Eating mouse tail first?

Bix ate a mouse tail first a few weeks ago and got it down really easily, but literally a few minutes ago I tried to feed him and the dummy got his mouth around just one leg and the butt and started to do the wiggle - left the other leg and the tail sticking way out, up by his head. Took him ten minutes to realize it was a no-go, then he tried to eat it from the middle. I had a heart attack the entire time thinking he was going to choke himself to death. After awhile he gave up though. Had to leave for work so I took the mangled mouse out - with him being so dim today I didn't want to risk it. He's a garbage disposal but he'll just have to wait. I totally understand the concern, it's really nerve wracking to see your BP doing something different for the first time. He's not the brightest crayon in the box so I think most BPs wiill throw in the towel if it's clearly not going to go down safely. I don't think you have anything to worry about :)

This thread is from 2008....

It was the first link that popped up on Google; I try to be thorough when I'm unsure about an episode so I can take care of Bix the right way. Didn't notice, thought my anecdote was relevant enough. I don't look at the dates, it's just an easy mistake. Seems like it's clear to you that I'm new, so I think it's okay for me to navigate and figure it out along the way, like everyone else when they start something new. Bambi legs always get you somewhere, right? sorry if my wobble bothers you. Thanks for the heads up.

It happens. I have some snakes that do it at times.

Have you ever heard of a BP choking or causing serious damage to themselves because they tried to eat backwards? I haven't, but with the way Bix was going at that thing in such a weird manner...I basically didn't breathe til he put the mouse down so I could take it out of the tank.

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Originally Posted by Maggie Louise

Have you ever heard of a BP choking or causing serious damage to themselves because they tried to eat backwards? I haven't, but with the way Bix was going at that thing in such a weird manner...I basically didn't breathe til he put the mouse down so I could take it out of the tank.

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no. either way - head first or bottom first - it's gonna be a mouthful. it seems that they struggle more swallowing the bottom first as it's the larger end and the tail and legs go against the grain.

anyway i've had plenty of BP's eat their prey the "wrong" way. my girl Elphie ate a mouse side ways when she was a bb and my Emerald took one of her prey backwards just last week lol.

I have one named dumb dumb that always eats backwards. I beginning to believe he likes the taste from that end better.

What can get really interesting is watching a snake try to navigate the limbs on prey with fully set rigor mortis. Not a bad idea if you want to offer some easy to provide feeding enrichment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maggie Louise

Have you ever heard of a BP choking or causing serious damage to themselves because they tried to eat backwards? I haven't, but with the way Bix was going at that thing in such a weird manner...I basically didn't breathe til he put the mouse down so I could take it out of the tank.

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There is one definite disadvantage to eating it backward. My ball proved this last week when she tried to eat a mouse backward and somehow managed to squeeze its bladder. She spilled pee over the substrate and I assume in her mouth. She was not happy to say the least.
I don't know if that's the only downside, but snakes do seem to favor head first, so I imagine there are evolutionary advantages.

Some seem to not care, mine won't even try. He constricts all of his food for 3-ish minutes even though he's on f/t and sometimes he'll unwrap, forget where the head is, stare at the butt for a couple minutes and decide "no, that smells like crap", and then frantically look for the head. One time he was completely perplexed and practically breaded the mouse with the eco-earth so I tossed that one, thawed another, and stuck it on a paper plate for him and he took that without issue. I actually ditched the substrate and switched to paper towels because of that.