Burmese ate rat backwards

Goochie · 08-21-13, 05:02 PM

Hi i rescued a Burmese off someone who wasn't treating it right or feeding it enough and i've just got her eating rats the thing is she ate it backwards tonight and im scared it's going to do her harm as i've not had any of my snakes eat their food backwards before better to ask and be safe than sorry.. Next time i'm going to try putting the rats nose in warm water to see if she takes it head first every time.

Starbuck · 08-21-13, 05:05 PM

hi, welcome to the forum.
eating a rat backwards should cause no harm to your snake whatsoever; some snakes are just derp.
i wouldnt worry too much about it at all.

Goochie · 08-21-13, 05:09 PM

Thanks for your reply just wanted some reassurance, i guess it must happen in the wild,

slowhite03 · 08-21-13, 06:02 PM

Yeah, mine does that every once in awhile. They don't care how it goes Dow as long as they get to eat

SSSSnakes · 08-21-13, 06:23 PM

We call it "Butt Munching". My Albino Cobra like to eat it that way. Never had a problem with it. It seems it take them longer o swallow it though.

snakeman879 · 08-22-13, 01:18 AM

.Hi dont worrey my ball pithon always ate a rat that way and had no problem.

**EL Ziggy** · 08-22-13, 09:14 AM

Both my Cal King and MBK have eaten their meals tail end first on a few occasions. It takes them longer to finish but I don't think it hurts them in any way.

robertjnovak59 · 08-22-13, 09:49 AM

My boas seem to do that fairly often. Sometimes they even try sideways. They haven't been able to pull that one off yet. Lol

UwabamiReptiles · 08-22-13, 10:23 AM

One of my carpets went through a phase where all she did was eat rats backwards. Sometimes it happens, nothing to worry about.

robin budd · 08-23-13, 09:08 AM

I can't speak for everyone but I've found when mine eat that way its a sign the pray was a little on the small side. I move up a size and they go back to eating right way down. How big is your burm and what size rats are you feeding it? I have all mine on rabbits even my year old albino granite and my hatchling albino het green takes pinky rabbits

Goochie · 08-23-13, 11:59 PM

It's about 3ft but i got it off someone about 6 weeks ago and as they was only feeding her baby chicks once a week and didn't handle it unless they had to clean her out (she's loves to puff herself up and hiss) she's only been eating medium rats for 4 weeks when i first got her she wouldn't be interested in rats even if i left it in over night i had to scent the first couple but now she takes first time. I've got to get her some more food so i'll get her a bit of a range in sizes thanks for the advice much appreciated

shaunyboy · 08-27-13, 01:15 PM

i have a few Carpets who insist on faffing about eating their prey backwards.....

i had a jag that would wrestle with a back leg jammed out each jaw,making it impossible to get the prey down,after up to 2 hours of trying,it would finally dawn on it,to spit the prey back out and eat it head first,or backwards without the legs getting jammed

a few of mine have bother eating backwards due to the rats tails...

so i cut the rats tails
off before i feed them to the snake

a snake taking prey backwards will not harm a snake mate

cheers shaun

exwizard · 08-27-13, 01:29 PM

I have a series of pics of Black Betty eating a XXL rat backwards. Yeah she had to work a little harder but she got it down with no issues.

Goochie · 09-05-13, 03:07 PM

Quick update i've gone up a size on her food and feed her a couple of times now and she's eating head first again thanks for all the replies and advice guys much appropriated and once again thanks