Coco is a California King snake. I got her as a rescue from animal control in 2022 and she has been a great addition to our family. Until this happened. I found her trying to swallow herself. She was doing a pretty good job of it too. I actually started filming after getting her to release a few inches of her tail, so she was a bigger meal than we see here. She's a good eater and had been fed recently, but I guess she was out for a stroll around her hide and noticed a tasty snake to snack on. Little did she know, it was her own tail. Silly snake. I didn't want to freak her out or injure her in any way, so I gently removed her from the enclosure and gently unhooked her mouth from her tail. I feel like she has a one way mouth and she couldn't unhook on her own. I'm glad we got her free from herself. No surprise, she was still hungry, so I gave her a better meal right away. A couple days later I found her in a knot tied around her climbing branch. Silly snake had bit her own butt this time and again, wouldn't let go. Again, I had to gently unhook her little teeth from her own tail. She got another meal (off camera) which she gobbled right up. I have not seen her eat so much before and still be hungry.

From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros
The ouroboros or uroboros (/ˌjʊərəˈbɒrəs/[2]) is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon[3] eating its own tail. The ouroboros entered Western tradition via ancient Egyptian iconography and the Greek magical tradition. It was adopted as a symbol in Gnosticism and Hermeticism and most notably in alchemy.

Some snakes, such as rat snakes, have been known to consume themselves. One captive snake attempted to consume itself twice, dying in the second attempt. Another wild rat snake was found having swallowed about twothirds of its body.

If you're looking for information or resources related to a snake attempting to eat itself, here are some relevant keywords:

Ouroboros behavior in snakes
Snake selfcannibalism
Autophagy in snakes
Cannibalistic behavior in serpents
Strange snake eating habits
Selfconsuming snake
Ouroboric behavior in reptiles
Snakes attempting to eat their own tail
Autophagy in snake species
Unusual serpent feeding behavior
Reptile selfdigestion
Bizarre snake eating habits
Ouroboros symbolism in snakes
Autophagous behavior in reptiles
Snakes mistaking tail for prey
Reptilian selfcannibalism
Snakes and autofeeding tendencies
Ouroboros myth in snake behavior
Reptile selfdestruction
Cannibalistic tendencies in serpent species

These keywords should help you find information and discussions related to the rare and unusual behavior of a snake attempting to eat itself, often referred to in the context of the ancient symbol of the Ouroboros.

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