curious question

[Bartman]

Just a question about fasting bp's and other snakes really. When a snake goes off feed, specificallly bp's, do they not get the hunger that we would if we stopped eating for liek a day or does the thought of food totally not come into there head? I just wonder how some bp's can go off food for almost 8 months, my friends has been off for almost 6 months and hasnt shed a pound. That was my other question, how do they last so long? Do they have fat/food storages in there bodies? As for the "other snakes" i mentioned, i just wanted to know why some, from birth, just dont eat. Do they not realize if they dont eat they will die or what?
thanks for any answers :D

[Jeff_Favelle]

Its not a matter of fat stores or "getting hungry". They don't metabolize like you or I do. I mean, how often do you feed your snake? Ok, now how often do you eat a day? I eat 6 times a day. I can't imagine feeding my snake 6x a day. Plus look at what snake eats. Even one moderate-sized rat for an adult Ball would be like us eating 30 or 40 8oz steaks. Its just not possible. They have evolved as a group of animals to eat larger meals infrequently. That is their life strategy. And this is facilitated by a slower metabolism and being ectothermic. That is, at 20C a snake would use FAR fewer calories for body processes than it would at 32C. However at 20C, we basically use up the same amount of energy as we do at 32C. Mammals are the inefficient death of this planet.

[Bartman]

I feed my guy once every 7 days exactly. But after 6 months they have forsure digested that mouse they last ate, so doesnt there body require another meal? When a bad owner neglects the snake and doesnt feed him for lets say 2 months, he will lose weight right? So how come when the snake decides themselves to go off feed for 6 months they wont lose a gram?

[marisa]

Good question Bartman...

Let's take a neglected snake. When a bad owner isn't feeding their ball enough and they have lost body weight, the problem is a couple things. For one hatchlings don't normally fast for months...if the owner is not feeding an adult, they most likely have never given it a fecal, have never given it the proper heating, the proper humidity, etc.

Like a human....someone in great shape who exercises and eats right goes on a hike with someone who sits in front of a tv all day and eats crap. They both get stuck in the mountains. The guy in great shape is going to be able to outlast the other person in some cases just because they are in better health over all.

In healthy good conditions fasting is natural....but in crappy conditions, bad health...it can be a disaster.

Marisa

[Bartman]

ooo ok...thanks that answered my question!