uh, eating live... literally..

[CntrlF8]

Anyone ever had a BP actually start swallowing their prey before it's dead? My biggest girl just did, and I don't know if I should be worried. She grabbed it by the rear end initially and didn't seem to get a good squeeze on it. When I checked back a couple minutes later she was swallowing it, and it was still breathing..

[Adam_Wysocki]

Happens all the time around here. No worries.

-adam

[2kdime]

Mines done it once or twice.

[Brandon.O]

Hmmm well the bigger snakes over here get frozen food now, but when i have the smaller ones, thier first couple meals are live (rat pinkies and such) and they usually swallow them while they are still alive.

[Schlyne]

I've had it happen fairly often with colubrids.

[joannarea]

My bp did that when young and learning to kill, but hasn't since. I asked about it with my vet and she said it can be inexperience of youth.. , even just a little over hungry, so on occasion...no problem. I have a corn that most of the time its prey has gone down live even though he squeezes it, just doesn't get it killed. As long as the fight is out of it I haven't been to concerned, but I need to ask about it if too often, or not. And if the prey could do internal damage with claws and such. I will post an answer when I see the vet.

My BP did go through a spell of not eating, would squeeze and release before dead, then leave it. He had a resitory infection, I think it hurt to squeeze. But he also didn't eat. Long as yours eating that's probably not related, but if it goes off its feed, then this is something to think about. Good Luck. Joannarea.

[CntrlF8]

yeah this is my largest female (1400g) and she's always been a mouser, all 6 years of her life. I've been trying to switch her to f/t and rats, but she isn't having either. I finally broke down and bought her a couple live mice today, and this was the second. I knew there was going to be "trouble" when she got it from the rear, and then had an awkward squeeze going on.. Seems to be fine though.

Although, I should've washed my hands.. I just got tagged my my smallest female, I'm assuming because I smelled like food from earlier...

[mricyfire]

can a rat cause any internal damage if not killed all the way and half way in the feeding it decides to scratch with its feet...any known damage of this...saw a video on youtube and it looked painful.