My snake has never constricted any of his prey... unusual?

[Prattj]

I have tried wiggling, pretending to make the mouse run around lol i know it sounds weird, but anyways ive tried everything. I know its good for them to constrict their prey to help build muscle, but he has never done that. Why?

 

[bitsy]

It's an individual thing I think. Most of mine don't constrict, a couple give it the full roly-poly-kill routine. I don't have a problem with muscle tone in the ones that don't constrict, so I'm not convinced that it makes a major difference. With the very sedentary ones I guess every little helps, but with mine, these are the least likely to constrict.

It's probably because they recognise that the prey is already dead. Being cold blooded, energy is too precious to spend it "killing" something which doesn't need it. That wouldn't be a good survival strategy in the wild.

 

[captainjack0000]

I freed frozen/thawed and most of the time my corns won't constrict. Sometimes, if they're feeling super aggressive, they might throw ah coil over. It also seems to depend upon how startled they are by the food. If I have to lead them to the prey, they just eat it. If I drop it in, and they strike at it, then maybe a coil comes out.

It isn't just corns either. My ball python will usually curl her neck up a bit, but not the full on multiple coils like I know she is capable of. I've even seen her just eat the prey item without ever constricting.

I'm with bitsy in thinking its an energy conservation strategy. Do you shoot your steak to make sure its dead? Probably not, and you wouldn't last long in a steakhouse if you did. Once the snake realizes the prey item isn't alive, why waste the energy?

 

[Campitor]

mine doesn't constrict either. he'll strike the face as it's presented to him and then that's it. he waits for me to let go and then immediately swallows

 

[Chip]

Many of my sweetest corns won't even eat out of my hand. Others will snatch and death roll. Some are bold and some are shy feeders.

 

[Prattj]

Conserving energy makes sense. I was just curious because i have heard some poeple say theres do constrict, and i think it would be interesting to watch. Does feeding them out of your hand help them become more used to you? Wouldnt that make them think your prey because you smell like the mouse?

 

[Chip]

Hand fed snakes will 100% be more likely to give you a feeding nip/have accidents.

 

[Prattj]

lol..... i can see that. Ive always wondered what it felt like to be bit. I know that sounds weird, but i have always wondered if it would hurt more or less than i thought it would. I guess it also depends how big it is. Did you mean for the snake to bite you so you could take a picture? If not good timing haha

 

[captainjack0000]

I was just curious because i have heard some poeple say theres do constrict, and i think it would be interesting to watch.

Maybe this video I made will help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYpWfmq01II

It is in slow motion. I need to film it at regular speed for comparison.

 

[Prattj]

Oh the whole thing is in slow motion? I was wondering why he wasn't giving up! Thats cool. I cant wait until mine is that big. I thing i have been not feeding him big enough prey for the time i have had him and he is too small. But i have my scale on the way and ive upped the size of the food so it should start getting better

 

[Zombiegirl]

Omnom is just 7 months old and is already partially constricting (he is a voracious little eating machine), and Kiyo is roughly 1 yr 7 months old and she hasn't constricted once since I've had her, and has only *barely* struck at a mouse once lol.

 

[Kaifyre]

Yeah, mine have never struck either : /
My boyfriend has a tiny little corn that is a fairly aggressive feeder .... She strikes like 90% of the time, but I've never seen her constrict anything.

-- Kaifyre

 

[Prattj]

Yeah i dont think its bad if they dont though. Well thats what im learning.