possible prob with my Ball Python

OK so here's the story,

My 6-8 month old female ball python got out and was missing for roughly 3 weeks. I found her, she had lost a bunch of weight and was cold found her a little over a week ago. I got her back to normal temp and fed her the day after she was found. She ate like a champ like normal, a live small rat. I went to feed her again today and she hit like normal but after she wrapped up she ether let the rat go or it got out of her grasp. After that she attempted to hit a few times but never followed through and kept like yawning, but not her normal long yawn. I removed the rat and tried again yo feed her about 3 hours later... same thing multiple strikes no follow through or she missed. Her eyes still look greyed over from her shed (she was in shed when she got out). But she doesn't have any shed on her that I can see... just her eyes are that shed grey.

I ended up just breaking the rats neck and putting it in her cage dead with the hopes she eats it now...
Should I be worried? What could be up?

I would take her to the vet. The long "yawning" could be signs of a respiratory infection. Look around her mouth for bubbles and or excess saliva also look around her cage. They will sometimes leave saliva when they rub up against the cage. The ri could be the cause the feeding issues. Also she may also be severely dehydrated form being out side. Hope this helps

I think it may be a little early to worry too much. Make sure her temps and humidity are doing fine. You didn't post a weight. If you have a digital scale, weigh her so that you have a base weight. If she ate last week, she will be good for awhile.

She may have shed while outside the enclosure and retained the eye caps. That is nothing to worry about and it will usually come off with the next shed. Do NOT attempt to remove them.

She could just be more nervous than hungry. Give it a week and try to feed again.

Grymm wrote:

I would take her to the vet. The long "yawning" could be signs of a respiratory infection. Look around her mouth for bubbles and or excess saliva also look around her cage. They will sometimes leave saliva when they rub up against the cage. The ri could be the cause the feeding issues. Also she may also be severely dehydrated form being out side. Hope this helps

Also good point. If you see the bubbles or excess saliva, then a vet visit is in order.

OK,

Thank you guys, I actually did weigh her after I found her again... she was 261g now my other ball of the same age who was just smaller when nagaini escaped is now 363g but had 2 meals while nagaini was missing.

To clarify the "yawns" today were short almost like she was just stretching her mouth. She used to, every so often after eating do a nice long yawn or stretch, but that was only every so often. I just ran out to grab some stuff from Walmart, and will check again when I get home, but I have not noticed saliva or bubbles around her mouth and I spend a lot of time watching her and holding her since she has been home.

In the week she has been back she actually gained a lot of her personality and has been very comfortable with me. She is rarely head jumpy and allows me to touch her head and all the things she would let me prior to her disapreeing, which is why this worried me...

I may just be being overly worries and over thinking every little thing because of her escape though

Usually the only time I see one let go after they wrap is because they are getting bit. That might also explain the defensive strikes afterwards. Give her a week and try again. Usually when they strike they grab them around the head which prevents them from getting bit but sometimes they miss. Even if she was bit the rat may not have even broke the skin. Keep an eye on her but you are probably fine.

That actually would make sense... I'm not 100% sure where she hit at, but they def were defensive strikes not offensive strikes... wither way the rat is dead now and hopefully she eats, if I notice anything more I'll post it and next week I'll let everyone know how it goes...

I would take the rat out and wait a week. If they were defensive strikes then she is stressed and more than likely not eat.

I think she just popped her jaw out. I've seen them have to reset it before they could strike again. Sometimes it stresses them a bit and I just give it a few days and try again.

That's a good idea... will do as soon as I get home... thank you all for your help and insight

Hey,
the guys here, as far as i'm concerned made a bunch of good points. I read that she was in shed when she took off. Now the eyes are still grey and it sounds to me like a not uncommon problem as well. Sometimes the eyes don't shed, everything but the eye shed comes off and the skin that covers the eyes gets stuck. If the greyed eyes don't disappear with the next shed, take her to the vet and have them take the skin off the eyes..
I never had it before but did see it happen..

Just something to keep in mind and look out for...

Well I forgot to update this last Thursday when I fed her again, she struck and hung on and had no problems, also as for the shed two days after this happens she shed again and everything came off clean!

So my worry was just me being overly paranoid because of the escape, but I did learn some great info from it, so thank you all for that!

Yay! Glad she's back on feed and seems to be back to normal

Glad to read it!

Right on!

Thanks everyone! I was ecstatic myself when everything worked out!