# Dinner in Australia? ** graphic snake meal photos **



## Josh (May 17, 2011)

EDIT: The text and images below were emailed to me. Though I'm now hearing these are Australian animals. Probably a black-headed python and a gould's monitor.

DINNER IN ARIZONA 
These pictures were taken by some friends out at Cloudbreak, Arizona last week. It took a total of 5 hours for the Desert King Snake to finish off the Goanna Sand Monitor. 
As you can see, they put some stakes with flag tape on them plus a hazard/danger triangle up to help keeping someone from running over them. Looking at the man then comparing him to both the Desert King and the Goanna the snake looks to be at least 8' and the lizard about 5'... What do you think?


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## Fernando (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***

wow that is amazing!


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***

Great pictures - Unfortunately the story behind it is false. Those pictures were taken in Australia as those are both australian species. The snake is a black headed python, Aspidites melanocephalus


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## coreyc (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***

Wow great pic's


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## dmarcus (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***

WOW that is not a small lizard, and 5 hours to get it down. Good thing a bigger predator didnt happen along that snake was vulnerable...Fantastic time lasp photos...


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## hali (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***

blimey!!!!!!


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## Josh (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***



SnakeyeZ said:


> Great pictures - Unfortunately the story behind it is false. Those pictures were taken in Australia as those are both australian species. The snake is a black headed python, Aspidites melanocephalus



Thanks for the heads up! The images and text were forwarded to me. Didn't think to fact-check them! DOH!
EDIT in place.


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

No problem Josh! I was a snake keepr long before I was a tortoise keeper so those pictures surfaced a few times already for me. I just wanted to make sure I spread the word! Haha.

Beautiful snake though.... seeing a black headed python is person is out of this world. They are beautiful looking!


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## Tortuga_terrestre (May 17, 2011)

That is awesome. Im suprised the monitor claws did not tear the snake's skin.


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## Fernando (May 17, 2011)

It's always amazing to see how much a snakes jaws can detach like that...I can't imagine what type of food I'd be eating If I could do that.


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

Tortuga_terrestre said:


> That is awesome. Im suprised the monitor claws did not tear the snake's skin.



Snakes have pretty tough skin that stretches quite a bit to allow the snake to swallon such items. Snakes usually always eat head first which forces the arms/legs to be pushed along side the preys body. The claw curve inwards as well. The first couple times I watched my snakes eat I watched until the tail disappeared. Rarely do I watch anymore - novelty kind of wears out.



FernandoM said:


> It's always amazing to see how much a snakes jaws can detach like that...I can't imagine what type of food I'd be eating If I could do that.



It is neat. A snakes jaw is made up of elastic ligements which allow it to swallow prey items. Here's a picture that shows just that.


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## Nay (May 17, 2011)

As sad as I am to see a beautiful lizard like that gone, I have to say it was incredible. 
Thanks for sharing.
NAy


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## Fernando (May 17, 2011)

SnakeyeZ said:


> Tortuga_terrestre said:
> 
> 
> > That is awesome. Im suprised the monitor claws did not tear the snake's skin.
> ...



I'd be eating 10x10 - In n Out animal style burgers haha. That's so cool...



I think I'm really hungry now.


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

Haha! Yeah no kidding. Off topic but ever see the show Man VS Food? I need a burger like one of those!!


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## Fernando (May 17, 2011)

SnakeyeZ said:


> Haha! Yeah no kidding. Off topic but ever see the show Man VS Food? I need a burger like one of those!!



yes! Some of that stuff...i wouldn't be able to eat..but a majority of it I would. My wife would kill me though!


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## Josh (May 17, 2011)

The craziest part is how long that snake will go without eating after a meal like that. What a digestive system!


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

FernandoM said:


> SnakeyeZ said:
> 
> 
> > Haha! Yeah no kidding. Off topic but ever see the show Man VS Food? I need a burger like one of those!!
> ...



No kidding... lol. I would love to "try" and eat a burger that massive. I would fail at eating it all but still wouldn't stop me. I can barely eat a 1/2 lb burger.


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## Fernando (May 17, 2011)

Josh said:


> The craziest part is how long that snake will go without eating after a meal like that. What a digestive system!



How long can it go?


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

Depends on the species, health of the snake and how large the prey item is. That snake would easily go 3-5 weeks without another meal. Snakes in the wild are optunistic hunters though so if next week another lizard came on by the snake would probably take it too. 

I usually feed my young snakes once every 7 days, and adults get fed every 10-14 days.


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## EricIvins (May 17, 2011)

It also didn't take 5 hours.......Unless it stopped because it was being disturbed........

Blackheads are Reptile eaters, along with the majority of Herps in that region......


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

EricIvins said:


> It also didn't take 5 hours.......Unless it stopped because it was being disturbed........
> 
> Blackheads are Reptile eaters, along with the majority of Herps in that region......



Ditto! The meal was not THAT big or awkward that the snake would need to take 5 hours to consume.


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## Angi (May 17, 2011)

That was awful, but cool at the same time. I am a little freacked out yet can't wait to show my son.


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## Angi (May 17, 2011)

That was awful, but cool at the same time. I am a little freacked out yet can't wait to show my son.


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## dmmj (May 17, 2011)

I owned a ball python for almost 20 years and was always amazed at how it could eat, for me the novelty never wore off. Awesome pics, I am always amazed at snake eating photos.


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## ALDABRAMAN (May 17, 2011)

WOW, that was neat!


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## Fernando (May 17, 2011)

ALDABRAMAN said:


> WOW, that was neat!



Greg, I'd like to see your snapping turtle eat


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## DeanS (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***



SnakeyeZ said:


> Great pictures - Unfortunately the story behind it is false. Those pictures were taken in Australia as those are both australian species. The snake is a black headed python, Aspidites melanocephalus



I concur...except for the remote possibility that this was staged in AZ...as both species were very easy to come by in the 80s...food for thought


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## SnakeyeZ (May 17, 2011)

I guess anything is possible!


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## Yvonne G (May 17, 2011)

*RE: Dinner in Arizona ** graphic snake meal photos ***



DeanS said:


> I concur...except for the remote possibility that this was staged in AZ...as both species were very easy to come by in the 80s...food for thought



Except for the red dirt. You see that in Australia. Does Arizona have red dirt too?

(And the snapper eats so fast, you'd have to really be on the ball to snap a picture of it)


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