Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a couple of Womas that serve as the cleanup crew. I usually feed them f/t, but when one of my Ball Pythons won't eat his or her live small rat, I'll transfer the rat over to one of the Woma's cages (I also have a Boa for that job).

But a strange thing happened the other night which I thought I would relate.

When I put the small rat in the cage, the Woma was immediately interested. He got ready and struck and started a neck/upper body coil. But the rat might have caught him or something, because he immediately let go. The rat scurried away and the Woma thought for a bit. Then he went on the hunt again. I was watching very closely because even though he's eaten live before, he's never released his prey and I didn't want him to get a nasty bite either.

This happened 2 more times. And I was ready to get in there and pull the rat out (but with a hungry Woma in the cage, this might have required some delicate maneuvering!). But the snake had no injuries and didn't appear put off by the experience.

By now, he was rattling his tail getting back into a striking position (he's less than 2 years old, but already 5 feet long) his body running the whole length of the 4 foot long cage. This time when he struck, he coiled and quickly rolled the coils like a cork screw until the rat was now being held by the snake's rear part of his body instead of his neck. And just as quickly he disengaged his head and let his lower body do the constricting while he watched from a safe distance.

I've never seen a snake do that before. And I still wonder if he "learned" or adapted his technique because of the circumstance.

I have another Woma that won't strike at a dead rat. Instead she'll act timid, sniff around and start to eat it without striking. But she will become quick and aggressive when a live rat is introduced. While a boa will strike and constrict, dead or alive.

Have others seen this kind of very adaptive behavior on the part of their Woma (or other snakes)? Those are amazing snake!

Yvon
Link

All of my green anacondas routinely strike and coil prey and then relatively quickly release the grip with their mouths during constriction. This occurs regardless of whether the prey is live or f/t. They also use less of their necks for constriction than most other boids. I would agree that this is likely an adaption to avoid head damage while constricting more energetic and more adversarial prey species.

Kelly

The Aspidites snakes practice multiple constriction. Because they tend to be burrowers, or live in burrows, they can kill prey by pressing it against burrow walls, or the side of a cage. Bull and Pine snakes do the same thing. Push against the side of your Woma...it will push back and look to see what's making the pushing. I always prefer to feed dead. Much safer, although some snakes always want to kill. Some can be converted, some can't.

I prefer to feed f/t as well. I don't like feeding live. But I have a couple of Balls that will only eat live. And being Balls, sometimes they go on a fast. So I test them once a month and when they don't eat, I have to do something with the rat.

I love Ball Pythons, they are so gentle and easy going, but this fasting thing is really annoying... My male didn't eat from July 08 to April 09 last time. Roamed around the cage all night, but wouldn't eat. Argh!

Yvon

I've had one of my balls for almost 19 years... She hasn't eaten since last June.

Its just what they do and the fasts get longer with age!

~jen
-----
"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."
- Anna Sewell (1820-1878)

some of my getula do that. I've got one kingsnake that bites, flings himself aroudn the cage with mouse in coils, releases, does it again, and then wraps around using his lower 1/3 to 1/2. It's a hell of a sight to see.

my adult pine snake when fed live food he strikes then coils. when fed dead mice he does not even coil he lifts and repositions it with his mouth and then swallows it whole.