Eating from the wrong end?

[Fornever]

I just bought a red tail 4 days ago. He's about 3 months old. So I just fed him and he ate it from the tail end. If they eat It the wrong way can this hurt him in anyway? And will he grow out of it or will he keep doing it?
Thanks

[Josh]

Re: Eating from the wrong end?

I dont know what make them eat the rat from the tail end but sometimes they just do. One of my boas ate tail first tonight. It hasnt ever caused and probs. for me. I've never herd a boa choking on a rat that was the right size.

[JUGGALOFWB]

Re: Eating from the wrong end?

No, it won't cause any problems, it's just fine and won't hurt your snake in anyway. And I will bet you $$ he will do it again. Sometimes they just do it that way. : -Juggalo

Re: Eating from the wrong end?

No it doesn't hurt the snake to eat it tail first. My Columbian BCI has ate one backwards before and it was fine. My Ball Python has eaten several tail first and its fine. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Ryan]

Re: Eating from the wrong end?

My Bci ate one sideways, broke it half and chomped it down. it straightened out in his stomach, everything was cool.

[larrymc]

Re: Eating from the wrong end?

i too have a ball python that has eaten the mice backwards a few times. i have only had my redtail for 2 days now so i haven't fed her yet.
assuming that you are feeding f/t, i was just thinking that when the prey is alive the head probably has more body heat than the hind end. when the prey is heated after being in a frozen state, both ends are probably pretty close to the same temp.
anyway, thats my 2 cents. ;D

[critter]

Re: Eating from the wrong end?

My mom and stepdad have 2 three month old columbian redtails, one male, and one female. The female eats head first always and constricts her pray with the head of it already in her mouth. The male however, constricts its pray without even biting it, and then crawls around it smelling. Once he went head first and the most recent time was tail first. I think it's just a combination of smells, and preferences.

Is a snake all tail or all neck?