Tail first?

[Tavia]

I just fed my corn & s/he took it tail first. This is the second time, and I just wondered if that can be a problem? Or does it matter which way snakes swallow their prey?

[Chip]

Some seem to prefer them that way! It takes a little (or occasionally, lot) longer to get it down, but usually is okay. I have hognose that will eat from the flipping middle! If they get 'em down, I've never had a problem.

[wade]

Butt munching is one of the leading causes of regurgitation. This can be a very serious condition. As the prey item works its way into the snakes digestive system the “butt” starts to digest first while the bulk of the animal is still facing toward the snakes mouth. Due to reflex actions in the prey the animal starts to move away from the digestive fluids until it gets worked up into the throat at which point the snake gags and regurgitates.

If you see that this is happening, you should pick it up and turn it end for end in his cage. This will usually solve the problem.

[Chip]

Interesting -I've never correlated a regurge to that, but almost never have had an adult regurge. I can't imagine a pink is hard to digest one way or another, though.

[vetusvates]

Butt munching is one of the leading causes of regurgitation. This can be a very serious condition. As the prey item works its way into the snakes digestive system the “butt” starts to digest first while the bulk of the animal is still facing toward the snakes mouth. Due to reflex actions in the prey the animal starts to move away from the digestive fluids until it gets worked up into the throat at which point the snake gags and regurgitates.

If you see that this is happening, you should pick it up and turn it end for end in his cage. This will usually solve the problem.
Erm......what.......?

[reyshells]

Wade, are you talking about mainly adult mice? I've seen many hatchlings eat pinkies starting with the tail, and never had a problem.

[Old_School]

I have an adult female Amel. that has been eating tail first for years and I never had a problem. Hatchlings eat em either way here and I have not had any noted problems.

[Chip]

Due to reflex actions in the prey the animal starts to move away from the digestive fluids until it gets worked up into the throat at which point the snake gags and regurgitates.

I'm thinking by this part of the quote this might be referring to a live-feed phenomenon.

[vetusvates]

Butt munching is one of the leading causes of regurgitation. This can be a very serious condition. As the prey item works its way into the snakes digestive system the “butt” starts to digest first while the bulk of the animal is still facing toward the snakes mouth. Due to reflex actions in the prey the animal starts to move away from the digestive fluids until it gets worked up into the throat at which point the snake gags and regurgitates.

If you see that this is happening, you should pick it up and turn it end for end in his cage. This will usually solve the problem.
"....pick it up and turn it end for end..."
Pick what up? Turn the snake around? LOLOL.
I've never seen a "prey animal" try to crawl back out of a snake, just because it went down a-- end first. LOL.
I think Wade just had us all for lunch. An early April Fool's.

[Saffleur]

Welcome to butt munching, everyone here certainly has the badge. It's not uncommon in young snakes. As they get older and take larger, more hairy prey they will consume it properly. It's harder to consume an animal when the hair is going against the way the prey goes down. most snakes learn that and take snout first no problem.

[Chip]

"....pick it up and turn it end for end..."
Pick what up? Turn the snake around? LOLOL.
I've never seen a "prey animal" try to crawl back out of a snake, just because it went down a-- end first. LOL.
I think Wade just had us all for lunch. An early April Fool's.He DID pretty much start his post post with "Butt-munching is a dangerous phenomenon!"

[LBoz]

Silly, Wade! :roflmao:

[vetusvates]

IMHO, although I've only been here on the forum for a little over three months, in the history of snake-keeping that question has surely been asked and answered and debated so many times, ad nauseum,...that Wade is trying to inject some very sarcastic humor into an old dead horse.
If that is the case, in that context I think it's quite a jolly answer.

[wade]

No for reals, this is a serious problem but can be solved by simply turning the snake from end to end. If he is facing to the left turn him to face to the right. Front to back. Be careful that you turn him 180* exactly. If you turn him only 90* you may cause a hernia.

[Susan]

"Butt-munching is a dangerous phenomenon!"

"Don't knock it until you've tried it!" Sound advice, IMO.

[iLuvScooter]

No for reals, this is a serious problem but can be solved by simply turning the snake from end to end. If he is facing to the left turn him to face to the right. Front to back. Be careful that you turn him 180* exactly. If you turn him only 90* you may cause a hernia.

I really don't see how that can make a difference. Are you *sure* you're not pulling our collective legs? lol

[alan]

I think you would do anything you could to head off a regurge and I find it odd that people are questioning the advice of someone with Wade's experience.

[iLuvScooter]

I didn't mean to sound like I was questioning his advice. I'm sorry... I just don't understand how turning the snake from left to right would change the position of the mouse in the snake (?)

[vetusvates]

Well, dogs just must be smarter. Brutus was out in the yard today, yacking up rotten pecans or something. He was facing north, so I tried out Wade's advice and ran and turned him around to face south. But rather than arresting the canine regurge that was theoretically cosmically northbound, Brutus was not fooled by my (Wade's) physics, and proceeded to redirect his vomit southward.

[Chip]

I didn't mean to sound like I was questioning his advice. I'm sorry... I just don't understand how turning the snake from left to right would change the position of the mouse in the snake (?)

The mouse stays constant. :)

[RobbiesCornField]

Oh, Wade... your posts never cease to make me laugh.

[wade]

I love you guys. I have been chuckling for two days. For those who haven’t caught on yet, I was just joking. It will not cause regurgitation to butt munch. Robbie knows, he can tell you.

[jazzgeek]

Butt munching is one of the leading causes of regurgitation. This can be a very serious condition. As the prey item works its way into the snakes digestive system the “butt” starts to digest first while the bulk of the animal is still facing toward the snakes mouth. Due to reflex actions in the prey the animal starts to move away from the digestive fluids until it gets worked up into the throat at which point the snake gags and regurgitates.

If you see that this is happening, you should pick it up and turn it end for end in his cage. This will usually solve the problem.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to wade again."

You, sir, are pure evil. Not for what you said, but for beating me to it. :cheers:


Dale

[vetusvates]

Butt munching is one of the leading causes of regurgitation. This can be a very serious condition. As the prey item works its way into the snakes digestive system the “butt” starts to digest first while the bulk of the animal is still facing toward the snakes mouth. Due to reflex actions in the prey the animal starts to move away from the digestive fluids until it gets worked up into the throat at which point the snake gags and regurgitates.

If you see that this is happening, you should pick it up and turn it end for end in his cage. This will usually solve the problem.
The absolutely dry seriousness of it, plus the hilarious attempt to visualize the ultra-technical, but absurd, visuals has given me two smiling days, too, Wade. Thanks.

[Chip]

That was one solid post, Wade. I didn't know how to react after my serious answer to the OP. I was trying to be so diplomatic, I knew *I* had never had an issue or even heard about one from it! But I thought you were suggesting that the mouse needs to be turned, and just worded it strangely. I've posted while impaired myself before.