Careful Constrictor

[kgrah1]

Because she is my only snake, and none of my friends have snakes, I'm not sure if Marble's behavior is unusual.

A few weeks back, she took the mouse and started eating right there, but she saw me and got spooked and hurked it back up. I gave her two weeks to settle, and decided that if she hurked again it was time for the vet. I'm not totally sure why she spooked, I'm typically in the room for every feed, if quietly and several feet away. She isn't shy when I hold her, and she doesn't seem to fear me when I'm offering the mouse. Before, if she caught me watching, she'd just curl her tail around herself and hide, but otherwise keep eating.

Last week, she took a mouse and kept it down. This time, when she saw me, she unwrapped herself, picked up the mouse in her mouth, and carried it back to her favorite rock to eat it there. Normally, she just ate it wherever she caught it and didn't seem to care at all if I watched her(in fact, I am the only person in the house she will take food from). She's never stopped and moved before.

Is she getting spooked, or do snakes normally do this?

[distaff]

Well, mine (corn) used to come out of his hide to eat. Now, the mouse gets pulled into the hide.
He also used to strike and wrap the mouse like lightening. Now, he just gently takes it.

[kgrah1]

Perhaps she is feeling lazy. She also did not try very hard to "kill" it.

[Coluber42]

They often don't like to be watched. They're pretty helpless with a meal halfway down, so if they're the slightest bit insecure it's safer to retreat, or pull the meal into a safe place to swallow it. Also, sometimes they can get distracted by movement (might not have to be in their line of sight even, if they catch a glimpse of reflections in the glass) and think there's another mouse over there.

I wouldn't worry. I kinda like to watch my guy eat, but most of the time I just leave the room as soon as he takes his food; it's much easier than trying to hold very still, and I know he won't be bothered.