Hey, I just picked up a BRB at Havre de Grace this past weekend. Fed her the first time and she didn't kill the fuzzy before swallowing? She struck and coiled around it just didn't finish 'em off. Is she going to regurgitate this? She seems to be doing well. Her cage floor space is 2' x 1' with a heat pad on the one end. She moves throughout, drinks, burrows, and all the other normal things. Although it went down quickly should I have a problem with this feeding, from the time she struck the fuzzy till she had it 2/3 of the way down her body length was about 15 minutes. Also, I fed her in a sterlite shoebox within 30 seconds of seeing the prey still in my hand she did strike. By the way she is about 20" and was born in November. I have some good pictures of her from last night. I will try to upload soon and post. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as to this is my first Rainbow.
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didn't put the squeeze on - HELP
Replies (8)
Maybe she thinks shes venomous 
The reason can be found by asking yourself why do you THINK they constrict their prey in the first place?
So what's the answer? Instinct? Not to kill, but a natural drive?
That answer is what I'm kind of looking for?
My guess is so their prey holds still long enough to swallow it????
I would think that they kill their prey so that their prey doesn't kill/damage them first! Rainbows, like a lot of Boas, eat LARGE prey items that can be quite formidable. If they don't constrict that parrot, that rat, that bat, that caiman, etc etc, then they might pay the price for strikin at it. However, what's the evolutionary advantage to strangling a pinky to death?
Every wonder why garter snakes just EAT their earthworms or frogs? What's an earthworm gonna do?
Nature: everything has a purpose and/or a reason.
>>I would think that they kill their prey so that their prey doesn't kill/damage them first! Rainbows, like a lot of Boas, eat LARGE prey items that can be quite formidable. If they don't constrict that parrot, that rat, that bat, that caiman, etc etc, then they might pay the price for strikin at it. However, what's the evolutionary advantage to strangling a pinky to death?
>>
>>Every wonder why garter snakes just EAT their earthworms or frogs? What's an earthworm gonna do?
>>
>>Nature: everything has a purpose and/or a reason.
I wouldn't be worried about it. I once had a young corn that swolled live fuzzies backwards. I always wondered how long it took them to stop eeeking. You could see the poor little thing opening and closing it's mouth until the corn's jaws shut.
Maybe a hopper would be easier to constrict. They also seem to become better at it with age.
Linda
