Why do snakes eat themselves alive? The scientific reason is stranger than you think

It could sound like a horror tale, but the occurrence of a snake devouring itself is entirely real. Footage and images of snakes nipping or swallowing their tails have been around for years on the internet, tending to trigger either alarm or fascination among users. On the surface, it could either seem symbolic or supernatural, yet the basis behind this auto-cannibalism is much more scientific and biological.Snakes are naturally mysterious animals. Their physiology, psychology, and instincts are unlike any other animal, primarily because they do not have limbs, possess highly developed senses, and rely very heavily on nature for survival. And yet, even in the wild, where survival and efficiency are the motivations behind every move, snakes sometimes become victims of their own nature. Ingestion of themselves, while infrequent, is normally indicative of distress or serious physiological aberration. This article delves into the causes behind some snakes behaving this way, what brings it about, and how to avoid it, particularly in captivity.In order to gain an insight into why a snake will eat itself, it's first worth understanding how a snake's body works. Snakes are ectothermic reptiles, and this means they take external warmth in order to balance their body temperature. In contrast to mammals, which produce heat internally, snakes soak up warmth from around them. This detail of their biology means that they are extremely sensitive to variations in temperature.Also, snakes use their tongues and Jacobson's organ to read chemical cues in the air. They don't see or hear like many other creatures. This sometimes causes them to become confused, especially when the snake is stressed, overheated, or is not able to easily tell prey apart from non-prey.As per herpetologists, snakes that start consuming themselves usually respond to one or more biological defects, usually caused by stress from the environment or illness.One of the most thoroughly documented reasons for a snake's attempts to devour itself is overheating. In captivity, this occurs most frequently because of inadequately maintained enclosures. Heating pads or lamps that are too strong or set in the wrong location can increase the ambient temperature of a snake enclosure to life-threatening levels.According to A-Z Animals, when a snake gets too hot and cannot get away from the heat source, it can become confused. In the worst case, its brain is compromised to the extent that it identifies its own tail as food. The outcome is sad. The snake starts attacking itself, either in a defensive manner or as a result of muddled feeding behaviour.Reptile-attending veterinarians usually warn first-time pet owners to watch enclosure temperature closely. Optimal levels vary by species, but overheating is prevalent and avoidable. After a snake reaches this state of distress, it can be challenging to step in without exacerbating things.In the wild, a snake is free to seek cover, relocate, and manage its exposure to environmental factors. But in captivity, it has limited control. If an enclosure is too small, too bright, too loud, or otherwise inadequately constructed, a snake can fall into chronic stress.Stress in snakes usually manifests in abnormal behaviour like pacing, hiding, or refusal to eat. In severe cases, an extremely stressed snake will attack or become disoriented. Disorientation will also lead the snake to bite its own tail.Animal behaviourists think that a stressed snake is more prone to mistake its tail as food, especially if it has just eaten or is reacting to specific odours in the environment. Tail movement is likely to provoke a feeding response, particularly if the senses of the snake are derailed by external stimulation.There are also some isolated cases when the snakes bite themselves during meals, particularly when they are very hungry or have gone without food for a long time. In such situations, the feeding urge of the snake becomes so exaggerated that it can start striking at anything that moves.Some species, such as the kingsnake or milk snake, are considered aggressive feeders. If the snake is not handled correctly or if food is presented in an unsafe environment, it is possible that it would strike its own tail out of confusion. This is more apt to occur if the enclosure has been scented with prey or if the feeding tongs have been misused.According to A-Z Animals, a few snakes can have a neurological problem that predisposes them to such behaviour. Neurological disorders, though uncommon, lead to faulty motor control and perception difficulties, which in turn induce such behaviours as self-biting and tail-chasing.A different reason for self-cannibalism in snakes could be a neurological disorder or brain injury. Similar to other creatures, nervous system damage results in a breakdown of behaviour and instinct. In snakes, these symptoms can manifest as unpredictable movement, tail-chasing, or inability to identify their own body parts.Though not very frequent, neurological problems in snakes may be congenital (inborn) or acquired due to trauma, disease, or infection. If the snake has been dropped, assaulted, or poisoned, the resulting trauma might cause drastic confusion or disorientation.Veterinary accounts have indicated that snakes with neurological problems will exhibit repetitive behaviour, uncoordinated activity, or loss of appetite. If a snake starts attacking itself on multiple occasions, it is crucial to seek the advice of a reptile expert immediately to establish if there is a treatable cause for the behaviour.