Snakes Attack! Snakes Striking Prey (F/T) Video

I fed my two Boas and my two corn snakes tonight. My BP is on her winter fast, and not really an impressive eater as she rarely strikes and usually just pulls the rat into her house and eats. My carpet python, Yafe, got sick in transit and is doing pretty well, but has only had one meal so far, and don't really know what his food response is going to be like long-term. However, I know the other four snakes I have are all aggressive feeders. They are a 2 1/2 year old Ghost BCI, Behira, who is 1,200G and eating medium rats every three weeks, a 1 year and 3 month old Venezuelan True Red Tail/"Dwarf" BCC, Feliz, who is 135G and eating hopper mice, Figment, a hypo-lavender adult corn snake who is 650G and eating adult mice weekly (with a week skipped here and there), and Solana, a scaleless sunglow motley red-factor corn who is 7-months old and 44g and eating large fuzzy mice.

I thought I would start a thread for people to post videos of different species striking and coiling, or whatever they do, attacking their prey. Figment was pretty chill for him tonight as he usually wraps and coils as he drags the mouse all the way across the tank, often several times. However, still fun to watch corn snakes, and colubrids in general, go after prey. They do not take long to hone in on the prey, and don't waste time after that striking and coiling.

Might be fun to see the differences between different species or even between different snakes in different species, if there is much.

I specified in the thread title, F/T, and ask that people stick with that for two reasons. One, there are many people who don't mind seeing a snake go after a F/T prey item, but would rather not see them strike a live prey item. I figure we get more interest sticking to F/T here. Secondly, it's an apples to apples comparison then.

If you feel you must post a live feeding video here, which again, I respectfully ask that you not (you are welcome to start your own thread for that), please make a note that you are posting that and put a link and not insert the video directly. Thank you.

So, without further ado, here's my video.

Dakski's Snakes Striking Video: https://streamable.com/xh0qy

Little solana sure enjoys her lunch,great little video

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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

Little solana sure enjoys her lunch,great little video

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Yeah, right? The funny thing is, that's the first time she's coiled! She usually grabs and starts eating. Our baby Solana is learning how to snake/corn snake!

Wow, great video. What type of enclosures are those?

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

Wow, great video. What type of enclosures are those?

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Thank you!

They are Boaphile Plastics tanks and made by Jeff Ronne, the Boaphile. He's a long time and big time Boa breeder and has been making these tanks for years.

He's a great guy and I love the tanks. People say they are expensive, but I say they are worth every penny. They come fully assembled (if 4 feet or under, if bigger, you have to bolt together) and sealed water tight for life, his customer service is great, and I expect a tank within 8 weeks to my door. He sells and installs all the heating elements and lighting himself and sends thermostats if you want, including redundant units, all of which he uses himself for his personal collection and breeding facility. I cannot speak higher about his products.

Additionally, there are two people in the world that I know and speak to about Boas, who basically, regardless of what I think, if they say X, I say, "Okay, I'll do X." They are Jeff Ronne and Vin Russo. Period.

The only other reptile person I hold in as a high a regard is Don Soderberg, from South Mountain Reptiles, who's been breeding corn snakes as long or longer than Jeff has been breeding Boas. He's gospel on Corns and many colubrids in general. Same goes for him and them, and he will tell you if he doesn't know something or he's not sure.

Anyway, review on the Boaphile Plastics tanks below as well as some extra pictures in the thread on my reptile area (which houses or will house 10/12 reptiles - Ezzy and Ferry, the Rhacodactylus live in Katie's office and my office, respectively).

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...24#post2660024

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ea-is-Complete

Feel free to post or PM with any additional questions. I swear by these tanks especially since Jeff switched to a new material several years ago. It seems many of the old complaints have gone away.

Finally got video of Yafe, the yearling albino Carpet Python, grabbing some dinner.

Enjoy.

https://streamable.com/jx30j

Great little video Dave,so glad he's eating again,should soon be a big boy for you

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I would see if you can reposition those perches for one to be higher and go from the back to the side and then one from the ground to the back, so he has the option to stay off the ground a little more comfortably if he chooses. Just an idea!

Nice collection you have there! They all seem to be great eaters!

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Originally Posted by PiperPython

I would see if you can reposition those perches for one to be higher and go from the back to the side and then one from the ground to the back, so he has the option to stay off the ground a little more comfortably if he chooses. Just an idea!

