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I put the two snakes I pulled out of a wood duck box into a larger cage yesterday. I had saved some spoiled duck eggs from an abandoned box and decided to put a couple in the cage yesterday afternoon. This morning they were gone and there was regurgitated egg shell in a corner of the cage. I put another couple of eggs in there and one of the snakes immediately began to mouth it as I stood there and watched! I was able to snap this series of photos.

Notice the rows of backward-facing teeth in his upper jaw. I got my thumb caught in there the other day and it was like trying to pull it out of a serrated vice.


The egg is at least 2x the size of his head, maybe 3 or 4.

Lots of expansion between the scales.

They are able to breath by the small "tube" that extends to the front part of the bottom jaw (small ridge under his lip.

Right about at this frame, I heard the weirdest noise. I thought I was stepping on something or else I had dropped something. Then I realized it was the snake crushing the egg against its ribcage. The bulge slowly disappeared.

I had another egg in the cage, but it had turned black on the inside and he wasn't very interested in it. I inserted 2 more eggs that looked a bit more fresh, and he gave 'em a forked lick.


So, fellas, if you don't have snake guards on your duck, bluebird, warbler or martin housing, it's only a matter of time before you are wiped out by these egg-loving reptiles. The three snakes that were in the one wood duck box I found last week wiped out an entire clutch (probably a dozen eggs) in a matter of minutes.

That right there is awesome. I hate them suckers eating a dang egg but to see it in action would be pretty cool.

I've got some starling and house sparrow nests I need to turn them loose on.

Wingman wrote:They are able to breath by the small "tube" that extends to the front part of the bottom jaw (small ridge under his lip.

Sir, I believe you are refering to what is known in the herpetology world as the "glottis".

Its a good thing we have rat snakes or the Wood Ducks would become overpopulated.

Thanks for the info. I was really just making all that up. I actually thought they took a big breath and tried to gulp it down before their lips turned blue.

Its a good thing we have rat snakes or the Wood Ducks would become overpopulated.

Yeah, rat snakes and late shooters.

Great pictures Rob!

Thanks, Wayne.

A final photo: a closeup of de mouf.

How long did it take for him to swallow it all?

Image #1 on this thread was 10:39 AM. Image #10 was 10:43 AM. Image #12 was 10:52 AM.

beautiful snake. I used to have a ball python and watching that thing strike and eat mice was something impressive.

rat snake = chicken snake

OR

Corn snake = chicken snake?

I got the freakin hibbi gibbies from that. Man I bet your folks just never know what they gonna come home to Really cool though. Since I have a phobia of snakes people would have never gotten to see that if I would have found them in the box