Horrible table manners...

[Thamnophis]

My 0.3 Thamnophis sirtalis pickeringii 2011 are the most horrible garters I ever had when it comes to their eating behavior.
We all know that most garter snakes cannot be left alone during the feeding (especially juveniles) because they all want the same prey!
But my pickeringii took this behavior to a next level. They are even worse than my Thamnophis hammondii!

The first picture is from a different situation than the following three. On this picture you see the most dangerous situation you can get. One has "swallowed" the complete head from the other. This leads when unattended, often to the death of both snakes.

On picture 2, 3, and 4 you see a situation that is a little less dangerous. Most of the time they let go after a while in this situation. But they can seriously get wounded in their mouths. After I release them from this "french kiss" they start eating in a few minutes again like nothing happened.


Even though I really love my Puget Sound Garter Snakes!!!

[guidofatherof5]

Hope you don't mind but this just came to mind when I saw the photo.

[dieselbaby]

OMG!!!! I thought my female checkered was bad...she tried to eat her brother a few times.

[Thamnophis]

I love those captions, Steve! Whahahahahahaha

[katach]

Our pugets would be that way if we let them. We have to watch them very carefully during feeding time.

[infernalis]

My puget "Sky" (R.I.P.) was a ravenous feeder. he would eat my finger had I let him.

[katach]

Must a Puget trait then.

[RedSidedSPR]

That doesn't look good...

[kibakiba]

He raises a lot of snakes, I'm sure he knows what to do in case of an infection.

[guidofatherof5]

A bite in the mouth doesn't always mean infections.
I never had to deal with mouth infections from food fights until I got my concinnus group.
My T. radix would occasionally fight like that without any infection.