Not the Smartest of snakes, when it comes to eating (pics)

[Lisn123]

We're wondering if Medusa is not the brightest of snakes, or if its just because she's so young still?

She always strikes in the middle of the body, then coils tightly. (it looks impressive when she does it)
Then we (& she) realize she's grabbed it on the side and can't eat it that way. A couple times,
she will work her way down the mouse to the head and eat it the right way (one time she went tail first)
The last two times she's eaten, she just lets go of the mouse and "sniffs around" for the head. Of course,
these two times, the fattest part of her body was on top of the head. She couldn't find it for the longest time
it was painful to watch her--I kept yelling at the tank (in my head) just MOVE YOUR FAT BUTT!! (or middle section

Tonight she did the same, but seem to find it easier. I was a little impressed that she seem to push the fat part
of her body off of it, with her head.

Well, when she finally got it right- head first, then she had both front feet sticking out either side of her mouth.
She twisted and turned and tried to figure out a way to get it down. Next thing I know, she's
twisted into her water bowl.- and dragged the mouse through the water. (its rear end got all wet- I hope this was ok??)

I took some pictures of the final stages, because I was so in awe that she didn't mind being in her water eating and how she wrapped
around it like a pretzel again, to help get it down.

this one is after she dragged it through the water--using her body to get it down. thats her head going through the middle of her body.


Another angle- cool shot of the jaw, i thought


Finally takes her head out and shows a little "tail"


Yawn-- adjust... off to my warm hide

[ExotixTowing]

My normal is like that lol.. Is funny to watch


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[Lisn123]

My normal is like that lol.. Is funny to watch

oh no! Please tell me yours is young too?? or it gets better with age?? ha ha

[el8ch]

Every once in a while one of mine will eat backwards, battle wits with rats legs or take their fresh kill for a swim.

Ball Pythons, quirky eaters I tell yah.

[Alexandra V]

Haha mine are like that sometimes too. Not always the sharpest tools in the shed, but that's why I love 'em

[ExotixTowing]

oh no! Please tell me yours is young too?? or it gets better with age?? ha ha

Just over a year, I think they are all different, he will take rats from the tail all the time, where my lesser won't he will search till he finds the head.

It's crazy to watch a 400 gr snake take a 40 gr weanling from the tail, but not much you can do to help lol


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[loonunit]

My black pastel George did that a lot the first year: eating sideways, drowning himself in the water bowl while eating, then letting go and "losing" the mouse in the water. And of course, biting me when I go to retrieve it for him---Oh, hey THERE it is! Oh hey, no, that's a hand. Sorry. Uh, my lower jaw is stuck, can you help pull it off your finger maybe...?

I still don't think George has gotten all that much smarter as he's gotten older, but he has figured out eating. Mostly...

[Lisn123]

It's crazy to watch a 400 gr snake take a 40 gr weanling from the tail, but not much you can do to help lol

My husband laughs at me, because I get upset watching, thinking she's going to "choke" or something. I saw her eat one mouse tail first- it was the craziest thing, but like you said, I wasn't about to go in there an help!

- - - Updated - - -

My black pastel George did that a lot the first year: eating sideways, drowning himself in the water bowl while eating, then letting go and "losing" the mouse in the water. And of course, biting me when I go to retrieve it for him---Oh, hey THERE it is! Oh hey, no, that's a hand. Sorry. Uh, my lower jaw is stuck, can you help pull it off your finger maybe...?

I still don't think George has gotten all that much smarter as he's gotten older, but he has figured out eating. Mostly...

Thanks Jackie- your post made me LOL, with the "stuck lower jaw comments" Gotta love em' - dopey or smart

[Dracoluna]

The first few times I watched my first ball python eat, I seriously wondered how they survived in the wild. She'd find the head and then when she pulled, her coils would tighten around the body, thinking it was still alive I guess. She basically played tug of war with herself. We aren't going to talk about the twists, flips, and overall awkwardness of her movements while eating. None of my corns have ever looked that awkward when eating so it was a little different. Now that I'm used to it though, it's fun to watch.

[marya1962]

Hurley is a baby and he can't figure out how to eat a mouse yet either. He's tried it sideways, tail-first and "where is it anyways?" Fortunately, he lets me re-present it to him head-first and that does the trick. It is fun to watch.