tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post4310303020263993432..comments2024-01-04T05:26:02.451-07:00Comments on Life is short, but snakes are long: How many snakes are venomous and how many are constrictors?Andrew Dursohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04720822623046554913noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-55054605374419495462017-11-02T04:35:29.280-06:002017-11-02T04:35:29.280-06:00Thanks. There is a lot to think about there. As ...Thanks. There is a lot to think about there. As usual, animal behavior can be improvisational and surprising when survival is at stake (and when is it not?). Cheers.Mary Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02130204380830705384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-26475241471642360772017-11-01T10:24:27.050-06:002017-11-01T10:24:27.050-06:00Good question. Anacondas certainly use constrictio...Good question. Anacondas certainly use constriction in the water, and I wouldn't be surprised if other large boas and pythons occasionally did so too. But, in very deep water, it's possible that the snake would either drown or at least be incapable of moving the dead prey back to shore for consumption, since the process of swallowing takes a while and even on land they normally aren't capable of doing much to re-position the constricted, killed prey before starting to swallow it. I would suggest that large boas and pythons at least sometimes also use constriction in self-defense, so that if I were trying to catch one, the last place I would want to be is in deep water. I don't think a large python could hold its breath for long enough to constrict, kill, and eat prey in open water, but I know that they can go without oxygen for far longer than I can, especially if I'm swimming and being constricted at the same time.Andrew Dursohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720822623046554913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443075087825368900.post-64245070904335375722017-10-31T06:48:02.188-06:002017-10-31T06:48:02.188-06:00Can a large reticulated python use constriction in...Can a large reticulated python use constriction in open water? I have read that terrestrial snakes do not constrict in deep water. Is this true? Would this feature--non constricting--make it relatively easy to swim with or catch a large swimming retic?Mary Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02130204380830705384noreply@blogger.com