She Oak Eating itself

[spongebob]

I came across one of my she-oaks eating itself this evening.

This photo was taken after I had separated it and placed it on damp spagnum in case it was having a bad shed which was my first thought. I've never seen this before. It has been gnawing away quite happily, and the last portion of the tail is well chewed. At one point the tail was right down it's throat, and it writhed around.

The only reference I'm aware of is from ancient beliefs about the serpent that can eat itself as in this picture that I took from Wikipedia

"The Ouroboros or Uroborus is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail and forming a circle". It's all rather Jungian...

 

[kupper]

hungry or lacking something in its diet bob?

 

[spongebob]

Now this is getting really strange. As I was organising the above post the skink is in a container next to me. This is what I've just seen.....

I hope it doesn't continue with this-how far can it go?? and why???

and before anyone asks it is a well fed skink that I gave extra crickets to this evening when I noticed it was 'hungry'

 

[Brown_Hair]

Isnt the serpant eating itself a sign or refrence to eternal life. Like the original buddist swastika??

 

[kupper]

have you tried stopping it bob ? and does it revert back to doing the same thing?

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Have they just been eating shop bought crix or
have you fed them something from the garden recently?
Would eating a contaminated (insecticide ect) bug give this reaction?
Snakes bite themselves when they are in pain..
Good luck with them Bob

 

[omg_a_gecko]

what an beauty, love the she-oaks, very interesting pic!

 

[kupper]

maybe consider chopping the end of the skinks tail off , and painted the tip with bedadine as the biten potion of the tail will more than likely get infected

 

[spongebob]

Well it's eaten that portion.

Hasn't gone back for another chew.

 

[Jay84]

OH MY GOD, that is unlike anything i have seen before? how very strange? what would cause an animal to self mutilate like that?

 

[kupper]

bad batch of wiz jay? LOL

 

[Casey]

I saw it once with a bluetongue that had had the tip of its tail bitten off by a dog, I put it in a box to take to the vet the next morning and when I checked it a couple of hours later it had eaten the whole tail off. The vet said it was probably a pain response.
Has it had any injury's to its tail?

 

[spongebob]

bad batch of wiz jay? LOL

The originals of carbon based componds such as amphetamines are also part of the snake eating itself story as I recall from my Chemistry lectures at uni

"The 19th century German chemist named Kekule dreamed of a snake with its tail in its mouth one day after dosing off. He had been researching the molecular structure of benzene, and was at a stop point in his work until after waking up he interpreted the dream to mean that the structure was a closed carbon ring. This was the breakthrough he needed."

 

[spongebob]

I saw it once with a bluetongue that had had the tip of its tail bitten off by a dog, I put it in a box to take to the vet the next morning and when I checked it a couple of hours later it had eaten the whole tail off. The vet said it was probably a pain response.
Has it had any injury's to its tail?

It is possible the whole saga started with an injury from it's larger cage mate

 

[kupper]

finally my stupid thoughts and comments are justified LOL thanks bob

 

[Jay84]

lol kupper !

 

[Mr.James]

I'd be running with the injury/pain theory, I've never seen anything like that before, maybe they had a fight or just got over frisky?

I know you already know this but just watch out for any signs of infection if it has stopped the chewing, the pain my have past...

Give it a nice snail to chewy on instead.

Hope it settles down bob.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[redbellybite]

Hey Bob hows the girl going?

 

[JasonL]

Damb emo she-oaks! well thats how aggressive they can be....when theres no-one else to beat up on...

 

[Sock Puppet]

A skink causing self harm? Has it been more reclusive than normal, wearing mascara & complaining that no one understands it? It might have turned emo.......poor thing

Hope my new blotched blueys don't do this whole crazy tail eating thing.

Hope your she-oak gets a good regen (& doesn't eat it).