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Constricting

Daddys Girl
08-11-2008, 06:02 PM
what age do corns start to constrict their pray???

Sarynkitamo
08-11-2008, 06:11 PM
I don't think it's an age thing (could be wrong) but more of a behavioral quirk to a snake's personality.

dpreston66
08-11-2008, 09:44 PM
what age do corns start to constrict their pray???I'd imaging the Breeders out there would be the best at answering this behavioral question. :dunce:

I don't think it's an age thing (could be wrong) but more of a behavioral quirk to a snake's personality.I have three snakes. One of them constricts every time, another does it just about every time and the last one never does it. So, who knows if yours will ever grow into it. :shrugs: I hope it does because it's quite awesome to see. :crazy01:

Widget
08-11-2008, 09:57 PM
Yet another of those "depends on the snake" questions. The amel blood has constricted since I got her at 10g, others never do it. Some have grown into it and do it occasionally.

So as with all things, your mileage will vary.

bitsy
08-12-2008, 03:31 AM
Agree with above comment. I have 14 Corns - most don't constrict, but the couple that do are very enthusiastic about it.

As long as they're eating, I'm happy.

Tracee
08-12-2008, 06:35 AM
Mine never constricted until I threw a fuzz in. Now it's whether he can be bothered or not. They're all different.

Ruderacer
08-12-2008, 07:53 PM
Our 07' male (Fes) is a very energitic constrictor. He has squeezed so hard as to rupture the bellies of the pinks he used to get. Here he is in action.

susang
08-12-2008, 08:06 PM
I agree it depends on snake and I don't know what weather maybe???? I have one that kills everything twice even the f/t, she constricts lets it go glides around a few times and then strikes and constircts again wierd.

Cam5
08-12-2008, 08:49 PM
As everyone else has said it seems to be snake dependent.

Two of ours never did constrict...
Our Hypo Charcoal male has from the day we got him...
He strikes, shakes the mouse, then constricts for a good long time before eating...It is hysterical to watch.

LBoz
08-12-2008, 09:06 PM
I WISH mine would constrict. I love looking at the pictures and videos people have posted here. Mine practically uses a knife and fork and wipes his mouth on a napkin afterward. :rolleyes:

Pach
08-12-2008, 09:17 PM
Our 07' male (Fes) is a very energitic constrictor. He has squeezed so hard as to rupture the bellies of the pinks he used to get. Here he is in action.
My snow did that during the last feed. Wasn't very nice to see the innards pop out... she spent the next few minutes trying to clean herself in the plastic feeding tub! :) My ghost constricted for the very first time as well (pinkies)!

robcat
08-17-2008, 02:27 AM
Mine practically uses a knife and fork and wipes his mouth on a napkin afterward. :rolleyes:

LOL, i'm going to have to use that one....

deerhunter
08-27-2008, 02:43 AM
A little trick I use from this website is to do the "zombie dance." Grab the f/t mouse with your feeding tongs at the base of the tail and wiggle him around your feeding cage until the snake strikes, then immediately release the tongs. While he's constricting, it's fun to reinforce the behavior by temporarily vibrating the mouse by grabbing a free limb with your tongs and shaking it for about ten seconds or so. Using creativity, you can even simulate the mouse "kicking its legs" as if it's struggling. When you release, I get the impression that the snake believes it made a legitimate kill, and will continue the constriction behavior. I have only owned one snake, so my experience is limited, but I do enjoy observing this fascinating behavior.

Jessicat
08-27-2008, 08:03 AM
Naturally snakes constrict from their first meal...

Since the majority of us feed frozen thawed many snakes don't constrict. I think it's a really important part of the snake's health. I've noticed that many of my snakes that haven't constricted their meals look kind of fatty. I do NOT over feed, so this makes me think that I need to start tease feeding.

My first snake constricted on his very first meal with me though.. that was back when I feed live food. If you want your snake to constrict try getting a large pair of thongs and tease feeding it.

The_Thunderer
08-27-2008, 10:35 AM
Naturally snakes constrict from their first meal...
Since the majority of us feed frozen thawed many snakes don't constrict.
I agree with this. I have some friends that feed their snakes freshly killed mice. Sometimes these mice continue to have "nerve twitches" that really attract the snakes. Needless to say when there are "nerve twitches" there is almost always (I'd say in excess of 90%) a constricting response.

Even with my snakes, if I hold the f/t and shake it to get their attention, there's usually a constricting response after the "grab bite".

Fred

Jadie.Glitch
08-27-2008, 11:11 AM
Before I understood how inhumane it was to feed live mice to snakes I was just going to the petstore and buying live ones to give them every week.

The last time I did this my ball python AND my bull snake both ate pinkies alive :eek:. I felt really bad about it too. Our ball python had a pinkie rat and our bull snake had a pinkie hamster. Neither of them struck or wrapped the prey and they just swallowed them down while they were still kicking (and squeeking). Needless to say, feeding live animals to your snakes is just wrong *shakes head* (especially if they happen to be "non-strikers" like those two apparently are). That's definitely a lesson learned for me...

I have, however, had my okeetees strike already dead meals but generally they will just lazily suck them down without thinking much about it...

SourDeisel
08-27-2008, 11:25 AM
Hello everyone this is my first post. I really want my corn to constrict. when i move him up to small fuzzies he started to half constrict and half lay on top of the mouse. it was cool to watch. I usualy shake the thawed mouse but im going mess with the mouse while he biting give that fighting back feel, as deerhunter pointed out.
:madeuce: u guys got awsome smilies:cheers::dancer:

Jadie.Glitch
08-27-2008, 11:57 AM
Be very careful if you do this to not drag the snake around. That isn't natural. Not to mention the fact that their teeth are VERY fragile and if you pull on the mouse too hard it can pop them out which is stressful. Also, if you accidentally pull the mouse completely out of the snake's mouth it is stressful to the snake as well and leaves them feeling like they lost their kill (at least that is what I have heard) and they may refuse to eat it afterward...

Slight wiggling for a few seconds, and a "tug-o-war" battle are two entirely different things and should be recognized as such.

Off Topic: Welcome to the board, btw! It's good to meet you and I hope you learn some great things here. You should post a small bio about youself and your snake as well as a pic of your snake in the "New Member Introduction" section of this forum so we can get to know you better ^_^.