After reading your post I was not too surprised since pine's are voracious. I've been doing a forest ecology study in the Smokies for a week and let my snakes go without a rodent in a week. Many are sub adults and like to eat twice a week, so they were hungry.

Well, I thawed out a small rat and rat pup for my ball python and pine snake accordingly. I started to pull my rat pup up toward my pine in a feed bag on tongs and he nailed the side of the feed bag constricted; then whipped back and nailed my shirt. Finally as I was dangling it in front of him he nailed it right the third time. It made me think of your post.

Then I turned to my ball python who had become huffy over not being shown a prey item and just being kept in his box. So prodded him with his rat to get his attention and get him to quit balling up. He smelled the rat and tagged his lower half and tried to wrap his upper body around the lower. He felt his “rat” move and realized his error. He finally found the real rat and ate as normal. Just thought I'd share my similar experience.

have a good memorial day,

Aaron

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