Security Blanket

So my manager pointed out earlier this week that most of our snakes --3 ball pythons and 1 kingsnake- hadn't eaten in like...three weeks.
Which isn't good for our baby snakes.
Especially for the kingsnake.

But this particular kingsnake that isn't eating was the one that wandered around loose in our store for like a month before we found it.
So who knows what it was eating during that time...if anything.

The Ball Pythons...it's not so surprising that they haven't eaten.
Though...thinking on it now...I do wonder if the ball pythons listed on the feeding charts were the same ones in the cages.
Because I feel like our ball pythons have been selling so quickly...that it doesn't seem likely that they haven't eaten in three weeks.
As I feel like we just got them in like....a week ago.

Hmmmm.
So I do wonder if the charts were for the current set of ball pythons.

In any case.
I do know that they were attempted to be fed on Sunday.
And they hadn't eaten.
And the managers had noticed that on the charts that they hadn't eaten in like three weeks.
Which again was concerning.

So the manager tasked me with the job of attempting to feed all four snakes today as usually Thursdays are slower with the bedding changes being quicker, so I should have plenty of time to make sure the snakes ate.

Bad news...I didn't get the kingsnake to eat. 
I may have to try again on Saturday and see if I can get the stubborn creature to go after the pinkie mouse.
As I am wondering if perhaps I hadn't warmed the dead mouse up enough for him to want to eat it...we'll see.

But I got all three ball pythons to eat! HA!

Which knowing how stubborn they can be with food. Especially dead mice....
Is an accomplishment in of itself. lol. 

Which again leaves me wondering if we actually have only had them for a week or so. 
Like I know I didn't get any in on our last two shipments.
So I guess it's been two weeks....

But yah!
I got the ball pythons to eat! Woot!!

The remarkable moment was with the first ball python.
As I'd been trying to get him to eat.
And he wasn't showing any interest in the mouse.
And I was questioning if the fuzzy I was attempting to feed him was actually a fuzzy or if it actually was a small mouse because it seemed too big for the snake and was wondering if I should try a pinkie instead....as the fuzzy wouldn't go into the snakes mouth even when I tried to force it into the snake's mouse.

So I was gonna just...give up for the day for that particular ball python.
Because he'd shown no interest in the mouse and I still had two other snakes to feed.

So I had him in my hand.
And had the mouse held via tongs in the other.

And he seemed semi interested so on a whim I placed the mouse closer to him.
And the little ball python went straight for the mouse.
O_o

Like...don't try that at home. As I'm pretty sure you don't want to try and 'hand feed' a snake (even if I was using tongs) 
But the little guy apparently needed my hand as a security blanket because he curled his tail tight around my finger and did not want to let go. 
(I did slip him off after a couple of minutes to eat by himself in the critter tote we have to feed the snakes in) 

But it was just like endearing. That he was holding on so tightly to me as he was trying to eat the mouse.

I'm just grateful he decided to eat.
Woot!!

Yay for getting three of the four snakes to eat today! Woot!

Hopefully I can be more successful with the kingsnake come Saturday.
Otherwise we'll need to look into getting him to the vet to make sure he's okay. 

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi