How to tell if your womas are hungry again ;)

[benjamind2010]

Well, one of my boys resumed feeding about 4 weeks ago, and the other started about a week ago.

Both of the boys have struck the clear plastic panels with such force that I was, at least for a minute, worried they would keep striking and end up either cracking the clear plastic insert of those tubs, or...worse still...their skulls One of the boys just took 3 medium rats, and the other only took 1 rat, but thought I was food strangely enough, despite not eating the other 2 rats offered to him, wanted to have a go at me instead.

Holy crap! Both boys went ballistic, like they are suddenly possessed. Both are as mad as meat axes. The two girls are very much docile in this regard, but are both eating, I've never been tagged by the girls.

Anyone got any experiences with womas wanting to smack their faces into the front of their enclosures when food is being offered or if you are putting their hands near them? I am a little worried they might seriously harm themselves. I've thought of just putting up something, like adhesive backed film that doesn't let light through to cover the clear panels so they can't see anything. I think these guys are going to be like this from now on...well...every summer...and for the time being until they start cooling down which won't be anytime soon. A bite isn't too bad, nothing compared to a water python or heaven forbid a blackheaded, but they do sting a bit and they won't let go for 10+ minutes, they make my hand temporarily go numb from the pressure. Glad I've got a bottle of alcohol hand cleaner on standby, just in case they try that again.

I suppose I won't have to worry about them going off their food from here on in, seems their feeding response is very much alive and kicking

 

[Hellemose]

my male woma does the same thing, so i have put him in a box that isnt a see through, but only the lid is, has helped alot regarding his striking on the side of the box, he still thinks anything is food when i open up for him, but he doesnt hit his head every time theres movement around his box.

 

[deebo]

I had one of my girls out the other night and she decided to have a chew on my wrist......she was in shed too so is definitely back in the mood for food.

Gotta love womas!

 

[leamos]

my male tanami does this, well he doesn't strike per say more like head butts the side of his enclosure, he got named Boof as a result

 

[benjamind2010]

Glad to know this is very common, but still wondering if this causes an injury to the snake either immediate or long-term effects? I'm pretty sure I would have been knocked out cold or maybe even dead if my head had hit something with the speed and force that the womas have used. At first I thought it was surreal, that a 3 foot woma could slam with that kind of force...I thought it was going to die...10 times harder than the 3 foot children's python that my mate has - his python is also aggressively food oriented. We all learn something new each day I guess

 

[anthony91]

my coastal did this last week before i fed him, except i have mesh. poor boy got his teeth caught with his jaw wide open, had to help him off ... i've never EVER seen him like this, never bitten normally 100% calm i would normally hand feed him (by holding the tail) but i was too scared to even open his door fully to put the rat in Possesed is definately the word to use !

 

[PythonLegs]

I wouldn't worry about a woma damaging its brain..hard to damage something you don't have.

 

[benjamind2010]

I wouldn't worry about a woma damaging its brain..hard to damage something you don't have.

Yeah, true that! But I'd hate to see my pride and joy smashing their heads open thinking that things moving in front of their tubs is food...

I plan on taping something across the outside of the tubs so they wont be able to see out, I'll leave a small letterbox style slot so I can still see what the bastards are up to