I felt my Trinity's heart beating !

:shock: Hey everybody,
Well, I know this is probably a silly thing to talk about but I felt my big female Ball Python Trinity's heart beat for the very first time. I have been studying snake biology for the last year and a half and I have read quite a bit about the structure of their internal organs and what have you but I have never been able to actually locate their heart up until the other nite when I was watching some television and spending some time with Trinity in my lap....I must have placed my thumb in the exact right spot because all of a sudden I felt "thump...thump...thump.." it was so weird...I could actually feel her heart beating and I could see that it is located very far forward in their body...it was fascinating to actually feel it ticking away...it really makes me see more and more that snakes are not these demonized animals that the general population thinks they are...they are just living breathing creatures like all the rest and they share similiar needs as even we humans. I put my hand around Trinitys heart and sort of just sat there for a few minutes tripping on it...it was actually really cool 8)

:wink: EyeLashViper

Cool, where exactly is the heart?

Thats very cool!
I'm gonna have to try that.

Not trying to say you didnt feel it but be careful cause you can feel your own heart beat through your thumb (im sure you can tell the difference between yours and your snakes though). Try using your index and middle finger.

Im gonna try that when I get home. Was it fast? Where exactly is it?
Im gonna have to dig up that snake anatomy pic I posted a while back...

It's like 1/3rd down their body
If you look at the area right before they get broad, you can sometimes see it beating.

http://www.reptilerooms.com/articles...boaanatomy.jpg

wow thats really cool, a bit gruesome but cool.
I would like to study their anatomy a bit more. I mainly study husbandry and such, but it would be good to learn more about snakes bodies and their natural inviroments as well.

That looks almost like my necropsy kitty, but a "bit" more fresh :) Poor Garfield (our kitty's name). My lab partner likes to spank it and tell it to "Calm down" or "Behave" LoL... It's a bit morbid but funny.

That boa died from RI. I posted the picture so we all can learn about the inner workings of our snakes.

I think the pic is cool Godfather, now I know a little more about snakes.

Well....that was a pleasant(not) suprise to scroll across first thing in the morning as I sip coffee and try to wake up. LOL