Does this happen often?

Or is it rare?

Wow. He must have been really really hungry!

It's considered rare but it does/can happen (obviously) on ... errr ... rare occasion.

That doesn't look good.
What do you do in such a situation?
Can't be good for the snake.

One of my baby corns tryed doing this last year, just after eating a pinky. I think the smell of the pinky on my corns tail must have confused him. Luckily i was able to intervene befor any damage was done.

What do you do in such a situation?
Can't be good for the snake.

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Once it gets to the stage shown in that photo, it'll probably die. You need to intervene early for the happy outcome.

It happens now and again but isn't common. My ex bred Taiwan Beauties and this happened to one of his hatchlings. This particular snake would only feed overnight and if left alone in a completely dark room. So my ex put the mouse into the tank before going to bed as usual, and next morning - one dead snake bracelet.

I tend to view it as natural selection in action. I mean, really, do snakes need instincts like that in their gene pool?

bitsy said:

I tend to view it as natural selection in action.
I mean, really, do snakes need instincts like that in their gene pool?

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But it's kinda sad.

But it's kinda sad.

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For sure. We reptile keepers can see nature in the raw a bit closer up than furry owners sometimes. Hatchlings starving themselves despite every trick in the book, would be another example.