Posted by:
Danny Conner
at Mon Jul 13 22:17:31 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Danny Conner ]
Is their a more natural predator in the ENP than the American Alligator.
Here's a hint for you FL folks.
Alligators eat ANYTHING.
Next time you're in the mood to examine stomach contents check a gator.
I'm stunned. Did someone official really say this. This is the reason I can't take any of those idiots seriously.
This has been my experience.
ALL crocodilians eat snakes.
All crocodilians react differently to snakes.
Caimans are terrified of snakes regardless of size.
They also may prefer them to almost any other meat.
P. trigonatus especially seems to like them.
Depending on size crocodiles react differently. Small crocs are wary, big crocs dinner is served.
I've never seen a gator of any size even a yearling show any fear of a snake.
As I wrote extensively on the croc forum;
The FL geniuses never seemed to figure out the gator attacked the burm.
In the famous exploding burm pic.
I know the burm ate the gator. But originally the gator attacked the burm.
Big snake 101: In defense of itself a large constrictor has basically 3 options. First biting. Python teeth won't hurt a 6 foot gator. Second, if biting doesn't work or someone is restraining their head they will constrict. This is a defensive constriction. Typically if their head is released they will release but not always. Other than feeding responses the second most common reason people are killed by their pet snake. They restrain the head and forget about the rest of the snake.
Third form of defense for a large constrictor. Is releasing their bowels. If body and head are restrained what else can a snake do.
The gator grabbed the snake. Snake bit the gator. The gator held on. The snake consticted the gator. Gator died. The snake had a perfect shaped meal. Albeit a little large.
I can assure you. If the ENP is full of Burmese pythons. Alligators are eating a bunch of them.
Danny Conner
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natural predators????? - Danny Conner, Mon Jul 13 22:17:31 2009