Reptile & Amphibian Forums

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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http://www.waffahousereptiles.com

Wow Brad, that really sux man, sorry to hear and see that. I had something similar happen once when a little Ltt choked on a pinky and was found dead with it half in its mouth simlar to yours except that it wasn't twisted in a knot. So it does happen but it always sux when it does.

Sometimes for the smallest of hatchlings now I clip the front legs off the tiny pinks to make it just a tad bit easier to swallow and haven't had another incident since (knock on wood).

Hope you're doing well man.

Dave

DNS Reptiles - Milk Snakes

Bizarre doesn't even start to cover it, I've never heard of it let alone seen it.

While handling snakes there have been times I've thought "this guy is gonna tie himself in a knot"... but at the last moment they've always backed up instead of going forward... some innate sense telling them what's about to happen perhaps? Seems that sense may fail with youth and hunger pangs.

Bummer of a way to start your day... sorry.

Gerry

I feel your disappointment and frustration! That has to be the craziest thing ever.

--Dennis

I feel your pain!

Several years back I was feeding my Amazon green tree boas. I observed one strike down to grab the mouse. The mouse and the uncoiled portion of the snake arched over the perch and landed in the water bowl. The other half of the snake was still perched. I figured all was good to go.

When I came back an hour later to check on the others I noticed the one was still half in the water bowl. On inspection I found that it had continued constricting the mouse underwater and drowned itself as a result.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Yeah, I had small hatchling thayeri in the early 90's that suffocated half-way into eating a prekilled pinkie or anole(can't remember which it was now). I Came back about a half hour later and the pinkie was still half-way down it's mouth and to my amazement, it was dead as a door nail.

I have also heard of snakes drowning in home-made watebowls with holes cut out in the middle of the lids to keep them from spilling too. Apparently when they crawl inside with their entire body, the water level can easily rise up to the top of the lid, and they go around it circles of the bowls edge where the lid is snapped down frantically searching for the escape route instead of going out of the hole in the center that they used to get in.

..........sad but true..

~Doug

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

This was an open top ceramic bowl. Sometimes you just can't fix stupid.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Yeah, I knew yours drowned in an open bowl, I was just mentioning other scenarios that have happened before.

....and yes, that was a pretty "stupid" snake Tony..LOL!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Yeah, I think some folks give snakes a little more credit then they deserve in the "smarts" department. They have several things they think about----shelter, food, breeding, ect. Oh, and bonding--- LOL

HAHAHA!!!,..too funny man!..

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com