109boaedon_suffocated

This rather extraordinary photograph shows a house snake (Boaedon virgatus) that had eaten an agama lizard and then died, presumably for one or more reasons arising from the prey being too large. Note that the skin of the snake has split. The cause of death may have been suffocation due to the snake’s airways being compressed, or possibly the agama inflicted lethal internal injuries. Zoological Garden, January 1967.