Snake sitting

If you are at all squeamish about seeing creatures eat each other, move along. This post has circle of life type content...

I snake sit for a friend on occasion. He has a California King Snake named Zebra. Zebra is a pretty good house guest. He(she) is quite quiet, well mannered, and manages to use really good manners, particularly when eating. Meaning, he(she) doesn't play with his food. He spies it, nabs it, squeezes it till it stops arguing, and then scarfs.

Tonight's menu, medium hopper tartár:
I never name these things. Not even for the time it takes to bring it home from the pet store. These are "feeder" mice. That's what you ask for when you go to get them. I never play with them either. I wouldn't want anyone playing with my food... That just seems like good manners to me.

This is Zebra:
Ya, sorry about the focus, you don't get too good a view of his head here. He(she) looks hungry, no? I assumed he(she) was as the 'ol tongue was really going. Of course, the dinner for the night is in the bag just behind my hand, so I'm guessing Zebra knew what was up.

I was coached to let Zebra put the squeeze on the meal before I took to much interest in the process. I usually do enjoy watching. I find the act of a snake eating their prey a fairly amazing thing. Especially the whole dislocating the jaw to get the thing in there and then the muscle movement to move the meal through the digestive tract. Here is Zebra with the meal just about 2/3's consumed:

Ya, I know, I know. White mouse on a white background. If you look to the corner of Zebra's mouth on it's left, you can kind of see the mouse. To the right, if you look closely, you can see some of the fur.

Anyway, just another curious weekend of art, bovine attacks, sunrises, and the circle of life...