Woma Behavior

[WaffenRFD]

I have had a woma python for almost a year now and has always been a great feeder eating whatever I put in front of her I went through a run of FT rats then switched back to Jumbo mice after the switch she slowed down her feeding I chalked this up to just getting older and being picky took her about two weeks to take a FT mouse but normally when I feed her she is aggressive and strikes fast and hard the past two months she no longer strikes instead she just looks at it puts her face to it and runs up and down it I leave it in the enclosure and come back and the mouse is gone. Last week I gave her a smaller meal because my Hognose snubbed it put the mouse on the ground and she then pushed it around the cage now after its covered in bedding decides to put it in her mouth and sprint across the cage like a mad man. Being new to this species I find it incredibly odd behavior and I know every snake is different but I was wondering if this is normal or if anyone else has experienced some strange behavior as far a striking their prey? Everyone always talks about how aggressive of feeders they are so I thought I would toss this out there!

Thanks

 

[RedFox]

Sounds fairly normal. They are strange pythons sometimes.

I have one that 'plays' with its food and drags it around a bit before eating it backwards. Another that is quite fond of smashing his food against the walls of his enclosure and hide. And on that around 50% of the time drags its food into the water bowl to eat.

The rest smash their food before I've got it so much as half way into their tubs/enclosure.

Since the feeding habits changed when you started feeding mice instead of rats it could be your woma is unsure about the change in smell of the prey item. It would be interesting to see of its feeding habit would revert back if you started feeding rats again. Jumbo Mice are fatty and the equivalent sized rats would be better, healthwise.

 

[critterguy]

Yeah their feeding behaviour varies, my woma will either suss out them strike and coil or just casually go up and start swallowing it.

 

[thomasssss]

womas are just weird sometimes i wouldnt worry if she still seems in good health otherwise