Ball Python won't eat w/ a twist

Hi all, was wondering if anyone has run into this issue before and if so how did you resolve it?

I've been feeding a decent sized (1300g) pastel female prekilled rats, she has eaten them before with no problem. Well now she will strike the rat and constrict it, however she won't eat the rat, its almost like she can't figure out how to get the head into her mouth.

Anyone have any ideas or have seen this before? This has happened quite a few times lately and she hasn't eaten a meal in 2 or so months due to this issue.

My personal observation:

She wants to be left alone.

She is not biting and constricting it to eat it, she is pissed off and trying to kill a threat instead. If she is 1300g she could eat it if she wanted to.

Is she pregnant or been with a male?

She hasn't been with a male in several months (I think December) and didn't produce from that breeding attempt. After constricting she does look like she is trying to figure out how to eat it but just can't (she has torn the abdomen open on a couple rats I have give her just manipulating it for what I assumed an attempt to eat), I've had other snakes not want to be bothered during feeding time but they only strike, never constrict.

I still think it is probably my original thoughts.
I have snakes simply not eat, BUT once my females are pregnant or have been with males, "some" of them tend to constrict/kill and leave behind... this is part of my clue they are going off feed.

I don't know your snake personally, but this is not uncommon for several of my females. Good luck

Try heating it just a touch more before offering it. May be that she's having trouble "finding" it once she's killed it. That's worked for a couple I've had doing that.

Or, could just be a weird temporary quirk of hers that she should eventually outgrow. I've had others do that too. Balls can be real brats when they want to be.

I'm rehabbing a baby for a pal that's doing this, constricts and kills but does not eat anything larger than pinkies. No idea why he does it, but I've figured out that dropping in another prey item after he's left the first triggers him to constrict and eat, and eat much larger prey items. Eventually he'll outgrow this silly game.

As long as nothing has changed in her environment that's triggered this, just keep offering every week and wait her out.

ETA - helps to have a trash can snake ready to take the rats your persnickety ball doesn't want.

Originally Posted by Shadera

ETA - helps to have a trash can snake ready to take the rats your persnickety ball doesn't want.

Yep, they are called boas.
rat snakes work well also.

I do have a BP that will eat anything at any time though.

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll just keep trying to feed her (keeping an eye on the rats temp) and use my bumblebee male as the "garbage disposal".

Originally Posted by leisgem

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll just keep trying to feed her (keeping an eye on the rats temp) and use my bumblebee male as the "garbage disposal".

Just make sure he doesn't get too fat.