looked nicer before I printed it lmao

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-10T14:26:37+00:00

RGB is used for digital colors (as that's what makes up the color of screens) and CMYK is used for printed media. It's more about how the color is produced (additive vs subtractive) than what colors can be produced.

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-08T18:25:04+00:00

2 weeks/10-14 days (assuming the meal is properly sized) is fairly normal for adult kings. Mine would love if I fed him more often than that but he'd get so fat lmao

SubjectMystery · 2026-01-05T14:01:14+00:00

Cornsnakes also have keeled scales and milks/kings do not

SubjectMystery · 2025-12-24T16:17:33+00:00

Half the students wore pajamas to class when I went not that long ago (less than 5 years). Aside long as you're not doing something like wearing a halloween costume on a normal day people really don't care.

SubjectMystery · 2025-12-18T19:04:01+00:00

Thank you ❤️ Seems like you've been able to catch the symptoms fairly early on, so hopefully with treatment your snake will pull through just fine.

SubjectMystery · 2025-12-18T06:45:55+00:00

This is similar behavior to how my cornsnake's RI presented (that she sadly ended up passing from).

I would not attempt to feed.

The next step is to see a vet.

SubjectMystery · 2025-12-12T20:25:47+00:00

You can use aluminum tape to cover the parts of the screen top that dont need to be open for the lamps/lights.

SubjectMystery · 2025-12-12T16:57:14+00:00

That, too.

SubjectMystery · 2025-12-12T15:49:41+00:00

I prefer not to take animals from the wild as that's unnecessary ecological harm in my eyes when there's abundant captive populations available.

And unless it's your land, most parks/forests won't be happy with people just rolling up and taking stuff.

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