Is it possible for snakes to eat themselves?

The snake is one of the most popular captivity snakes in recent years due to their docile nature and the ease of care that they requires; most owners are happy with their snakes, but they get stressed when their snakes begin to eat themselves.

It is possible for snakes to eat themselves, and this is referred to as self-cannibalism. This is shocking for snake owners, but it is a fact. There are many reasons why a snake can start eating itself, such as hypermelatlism, stress, as well as other factors.

When your snake displays self-cannibalism behaviour, you should identify the cause of self-cannibalism in your snake, and if you are unable to handle that situation, you will have to take your snake to your veterinarian. In this article, we will talk about self-cannibalism in snakes, what the reasons are for it and what can be done to prevent it. This is a very important article for snake owners to read in detail.

Why do snakes eat themselves?

Self cannibalism in snakes is very bizarre behavior and pet owners should be aware of what the reasons are so they are able to treat their snakes. Below we have provided some reasons of self cannibalism in snakes which can help you treat them.

• Stress and anxiety- It is quite possible that if your snake is suffering from snake and anxiety it may show self cannibalistic behavior. When snakes are stressed they develop self-cannibalistic behavior due to reasons such as inadequate diet, low temperature, and humidity in their habitat.
• Thermoregulation problem- The snake is a cold-blooded animal, meaning it depends on external heat sources in order to maintain a constant body temperature. However, when snake habitats do not have a hot side and a cold side, it is impossible for snakes to regulate their temperature. In the event if their enclosure becomes too hot and are unable to cool down, they become confused and disoriented and may be unable to distinguish their tail from a prey, which can cause them to eat, which leads to them to self-cannibalism.
• Hungry- When the snake doesn't have food to eat then or doesn't have sufficient food to eat then their body becomes lacking in nutrition value and energy levels which would force the animals to enter a state of emergency and start to eat their own body parts to get energy to function.
• Shedding- When your snake is going through the shedding process, their eye vision is temporarily obstructed as there is shed skin in their eye, at this time they consider the tail to be food and they try to consume it in a manner that could be described as self-cannibalism.
• Hypermetabolism snake's metabolism rate can potentially rise if it is unable to maintain its body functions as a result of being unable to cool itself sufficiently, which can lead to high metabolism in the snake, which can sometimes result in strange behaviour including self-cannibalism in snakes. 

Below are some other reasons why snakes engage in self-cannibalism behaviour.

• When their enclosures are too small.
• If they suffer from diseases or injuries.
• It may be due to a lack of nutrients in their diet. 

What are the dangers of snakes trying to eat themselves?

As there are many dangers on a snake, if it tries to eat, it can result in serious injury to the snake, if it swallows its own tail, it may become trapped in its stomach, resulting in a blockage in the snake's digestive system. A snake bites itself and bites its own skin so as to open wounds and expose itself to infection, but other dangers include internal bleeding, digestive disorders, reduced quality of life, or even death.

How can I prevent self-cannibalism in snakes?

To prevent self-cannibalism in snakes, pet owners should follow the steps below.

• As snake owners, it is important to give their snakes a stress-free environment by removing the sources of stress from their cages.
• To keep their snake in good health, pet owners should not handle their snake too often.
• It is important for pet owners to provide their snakes with a well-balanced diet.
• If you want to assist your snake in the shedding process, you will need to provide them with a lukewarm bath where they can soak for some time.
• It is imperative that snake owners provide their snakes with a comfortable environment that includes a good substrate and optimal temperatures and humidity levels.

What should you do if your snake tries to eat itself?

To solve the problem of self-cannibalism in your snake, you need to observe your snake's tank and remove the source that encourages them to do so. In the event that you fail to find the cause of their self-cannibalism, you will need to see a veterinarian.