Nice collection you have there! They all seem to be great eaters!

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PiperPython,

I wish I could reposition the perches, but the tank size and front opening doors will not allow it. He still seems to like them and it's only his quarantine tank. His 4X2X1.5' Boaphile with 2 horizontal PVC perches, at different depths and heights (and therefore temps zones) comes soon. That will be life home and I think he will be very happy.

Yes, all awesome eaters, except for Shayna (BP), not in the video. She usually just takes the rat, if she eats, and drags it into her house and eats quietly. She strikes about once a year, and I cannot predict it, so it usually scares me half to death.

I decided to update this thread. I went 6/6 tonight with everyone eating. Of course, I forgot to zoom out and didn't get Figment (Corn) striking.

I did get 4/5 striking. Shayna, the BP, didn't strike and grabbed later and ate.

Behira (BI) struck the acrylic in anticipation, so that's still 5 strikes!

https://vimeo.com/349368878

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Originally Posted by dakski

I decided to update this thread. I went 6/6 tonight with everyone eating. Of course, I forgot to zoom out and didn't get Figment (Corn) striking.

I did get 4/5 striking. Shayna, the BP, didn't strike and grabbed later and ate.

Behira (BI) struck the acrylic in anticipation, so that's still 5 strikes!

https://vimeo.com/349368878

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Behira really wanted her food dave,

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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

Behira really wanted her food dave,

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What else is new?

I usually take the drape off really quickly and it’s 50/50 whether she has a preemptive strike.

Katie was helping and I didn’t explain that well to her and Behira went after the movement.

For her, it wasn’t a crazy strike. She was ready for the rat as soon as it went in.

Did you see Feliz tear apart his tank when he struck? He’s a hungry little guy.

Feliz is not going to like when I spread out his feeding schedule! Soon.

Nice videos Dak. I like the Slo mo, nice touch! :)

6/6 tonight feeding and I got video of Yafe attacking from above, Jeff scaring me as he is getting brave becoming a real (striking) boa, Solana going ape, and Feliz doing his normal nail and wrap.

Jeff was so funny. He's really getting brave and struck as soon as the door opened (made me jump - he's never done that), then grabbed the tail, then struck again and got his bounty.

https://vimeo.com/420136655

Wow they all hit those rodents really hard! I am guessing you rarely have meal skippers.

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Originally Posted by Reptile$ 4 Life

Wow they all hit those rodents really hard! I am guessing you rarely have meal skippers.

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Shayna, my BP, happily eats F/T, and did tonight. However, she usually wants me to drop it and she pulls it into her hide and eats. Nothing dramatic there. She also goes on fasts like many BP's.

The corns, Yafe (the carpet python), and the boas do not miss meals except in shed, and then I don't usually offer. The corns would eat in shed, but it would mess up their sheds. Yafe refuses anywhere near shed, but the I've fed Behira (BI in blue) and it's a non-issue.

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Originally Posted by dakski

Shayna, my BP, happily eats F/T, and did tonight. However, she usually wants me to drop it and she pulls it into her hide and eats. Nothing dramatic there. She also goes on fasts like many BP's.

The corns, Yafe (the carpet python), and the boas do not miss meals except in shed, and then I don't usually offer. The corns would eat in shed, but it would mess up their sheds. Yafe refuses anywhere near shed, but the I've fed Behira (BI in blue) and it's a non-issue.

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BP's are so funny with their eating habits. Yeah I don't offer in shed either, but I don't think my snake would eat either. They get rather cranky in shed so I just leave them alone.

They've all got really strong feeding responses Dave! I love to see that!! Solana was in a real frenzy eh! I was feeding my 8 ft. female bullsnake a large rat last week when she shoots through the small door opening I'd made to throw her food in and completly onto the floor, knocking the rat out of my hand in the process. She started eating the rat quickly so I just picked her up with the rat in her mouth and gently placed her back in the enclosure. Fun times!

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

They've all got really strong feeding responses Dave! I love to see that!! Solana was in a real frenzy eh! I was feeding my 8 ft. female bullsnake a large rat last week when she shoots through the small door opening I'd made to throw her food in and completly onto the floor, knocking the rat out of my hand in the process. She started eating the rat quickly so I just picked her up with the rat in her mouth and gently placed her back in the enclosure. Fun times!

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Wow! I've never had that experience but I can imagine it would be pretty startling even for an experience keeper.