Think this is funny

[Poleock]

I want to know if this is common. I think its histerical. As most know I just got my first boa about 3 weeks ago he is about 20 inches I have fed him 3 times so far including tonite. So he is feeding on rat pinks, he strikes them and coils up but he stays coiled for about 15-20 min literallybefore swallowing , like he is killing rabbit. I find it histerical and I just had to share it . is it normal for babies ? lol

[snakefreak89]

Re: Think this is funny

some snakes just do that. its pretty common. most likely ur snake will stop doing it as it feeds more.

[chaosboa]

Re: Think this is funny

yeah they do that as babies. It's instinct. You;ll see as he gets older he'll calm down alot. My larger snakes don't even strike anymore. They just grab it gently and eat. funny to watch that develope over time.

[Hunglikeafruitbat]

Re: Think this is funny

Ya it's just instinct at this point. Later you can condition them to eat off the floor of the cage with little or no aggression. I'm working on it with my larger snakes right now, my male normal however gets more aggressive in that situation. He'll bite at least three times before he coils and when he's done with that if he goes to swallow and gets the side of the head or something, he can't get it in his mouth, so he gets proper frustrated and goes through the whole bit again. It's funny to watch him 'kill' an already dead rat twice...stoopid boa lol.

Mat.

[Spo0led]

Re: Think this is funny

Titan will strike his rats. I usually stun them though but if all my snakes dont want to eat then I will freeze the rest (after killing of course) and he will eat them next week. He still strikes and coils up though. Usually 5-10 minutes. My female BP does the same thing usually. Sometimes she wont though, one time she scared me because the rat was just stunned and she just started swalling it face first. I was afraid it would come to half way down and hurt her to i pulled it by the tail and that triggered a constriction. After she killed it I was confident it was safe to eat.

[Poleock]

Re: Think this is funny

I just found it funny because my 3 BPs and 2 corns. Finish their food in maybe 5 min

[bterrill]

Re: Think this is funny

I don't think baby has anything to do with it. Sometimes mine do that too and they are all 6+ foot.

Funny you mention corns man -- my little corn Houidini is all of 9 1/2 inches or so and he doesn't even coil just boom and swallow (he is on mouse pinks).

[MLynch]

Re: Think this is funny

I don't think baby has anything to do with it.

Ditto. My 7 month old female BCI constricts her f/t rat fuzzies (she always has), and I got her when she was about 2 months old. Chances are she'll always do this. My 7 month old BRB and my 3 month old male BCI don't strike or constrict, they just mosey on up and swallow their food.

I think it's either personality, or how they were fed initially during their first weeks that has something to so with this. I think if the snake is presented food on tongs as a neonate they will strike and constrict, where as if they are offered food on the floor and they have to "find" it they learn to just swallow it. Neither my BRB or my DH Sunglow will take food from the tongs, and my Normal will not take it if it's on the floor - she likes to have it presented and dangled.

I used to think that constricting was hard wired, but after seeing my BRB and my DH Sunglow (both were acquired when they were about 2 months old) I've come to believe this is a learned behavior based on how they fed as neonates. ...However I'm sure Jeff, Clay, or someone who's had far more experience in feeding neonates and juvies could give you a more definative answer to this.

[H_Moss]

Re: Think this is funny

Yea dont they know it is dead...lol, It is like others have said, my big one when she gets ready and only when she gets ready will just slither over into posision and just start munching no strike no constrict just eats. Haven't heard her say thank you yet we are still working on the politeness facto..lol
Harmon

[snake77]

Re: Think this is funny

I have one neonate male that will not coil up at all never would. So I co2 all my rats before feeding. Well for those of you that co2 the babies take a lot longer to c02 then the large ones 20sec for large 3min for small well I thought I got them all well right when this one male took his pinky it perked up a bit and being he doesn't coil the just swallowed well you could hear that pinky for about 4min while it was in his belly that was
a bit warped and sad to be honest.