Corn eating it's shed skin...

I've never seen this before. My boyfriends baby corn eats her shedded skin. The first time she shed, we saw her start but in the morning there was no shed at all. We thought it was weird but didn't think to much into it besides that she didn't really shed.

This afternoon I caught her shedding again. I left her alone and about an hour and a half I came back and looked in on her. To my surprise she was eating her shedded skin and half of it was down her thoat. I didn't know what to do so I just let it go.


I've never seen Jinx my other corn do that. This baby corn gets fed every 7 days. Why is she eating she shedded skin? Anyone else ever have this happen?

hmm.. I have heard that lizards do it to avoid being found by predators. Perhaps she's just extra careful? :)

Wierd :eek: I have never heard of that. I hope someone with experience on this subject will chime in...... :confused:

i know leopard geckos do that but i had no idea snakes did that!


maybe it was some sort of craving?

uh... leopard geckos do it but not snakes... dunno

I've never heard of it either. I hope she can pass it okay and doesn't have an impaction.

I contacted the breeder we got her from and looked back over her ACR paper work that was sent with her. I just noticed that she has 10% Cali King in her. Soooo I'm guessing that King snake is coming out in her since I know King snakes have been known to eat their sheds, themselves, other snakes, etc...

I just hope she is able to pass the old skin. I'll be sure to watch her close next time she is about to shed.

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Originally Posted by lillyorchid

themselves

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Really? weirdos :D

that is really odd:O , did you atleast get a picture of it!


I want to find a snake eating itself :hungry: i wonder how far they could eat, its like thinking about space confusing!

Hi,

Someone posted this photo on the boards but I can't find the original post. :confused:

http://www.satanswombat.pwp.blueyond...grycalking.jpg


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

Someone posted this photo on the boards but I can't find the original post. :confused:

http://www.satanswombat.pwp.blueyond...grycalking.jpg


dr del

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i wish i could do that!

woah-
hold it?!
Why is that snake doing that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

Someone posted this photo on the boards but I can't find the original post. :confused:

http://www.satanswombat.pwp.blueyond...grycalking.jpg


dr del

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That's nuts! Do you have any details about that photo? The owner pulled the tail out...right?

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Originally Posted by zimbabwepegasus

woah-
hold it?!
Why is that snake doing that?

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It probably thought it was another snake. That's a downright weird thing to do though. I bet that snake in the photo is a leucistic (that's an albino with normal eyes, right?) King or Racer (both eat other snakes and sometimes themselves as seen in this picture).

Out of curiosity, what happens when a snake like the one in the pic tries to eat itself? Do they get pretty far before they realize that it is themselves they are trying to eat? Do they get hurt by this? Is it just Kings that do this?

Sorry about the possibly silly questions, I have just never heard about that before. :confused:

Does the snake not feel it's hurting itself??
:eek: :confused:

That's very unusual, but I have a logical explanation for it (please PM me if you disagree and why): most snakes after they shed feed ravenously. Your boyfriend's Corn was no different; It was hungry and there was something edible right there in the cage...

I saw a post by a corn snake breeder once that had a similar thing occur - and the snake killed itself! Just swollowed until the couldn't anymore... it was a pretty little baby too!

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Originally Posted by MechWarrior

That's nuts! Do you have any details about that photo? The owner pulled the tail out...right?

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If I remember the story correctly that came with that picture, the snake eventually realized its error and spit its tail out without any harm.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MechWarrior

It probably thought it was another snake. That's a downright weird thing to do though. I bet that snake in the photo is a leucistic (that's an albino with normal eyes, right?) King or Racer (both eat other snakes and sometimes themselves as seen in this picture).

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That's a California Kingsnake. And a leucistic is not just an "albino with normal eyes"...they are two completely different sorts of mutations. ;)

the pic could be photoshopped.

on the eating its skin. i dont belive it would be a health problem, but im not a herp vet.

would suggest removing the skin soon as it sheds if possible or placing a F/t in the cage each day during the shed cycle so an alternative will be there to eat. though you could waste 4-5 f/t that way. could be worth trying once to just condition the snake into not eating the skin and that food will be on the way if he will just wait

I called my herp vet and he called me back saying if she passes her poo's and urates fine then she should be in the clear. So I'm keeping an eye on her. I couldn't possibility do the f/t thing since she is only about 10 inches long and thick as a #2 pencil.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

Someone posted this photo on the boards but I can't find the original post. :confused:

http://www.satanswombat.pwp.blueyond...grycalking.jpg


dr del

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*facepalms* I should hope the snake was alright. Pretty little aby high white like my own Voods... but it is one of those things that begs the phrase "That boy ain't right..."

I've seen pictures of a greyband who did this, too. :rolleyes:

Dude is that kingsnake eating himself??????? And i have have my kingsnake for 4 months and i never saw him eat his shed THATS WEIRED!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JLC

If I remember the story correctly that came with that picture, the snake eventually realized its error and spit its tail out without any harm.

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Phew! I'm glad that beauty is OK!

The only thing my snakes ever did weird was to POOP in their shed.

I have heard of this before In corns. It should pass just fine. Nothing to worrie about. Corns also eat themselves LOL..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

Someone posted this photo on the boards but I can't find the original post. :confused:

http://www.satanswombat.pwp.blueyond...grycalking.jpg


dr del

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AWW!!! I wonder what happened after this was taken? It probably let go eventually when it realized its body wasn't food. But reptiles have thick skin and I doubt he felt anything from his own teeth.

Awesome pic though! :rofl:

I've seen at least one photo where a corn snake tried to eat itself - exactly like the little high-white Cali king above.

It died.

With the amount of snake that Cali's got down his throat, I'm surprised it survived - and I wonder if there was any obvious damage to his tail/lower body?

i had read about a corn eating itself on kathy loves website.. heres the link
http://cornutopia.com/Corn%20Utopia%...annibal%20corn