Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a pair of black rat snakes which share a cage, and today was feeding day. My routine is, place one of the snakes in a seperate cage, feed them both, and return the vacationing snake back to the cage. In three and a half years, I've never had a problem with this. Today, however, I had just returned the other snake to the cage and I went about refilling some water bowls in other cages. I just happened to look over at the black rats and ONE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SWALLOWING THE OTHER ONE! WHAT THE HECK? I've heard of cannibalism in King snakes and such, but is this common in rat snakes? Now, I have noticed that once they've entered "feeding mode", they will nip at the first thing that touches them after eating. Once they see that no more food is coming, however, they usually settle down. The snakes had been back together for a good five minutes and drank water, etc. Could the one have just still been in that "mode", or could it be that it smelled the mouse on the other snake? Thanks for all responses!

While I always try to cage animals individually, sometimes it is just not possible (esp. after hatching season). I have never had adults consume ea. other but have had animals from hatchlings to a yr. old get a little over zealous w/ feeding. I have had this happen two or three times.....only one thing you can do....buy more cages or add on to your snake room.....

The only cases I've been familiar with were when both snakes were being feed in the same enclosure. This opens up the possibility of both animals starting on the same prey. One of them wins. I would differentiate this from cannibalism because the other snakes was not the intended prey.

The times I have caught it was after feeding as I would seperate to feed. The movement & scent seems to be too much for them after putting them back together. I have had it happen even between feedings (when I didn't catch it).

Wow the snake that was being swallowed wasnt constricted killed before?
Juile

No, the snake wasn't constricted- he was fighting for his life! It's just pure luck I happened to choose that moment to fill water bowls. I looked over at the cage and at first it looked like one snake had bitten the other and that was the extent of it, but on second glance I could see the snake's entire head and about an inch of his neck completely inside the other snake's mouth! I immediately grabbed them and managed to pry snake 1 off of snake 2, unhook the teeth, and put them in seperate cages. Everyone seems to be doing fine!

Are you going to house them together again? I know some keep rats,corns or like myself 2 garters together(6 yrs now).
I guess you dont want to risk it. Good thing you looked when you did.

I almost had it happen with an adult breeding pair. The male had always been an aggressive breeder, chasing his females around the cage and biting on the neck to hold them down. One season he bit a big albino female and then decided it would be better to start swallowing her. Luckily I noticed in time to pull her out of his throat. Neither snake was harmed but I definitely learned a lesson to watch my breeders more closely in the future.

dg

>> I almost had it happen with an adult breeding pair. The male had always been an aggressive breeder, chasing his females around the cage and biting on the neck to hold them down. One season he bit a big albino female and then decided it would be better to start swallowing her. Luckily I noticed in time to pull her out of his throat. Neither snake was harmed but I definitely learned a lesson to watch my breeders more closely in the future.

dg

Well, I guess that's one way to get some head.