Has your snake ever bitten itself?

[Auskan]

My partner and I were feeding his new cornsnake today and the pinkies arm ended up out the corner of the snakes mouth. He didn't seem to realize that if he just pressed on, it would fold up, so he kept trying to reach around and get it. He was also using his body to try to brace and in doing so, he bit himself several times. I've never seen this happen before. Anyway, he went round and round and I was starting to worry that he would tire himself out but I hesitated to intervene. He finally got around the arm and of course it was smooth from there on, but I was just wondering how common this is?

[marisa]

Not only has my snake bitten himself but he has swallowed 3 inches of tail before, and is literally COVERED in self inflicted tiny scars. this is my Mexican Black Kingsnake....but its not "uncommon" and its just accidental.

Only about 1 in 5 of his bites seem to draw blood and at that its tiny amounts normally. So your snake will be fine :D

Marisa

[Lrptls]

a long time ago my colombian red tail boa was eating a mouse, she was bending all round, eating it really weird. She got part of her neck next to the mouse and while she kept eating the mouse her teeth started to go into her own neck. After still trying to eat the mouse and not able to because her teeth were in her own skin she ripped her teeth out, it was quite a nasty sound but she was fine.

[JD@reptiles]

Yes mine has. it can happen if you have a nervous snake.

[meow_mix450]

whoa thats a first ive ever heard about that ever happening lol i guess its cause im a cham keep and dont kno much about ssnakess ha ha i wrote the site wow, snakes there we go

Meow

[Lisa]

one of my kings did that once during feeding. just kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't continue.

[Linds]

They occassionally hook themselves when feeding, but most commonly if my snakes bite themselves, it's a misplaced hit at myself... lol :p :rolleyes:

[sapphire_moon]

NEW snake? Did you go to that store I told you about?

[nolagurl]

Cobras will bite themselves when being attacked. I'm not sure exactly why. I should read up about that behavior more!

[OttawaChris]

Originally posted by Linds
most commonly if my snakes bite themselves, it's a misplaced hit at myself

Sounds like snake Karma to me :D

[mykee]

Wow, do they have Special Ed. for snakes? LOL.

[Stockwell]

Snakes bite themselves all the time...If they strike and miss or even after they have eaten they can smell the prey on themselves and bite their own body.
Whats really weird is I had a snake(Lamp. Pyromelana) bite itself, then end up in a tight knot, presumably from trying to unhook its teeth..
I found it dead!!

[Lrptls]

aw! thats sad stockwell. i couldn't imagine finding my snake dead like that, thats really sad =(

[Stockwell]

It's OK... stuff happens !!!when you've kept hundreds of snakes over 25 years...you see all kinds of weird stuff, and you get used to the odd loss.
I once had a snake completely swallow its mate during a breeding attempt.
I found it with just a tail sticking out...
I picked the snake up, it immediately regurged, and it's barfed up mate, is still alive and kicking today. so that had a good ending

On the other hand, here's another weird one
This snake didn't make it either
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/180115902hd-corn.jpg

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Aw, my simpathy.

[Auskan]

Originally posted by sapphire_moon
NEW snake? Did you go to that store I told you about?

LOL. I haven't been yet, but I'm thinking about making a trip up there this weekend. Its about a 2-3 hour drive for me, so takes a little planning. The new snake I was referring to is a corn (I'm going to take a pic today and post later as I'm trying to figure out what morph it is) that he got a week ago, after having his first one die unexpectedly.

[sapphire_moon]

ohhhhh ok. Goodluck. They have all kinds of snakes there, and if you inquire about the hognose snakes, they will go down to 65 dollars :) (From about 80) becareful, they are cute, those little up turned noses! If you ask about them they will bring them out from the back also. they have more than a few left, alot of them males, which are smaller than the females!