Morelia spilota (in this case cheynei) and caudal luring.

[Contagion]

Something that intrigued me tonight as I was feeding some snakes....

I've never before witnessed or heard of anything from morelia spilota complex to use caudal luring whilst in a hunting position. Tonight however while feeding one of my adult female jungles, who is understanably ravenous having just given eggs recently, I'm certain this is exactly what I saw.

I opened the enclosure to be confronted with a large "S" formation aimed directly at me from the top left of the enclosure. I like to offer from tongs, but wasn't game to stick my arm in there, for obvious reasons.

She had a few futile strikes in my general direction, when after the third attempt I noticed her tail flailing and writhing in rather an unco-ordinated manor. I wasn't sure what to think at first, I've seen caudal luring before in my young GTP, and it seemed a much more deliberate and precise action then this. However I can't for the life of me think of what else it could have been....

So I pose to question to all you experience morelia keepers... Has anyone else seen similar to this in M.s.cheynei, or in fact M.spilota as a whole? What could only be described as a clumsy form of caudal luring?

 

[Snowman]

yeah I've ssen my imbricata do the same thing... it's quite a strange sight.

 

[GSXR_Boy]

I have seen it done by a diamond before. Feed it and whilst feeding some others i wondered what "that noise" was and it was its tail flicking back and forth across the newspaper.

 

[gunny]

I got a hatchy blackheaded the other day and when i first got her out to take photos she did the same thing

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

dont see it often but it happens its documented in some scientific papers

 

[cement]

Ive seen it done by a spotted as well. usually when ravenous Its just excitement

 

[Sdaji]

I have seen it in Carpet Pythons, but only when they have been extremely hungry (but the stupid things still wouldn't take defrosted mice! :lol: ) I have also seen footage of it. About 10 years ago at a VHS meeting footage of a hatchling Carpet Python caudal luring was shown.

 

[ihaveherps]

I occasionally see it here, though most cases are similar to your scenario, and its more excitement than a lure in my opinion

 

[Sdaji]

I occasionally see it here, though most cases are similar to your scenario, and its more excitement than a lure in my opinion

I have often seen Carpet Pythons wiggle/wag their tails more like an Aspidites, but I don't consider that to be caudal luring (certainly not luring for food, but maybe luring attention away from the more important end of the body). They mainly do that type of wagging when they are scared, at least in my experience. It is more rare that I have seen them lure for food in the fashion of a Chondro or Death Adder, but several times I have seen them very clearly do it. Every time I have seen Carpet Pythons do it they have been perched and it has been quite like the Chondro style. I have only seen young ones do it, never a large adult. I have seen Water Pythons do it while coiled on the floor.

 

[exoticcorpse]

:lol: I've seen my diamonds & Darwins do this aswell!! only the adult females tho
XS

 

[Dragonwolf]

My Bredli does a little tail wiggle, I thought he was just excited to see me :lol:

 

[Omgitschris]

My olive python boy has done it once, and in all my infinite wisdom i leaned in closer to look and almost copped a bite to the face
but is was extremely intriguing, what species are well known for this hunting behavior ?

 

[peta_the_python]

My olive python boy has done it once, and in all my infinite wisdom i leaned in closer to look and almost copped a bite to the face
but is was extremely intriguing, what species are well known for this hunting behavior ?

death adders have a white tip on their tail that they use as a lure. unsure of any other species...