Bela has the weirdest feeding methods ever documented in a Bp. Here's how her feeding went yesterday...
I whacked a nice rat weanling; it died instantly. I dangled it in front of Bela, and she snapped it up and constricted and stayed like that for a few minutes. Then she lets go, just like most Bps do before they start swallowing. BUT no! It seems as though after she let the rat go, she lost it; she began searching the entire tank for it, not able to find it! She'd literally go right past the thing lying right in front of her on the cage floor!!
So I picked the rat up by the tail, blocking her head from my hand with her hidespot. I dangled the rat above her again, and she opened her mouth and started swallowing it, taking it right from my hand! I gently set it down after she got the whole head in her mouth, and she ate it. Then after she finally swallowed the thing, she coils up and puts her head in the striking position, as if looking for another meal!
Bela is seriously the cutest, most adorable, and stupidest snake to ever live.