r/ballpython • u/Defiil • 2d ago

Eating Butt First

I'm not quite sure what to do but my ball python (who is 3) has consistently ate butt first and will only go for the head after struggling for 20-30 minutes 3/10 times. The other 7 is either him giving up or getting the butt successfully down his throat. I do take the extra time to run hot water across the head of which he will strike successfully but then he'll reposition to the butt...

3 Upvotes

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3

u/tontovila 2d ago

Mine tried really really hard for a really long time to eat the rat from the back last time.

Not the butt... The back. Like imagine eating a hotdog the wrong way.

He's lucky he's cute

1

u/ErnLynM 1d ago

Mine has also attempted side swallows on his very dead, frozen, and thawed rats

2

u/loricampbell4454 2d ago

Mine does this too sometimes. Drives me nuts. He strikes and coils around the head, has the actual head in his mouth then let's go and attempts to eat it butt first.

1

u/Defiil 2d ago

Any success in finding ways to re-divert it? I can't say how many rats I've wasted trying to feed him within the last year...

1

u/loricampbell4454 2d ago

The last couple times I've fed him I've let his rat thaw out at room temp instead of in the fridge overnight. He's been eating head first. I'm not sure if it's just a fluke or the prep. Lol

1

u/Pattison320 1d ago

It's not safe to thaw at room temp. You should put the rat in a ziplock bag and submerge it in cold water to thaw if you don't have time to thaw in the fridge.

1

u/loricampbell4454 1d ago

A lot of keepers do this. I leave mine out for only a few hours. (This isn't my go-to method though. I usually thaw them in warm water.)

1

u/Pattison320 1d ago

Warm water is bad for bacteria growth as well. You should use cold water.

1

u/loricampbell4454 1d ago

I've been a keeper since 2003. I'll stick with what works for me.

2

u/UnlikelyPotato 2d ago

If it works, it works. I've babysat a dumeril that was an ass snake, it would only eat live and would eat ass first. If it works, they'll do it. They've learned what "works", works being loosely defined as they haven't starved to death and will probably continue.

1

u/skullmuffins 2d ago

Have you tried blasting the head with a hair dryer? Is the rat in a baggie when you're warming the head up with running water or is the rat getting wet? Maybe it's a texture thing or the water is washing away more of the rat's scent

1

u/Defiil 1d ago

Definitely gonna be letting it thaw overnight at this point and using a bag for last bit.

1

u/PandaQueen29 1d ago

I sat watching my danger noodle Jafar do the same thing he definitely lost the last of braincells doing that.. he got there in the end but me and partner were laughing while watching him try though 😅