All Brawn, No Brains

**Warning – This post contains pictures of snakes eating mice.  If that bothers you, turn back now!  You’ll be missing out on a very funny story, but your wussy stomach will thank you.  Also, please never watch any Animal Planet programming about Lions, when they hunt Gazelles it’s sure to squick you out in a major way!**

Still with me?  Cool!

 

So I fed the Boas for the first time last night.  I’ve never fed a boa, or anything other than a corn snake for that matter, so I was kind of looking forward to it.

I figured it would be best to start them off with a small meal since they’re still settling in from their trip.  I picked out two of the smallest fuzzies in my freezer, got out the step stool and put them up on the highest shelf in my house to thaw before feeding.

Why the step stool you ask?  Well, that’s a story in and of itself!

A couple of years ago I put a plate containing two mice on the table to thaw for Kauket and Kebechet.  When I went to go feed them a little while later, I saw the plate but the mice were gone.  “That’s funny,” I said to John, “I was sure I took some mice out.  I must be losing my mind.”

Confident that I was suffering from early onset Alzheimer's, I went and got two more mice, and once again put the plate on the table to thaw.  This time however I sat on the couch, to watch a little television while waiting, in sight of the table.

About fifteen minutes later, what do I see out of the corner of my eye?  A grey ball of fur sneaking up on the table (where he knows he’s not allowed I might add), and stealing one of the mice.  Before my poor tired brain could comprehend what was happening, my cat had run away with his booty and was happily snacking away on it in the corner of the dining room.

Can you say EEEEWWW?

Since then I’ve been more careful about where I place my defrosting mice.  However, instead of deterring MacDuff, it’s become a challenge.  How high can he jump?  How fast can he move when I see him?  About two weeks ago he managed to get away with one of the large mice I feed Amaunet.  He ran gleefully through the house with it clutched in his mouth, me and the girls in hot pursuit screaming and yelling for him to drop it.

Once again, just let me say…  BLECH!  Dead mouse is bad enough, dead, torn-up mouse with cat spit on it really ruins my day.

 

So, once the mice had successfully defrosted, with no cat related incidents, I took the female (who shall from here on out be referred to as Nena, the Aztec Snake Goddess) out to eat.  I have to say, feeding her was no different than feeding my lazy corn snakes.  She slithered up to it, gave it a sniff, and then gently took it in her mouth and started eating.

Wait, isn’t she supposed to be a boa CONSTRICTOR?  Where exactly was the constriction?  Apparently Nena is to dainty to be bothered.

OK, well that was a bit anti-climatic. 

Now it’s the male’s turn (who shall henceforth be known as Nata, the Aztec snake god). He did not disappoint.  He wrapped it up tight in his coils… and then…

Sits there…

Looking at it…

Sits some more…

Looks some more…

About fifteen minutes later he opens his mouth, he’s going to finally eat it… 

Nope, he bit himself instead.

Sits some more…

Looks some more…

A little while later he starts moving around, smelling and nosing, looking for the mouse…

And he bites himself again.

After about 30 minutes of him trying to eat his own coils I took pity on him and tried to help.  I thought that maybe if I moved the mouse a little he’d be able to figure out where it was wrapped up in his coils.

Have you ever tried to take away a food item from a boa?  A little tip for you.  They don’t let go.  In fact, if anything, they hold on tighter.

Ok, so that’s not going to work.  I put him, and his squished mouse, back into the feeding container.

Oh no, now you’ve gone and tied your tail in a knot.  NO!  DON’T EAT IT!  Your body is not FOOD!

After about forty five minutes, and at least fifteen bites to his own body, he finally found the mouse and devoured it.

He sure is a pretty boy, but like most of the pretty guys I’ve met there’s not a lot going on upstairs.  He’s all brawn and no brains I guess.

It’s ok, I’ll keep him anyway.  :D

Hugs,