My frustration and disappointment over losing this snake is tempered only by the fact that what I found this morning is so bizarre. Has anyone seen anything like this before?

Last night I was feeding the little ones that I didn't brumate this winter. Routine stuff. Nothing unusual. I watched as most began to devour their F/T mice and I went to sleep. I woke up late this morning, but took a few minutes to check on everyone. My heart sank when I found this little girl with a pinky still half hanging out of her mouth. My first reaction: was I really so careless as to give this snake an unmanageably large meal? Except that it wasn't unmanageably large. It's the same size I always give them at this size. In fact, all the others devoured theirs without an issue as they always do. I proceeded to remove the waterbowl and cage furnishings to confirm death and was shocked to find her literally tied in a knot. From the best that I can tell, she managed to wrap herself in her struggles with the dead mouse, and cinched her body in a tight half hitch around her own neck. Presumably this prevented her from swallowing and ultimately asphyxiated her. Ugh...

Locality data happily provided upon written request with two reliable references from this forum LOL












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• You have to be kidding me... - bwaffa, Sat Nov 26 10:13:37 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - Dniles, Sat Nov 26 13:06:13 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - gerryg, Sat Nov 26 15:17:45 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - denbar, Sat Nov 26 16:26:16 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - Tony D, Mon Nov 28 11:19:34 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - DMong, Mon Nov 28 11:43:03 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - Tony D, Mon Nov 28 13:52:13 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - DMong, Mon Nov 28 16:17:07 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - joecop, Mon Nov 28 18:40:15 2011
• RE: You have to be kidding me... - DMong, Mon Nov 28 19:34:57 2011