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Originally Posted by Helenthereef
I'm fascinated by the possible mechanisms of this - how does it physically do it? Digest the meat and regurgitate the bone? Time for a time lapse camera in that container!  |
I find it considerably confusing as well, and was also tempted to try to set up some sort of camera. Haha. The best I can figure, I think the snake is striking the thigh, wrapping it up, and pulling on it. Because the teeth would be latched to the meat, but the body would still be able to push and pull against the bone, the meat is ripped off in the exchange, and gets swallowed separately. It would be in keeping with the behavior that I have seen from many of the adults. The sire of the clutch, for instance, has a habit of striking the head of his food, wrapping his body around the rest, and pulling and twisting the head and neck. Presumably, this would help with constriction and/or neck-breaking, but I have definitely seen him do some serious damage to a prey item in the process. This is what I think the one hatchling might be doing to his or her food. this is, however, all speculation on my part.