Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been noticing the past couple times that I've fed my female Woma Python that she wiggles her tail around a little bit before she takes the rodent. I'm curious if it is actually caudal luring?

I've seen one other video on YouTube of the same behavior, but wasn't positive if that's what it is...but caudal luring is the most logical explanation I can come up with.

Pretty fun to watch regardless!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4rBWGl1A2M

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Take care,

Alex Pepper

CBB '07 1.1 Aspidites ramsayi--Woma Pythons (Don Hamper/Rare Earth Stock)
CBB '08 1.1 Bothrochilus boa--Bismarck Ringed Pythons (Tom Keogan Line High Contrast)
CBB '07 1.0 Heterodon simus--High Red Southern Hognose Snake (Tom Pinson Line Red)
CBB '07 1.1 Pituophis catenifer sayi--Marathon, Texas Out-crossed Stillwater Hypomelanistic Bull Snakes
CBB '08 1.1 Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi--Black Pine Snakes (John Ginter Stock)
CBB '06 & '08 1.1 Eublepharis macularius--Blazing Blizzard & Reverse Stripe Tangerine Albino Leopard Geckos "Blaze" & "Angie"
CBB '02 0.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus--Stiped African Fat-tailed Gecko "Smeagol"
CBB '03 0.1 Canis domesticus--Cocker Spaniel "Cupcake"
CBB '99 0.1 Canis domesticus--Yellow Labrador Retriever "Freckles"

Happy Herping!

Caudal luring by definition - no- it's excitement oriented. I've had quite a few snakes that would do it.
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South Central Herpetological

OK, I figured that TRUE caudal luring was pretty unlikely, but I didn't know what else it would be.

That makes a lot more sense. Thanks for the info!
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Take care,

Alex Pepper

CBB '07 1.1 Aspidites ramsayi--Woma Pythons (Don Hamper/Rare Earth Stock)
CBB '08 1.1 Bothrochilus boa--Bismarck Ringed Pythons (Tom Keogan Line High Contrast)
CBB '07 1.0 Heterodon simus--High Red Southern Hognose Snake (Tom Pinson Line Red)
CBB '07 1.1 Pituophis catenifer sayi--Marathon, Texas Out-crossed Stillwater Hypomelanistic Bull Snakes
CBB '08 1.1 Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi--Black Pine Snakes (John Ginter Stock)
CBB '06 & '08 1.1 Eublepharis macularius--Blazing Blizzard & Reverse Stripe Tangerine Albino Leopard Geckos "Blaze" & "Angie"
CBB '02 0.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus--Stiped African Fat-tailed Gecko "Smeagol"
CBB '03 0.1 Canis domesticus--Cocker Spaniel "Cupcake"
CBB '99 0.1 Canis domesticus--Yellow Labrador Retriever "Freckles"

Happy Herping!

Hello,

Don't know enough to help you out with the caudal luring, but the other post sounds plausible. However, I would like to thank you for the vid clip, pretty cool.

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I will be trying to post some more vids and pics on kingsnake of the rest of my collection in the near future.

I'll be sure to post any that I do on pythons.
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Take care,

Alex Pepper

CBB '07 1.1 Aspidites ramsayi--Woma Pythons (Don Hamper/Rare Earth Stock)
CBB '08 1.1 Bothrochilus boa--Bismarck Ringed Pythons (Tom Keogan Line High Contrast)
CBB '07 1.0 Heterodon simus--High Red Southern Hognose Snake (Tom Pinson Line Red)
CBB '07 1.1 Pituophis catenifer sayi--Marathon, Texas Out-crossed Stillwater Hypomelanistic Bull Snakes
CBB '08 1.1 Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi--Black Pine Snakes (John Ginter Stock)
CBB '06 & '08 1.1 Eublepharis macularius--Blazing Blizzard & Reverse Stripe Tangerine Albino Leopard Geckos "Blaze" & "Angie"
CBB '02 0.1 Hemitheconyx caudicinctus--Stiped African Fat-tailed Gecko "Smeagol"
CBB '03 0.1 Canis domesticus--Cocker Spaniel "Cupcake"
CBB '99 0.1 Canis domesticus--Yellow Labrador Retriever "Freckles"

Happy Herping!

Considering that one of the main items of a woma in the wild is lizards, it certainly sounds plausible to me. Yes, excitement and breeding are reasons for tail wagging, but the other is equally viable.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
2.4 Woma
4.2 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
2.2 Bloods
2.2 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.3 Macklotts
1.2 F2 Carpondros
2.0 Jungle Carpet
0.1 Carpondro
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow boas
1.1 Striped Bolivian Boas
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

My Woma does it too...it's pretty entertaining...He will actually be in the box and when I walk up with a rat he will look up at me a wiggle his tail...He does it everytime when hes feeding...My male Blood Python does it too whenever I stick my hand in the cage, and he usually tries to bite me, he doesnt do it when feeding...So I would agree it's excitement oriented.

I first thought luring as well when I noticed my adults doing that. However, I would say it is caused by agitation/excitement. My male or female never do it when feeding though. They are almost lazy when it comes to eating as they never coil around a frozen thawed rat.

However, on some occasions when I put them in the same cage to breed, clean the cage, or change the water. I hear and see it sometimes then. I have figured I have woken them up or they were not in the mood when they shake their tail.
-Anthony Wrenn-