Biology

"Gastrointestinal ventilation"

This behavior described here and published as a Natural History Note in the 2009 Herpetological Review 40(2): 231 is very unusual, but I have repeatedly observed it in several of my northern White-Lipped Pythons (Leiopython albertisii). Yet I didn't have the chance to make a video sequence, but as soon as I have one, I'll put it on this site.

Approximately three weeks after feeding an adult rat each and one week after defecating and regurgitating fur balls, the snakes were observed raising their head and neck (about ¼ of the body) as well as their tail (including the cloacae). The mouth was opened wide and the glottis was shut. Within seconds, the snake’s mid-body inflated, and then deflated again accompanied by flatulence-like noise and minimum cloacal outcast of a mucilaginous substance. This was repeated four and five times, respectively. It looked as though the snakes were pumping air into their stomach, and then almost immediately releasing it through the cloaca.

Although I'm not sure, if this behavior could also be observed in the wild, it is remarkable that these pythons are able to do so and that they make use of such a strategy.