Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone,
I was feeding my BRB tonight. She is probably just under a year old. About 2' 6" long. I always feed her in a plastic tub out of her tank.

Tonight I put her in the tub and then while holding the rat pup with wooden tongs I put in the tub near her and was about to wiggle it a little. She hit the tongs instead of the rat. She didn't get the rat, then put her head on the floor of the tub next to her tail. Maybe 4" from the tip of her tail, nose right up against her body. The next thing I know, she grabbed her own tail and started to wrap herself around herself. She held on for about maybe 2 seconds untill I poured some water onto her. It was kinda warm. It was the water I used to thaw and warm the rat pup. I don't know it I poured it onto her head or a different part of her body, but it worked. She let go right away. I didn't see any signs of any blood or torn scales from her bite, so I went ahead and got her fed.

While she was eating, I was trying to check out her tail. Again, I saw no signs of a bite. No bad looking scales or obvious bite marks, no blood. She seems fine.

What do I need to do now? My wife and I will keep an eye on her to see if there are any odd behavior or scabs or messed up scales. Should I take her to the vet ASAP? Should I just wait to see how she is in a few days and if she looks bad, acting odd, then take her to the vet? Any help is appreatiated.
Thanks
Rob
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"I reject your reality and substitute my own" Adam Savage
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn
0.1 Creamscicle corn
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

LOL, it happens. I see it more often where it bites itself and the rat at the same time then has to disconnect from itself. I have not seen where it actually injured itself but suppose it could happen. Must be less dangerous or damaging then a rodent bite. I have a couple with scarring I assume is from prey fighting back, one adult WC and one I got as a not so well treated adult.

Unless you see some real damage, I wouldn't worry about it.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
19.29 BRB
13.18 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Glad to hear that. I was kinda freaking out about it last night.
It was really wierd. I was thinking- what the hell!! It's your tail!!
Thanks Dave
Rob
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"I reject your reality and substitute my own" Adam Savage
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn
0.1 Creamscicle corn
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

At least she didn't try to eat herself. I have seen pictures of corn snakes and some other kinds of snakes trying to eat themselves, even to the point of swallowing a good third of their own body.
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PHLdyPayne

...did you see the photo in the one issue of REPTILES with the girl's Cal King swallowing itself? She says in the story it spit itself back up and was fine. It went on to "eat itself" again with no harm done!(according to the story). It's in the "Living with Reptiles" section, I just cannot remember which issue it was in! I know it was in an 06 or 07 issue.

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Scott

Reptiles
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1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
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1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat (Clubber)