Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have noticed some weird behavior when my baby Northern Ringneck Snakes are eating, a snake will grab a worm, wrap it's tail around a stick, and twist. After watching it I realized they were doing a move similar to a Crocodile's "Death Roll" but I haven't figured out why they do it. Snakes swallow food whole, maybe they do it to kill prey. Has anybody seen a snake do this before?
Michael

I would imagine they do it to kill their prey. Maybe at the same time, break a worm that they would have a struggle swallowing into smaller pieces?

I think they do it to kill their prey, they may do it to rip prey into smaller pieces but they still ate them whole after that. It's very strange, I didn't know what the hell they were doing.
Michael

Maybe he was just trying to intimidate YOU, lol. He probably doesn't know that he's not a croc.

Have seen that move with earthworms. Think it's just that breaking off pieces. Or...maybe their into Italian food? (Joking)
Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

I think their approach may be to cause confusion in the prey. I notice that many lizard eating snakes will turn the lizard upside down, and I thought since I've witnessed this on most feedings that the snake was trying to make the lizard sleep much like a croc sleeps when turned over. If you take an anole and turn it over, it will relax and close it eyes and if you hold it there for a minute it will be content for some reason. Perhaps it is what they learned through evolution which make them react the way they do when eating certain prey. As such, griping a sturdy object which holding slippery prey which might drag it back into the earth much like a worm might do is just the snakes adaption to being able to eat its prey just as all other animals are born with this instinct. Well, at least its a thought....

n/p
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."