Just my observations on the time we had Zoya here trying to help Vinnie getting her eating. She is very thin and extremely aggressive. She slams full force into the side of the tub if there is any movement anywhere near the tub. We tried all the tricks we did with Saoirse (our own WC adult female) and simply nothing worked like it did with Saoirse.

We watched quietly from a distance numerous times and it was a very odd experience. She would strike multiple times at the prey item (in this case various rat sizes from fuzzies to pups) and yet seem to be unable to grab and constrict them. There seemed to be a willingness to hunt prey yet an inability to open manage her jaws properly to grasp it. Apparently Vince has seen this from her and none of us are sure if it's a true attempt to hunt or just a defensive strike to drive the prey away from her.

Mike and I gently opened her mouth and it is healthy inside but we noted something odd. We only opened it a slight amount and yet one side seemed to completely unhinge and not come back into alignment. As if something was wrong with that side. It's hard to describe here but compared to our other BP's if we slightly open their mouths, they just snap back closed in perfect alignment. With this snake it was like a slackness or something just not right on the one side...sort of...floppy??? I'm sorry I can't describe it better and I'm no vet here...but something just didn't seem normal on that side.

We suggested to Vince that perhaps a vet could determine if she's done some sort of damage to her jaw with the repeated slamming into things as she strikes so wildly if you approach her enclosure. We did also suggest that if nothing can be done, that humane euthansia may be the only option rather than watch her slowly starve to death. She's extremely thin for an adult female.

I wish Mike and I could have had the success with had with Saoirse with this lovely female and it's heartbreaking that just nothing seemed to work with her yet she constantly struck at the prey...she just couldn't seem to grab on to it properly. Is there any real hope for a snake that hasn't taken a feeding since at least June of 05?