Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Long View Post
I wouldnt go THAT far. I have had dozens of snakes not constrict, but go straight to the eating.
Well true, I think I should've worded it differently.
Most of the time, if something is alive they usually want to kill it first. Unless that thing is so small and harmless (like a pinkie which they can swallow whole) or know it is dead.
Per say, if you have a python it really has no way of grabbing or killing the food other than swallowing it, which is difficult when it's grabbing mechanism is meant for larger animals that actually have nutritional value that the snake needs.