Woma python eating

[Rhysgrant]

Hey guys picked up a woma about a month ago now, just a question out of curiosity I hear these snakes are really food driven and aggressive eaters etc yet mine is so chilled and placid even with food around it will just slowly start swallowing it I can't get him to strike or anything, it's not an issue and doesn't bother me at all just wondering if any other are like that? Ive heard people can't even go near their woma's with food nearby or they go spastic etc haha

Tia

 

[kittycat17]

It’s generally because they don’t have heat pits, so once they smell food they tend to just bite anything around them


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[Rhysgrant]

It’s generally because they don’t have heat pits, so once they smell food they tend to just bite anything around them


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Oh I knew they didn't have heat pits but didn't know that's what made them like that so thanks but I'm more curious as to why mine isn't! Also he's male and about 10 months old thanks

 

[kittycat17]

Oh I knew they didn't have heat pits but didn't know that's what made them like that so thanks but I'm more curious as to why mine isn't! Also he's male and about 10 months old thanks

He’s probably a well fed individual hahahaa maybe he doesn’t have the food drive that some others do
There’s a few poss reasons


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[Derpdiggler]

Our three womas were careful and cautious feeders for about the first 3 months, since then (now they are 2.5 years old) they taste first and ask questions later). Getting them out of their enclosures requires a snake hook (which they try to eat that also). They even bite themselves when trying to bite the hook.
If you want to handle them you have to hook them out of their enclosures then place them in a separate container for about ten minutes to let them calm down and get out of feeding mode and into exploring mode. Once that happens they are chill and easy to work with.
They are not defensive or aggressive just hungry all the time. I have been told this subsides as they reach adulthood.

 

[Tyloop]

haha, I'm about to feed my woma (1.5 yo). He always eats but how hard he hits it depends on how hungry and warm he is, usually, he grabs it gently.

 

[cagey]

My woma has always been a casual easter, no aggressive behaviour and so chilled when the enclosure is opened either to get out or to feed...... just likely I guess

 

[Buggster]

In the wild aggressive feeders are the ones who will survive. More shy/reluctant eaters would most likely starve.

In captivity it simply isn’t the case, so I would imagine many snakes no longer have the food drive they need to survive in the wild.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

In the wild aggressive feeders are the ones who will survive. More shy/reluctant eaters would most likely starve.

In captivity it simply isn’t the case, so I would imagine many snakes no longer have the food drive they need to survive in the wild.

My spotted just caught me way off guard.. She's normally quite inquisitive and will come over and scent the hopper I'm presenting a couple of times, decide on an angle and strike... tonight, she was in one end of her tub poised over her water dish looking into the corner and I entered from the opposite diagonal corner, about 14 inches away with the hopper and in one swift move, she turned and lunged, grabbing the hopper and coiling it and my tongs completely up before I could even release it... Do you think I could get the tongs from her grip? Not a chance... I held on trying to keep a steady hand and as I could feel her relaxing her grip, the tongs would begin to open and I'd move slightly and she'd wrap them up again even tighter... For her size, less than 24' she's strong. Eventually got my tongs back and the hopper is in her belly... Never seen her move so swiftly and aggressively before, caught me way off guard.

 

[nufnsus]

My 12 month old Woma sometimes likes to slowly inspect the mice/ small rats, nuzzle them a little and whisper sweet nothings in their ears before slowly dragging it back under one of the hides and getting down to (eating) business.... other times he'll strike the prey so fast I'm left with a piece of tail on the end of the tweezers...

Seems to depend on how warm and how hungry he is. And although I feed him/her at similar intervals, levels of excitement/ hunger (and thus response) can sway notably.

He's getting more clued up as of recent about what is going on (i.e. food, cleaning, handling), but I'm yet to see him do the dance in the enclosure at the sight/ smell of food.
His head will perk up and follow my movements, but he's not going berserk like other keepers' anecdotes would suggest is common of Woma's.