Here's why African rocks are the best! - Page 3

JimmyDavid · 08-06-04, 09:15 AM

I got lost at that part where Africa is suposed to be the land of big eaters!?!?
Why should a Lion eat greater than a Tiger? Why should a Nile croc eat greater than a Salt water? Why should a Nile monitor eat greater than a Water? Every challenge of nature that Africa has, Asia has it also.

But back to the rock vs. retic subject. Scales, i respect your point of view and believe that it's coming from known data. But once again i have to disagree. "your" 16' rock could never eat as big as, let's say, Bob's Fluffy. Too much size difference. Even if rocks have more flexibility (wich i see no reason why), to fully swallow a large item 2 other things play a major role: Head size and stomach lengh. And in the end, at full adult size, retics have these 2 characteristics more developed
than any other snake.

BigBADace · 08-06-04, 09:52 AM

Now that i think about i have also heard of anacondas eating 6 foot caiman and 100 plus pound capybara so maybe we should consider them in this little contest

JimmyDavid · 08-06-04, 09:59 AM

RIght you are. The list i would put up would be this one:

Number 1 - Retic
Number 2 - Anaconda (quite close)
Number 3 - Rock Python
Number 3 - Burm
Number 4 - Scrub python

Scales Zoo · 08-06-04, 10:26 AM

Interesting discussion.

The rock python holds the record (160 lb impalla, weighed more than the snake did before eating it). Do you think Fluffy could eat an impalla more than her weight? Even a 160 lb impalla? I don't.

For size of snake versus size of prey, I think the Rocks and Scrubs are well over Retics, Burms and Anacondas. A 300 lb anaconda should be able to eat 100 lb pig.

Actually, from our experiences with these species, Anacondas seem to get so thick after a meal compared to what I'd have thought they would - I'd bet when our Anacondas are the size of our rocks, burms and retics - It will be eating smaller meals than they would.

And it has always taken longer for our 18.5' and 19.5' retics (170, 190 lbs) to swallow a 11 lb rabbit, than it takes our little african rock (maybe 60 lbs?).

Ryan

JimmyDavid · 08-06-04, 11:16 AM

Actually, i see a bit of truth about both what you say and what i say. So far, i've been talking about full sized snakes and total amount of food intake, but when you talk about size of snake versus size of food...mmm, i don't know, then. But then again, the most impressive i've seen was my little retic eating big rats (at least 4 or 5 times her own weight) if you think about it.
As for fluffy eating or not 160 pounds of food, you'll have to ask Bob. But i guess it's possible.
Interesting discussion and i would like to know about other people's experiences on it.

Scales Zoo · 08-06-04, 08:30 PM

we could probably start another thread about that - we kind of hijacked the rock eating the pig post of dom's.

But for the record, I think African Rocks beat Retics and all other snakes regardless of adult size, for being able to eat large meals.

Nice picture Dom!

Dr. Antfarm · 08-06-04, 09:39 PM

There was a thread on Bob Clark awhile back or a Retic at the San Diago Zoo (I think) eating a 58lbs pig. Huge meal. Biggest meal I've ever heard of a captive snake taking.

Bob Clark's Fluff, last I heard, weighed in at an amazing 310lbs. Do I think she could swallow something that weighs 160lbs? Oh ya.

Scales Zoo · 08-06-04, 10:13 PM

Well, I guess this keeps Doms great post up, so.....

Sandiego's retics are big, probably much more than 116 lbs (which would be double the prey size mentioned at 58 lbs).

I don't think Fluffy could eat a 160 lb impalla (about double the prey size) - the horns would poke right through poor fluffy for one thing (something that is amazing to see video of a rock doing) - but 160 lbs is almost 3 x the 58 lb food item mentioned for Sandiego.

Anyone know what Fluffy eats?

The guy (good friend Nathan Curtis) who had the monster female Afrock that ate 50 lb goats, also owned big retics, including our big tiger retic. He fed the retics big rabbits. He's very well respected with giant snakes, he's kept more than I probably ever will.

He is probably one of the reasons we got into keeping the big snakes - and our Queen is from a clutch of 80 + from that 20' monster.

Just this last weekend, I was just talking to Danny Conners from Texas, about reptiles. When I mentioned Afrocks, his first words were "they can eat amazingly huge meals can't they". He's also kept many giant snakes in the last 30 years, and we traded a few stories about big snakes eating big meals.

Put it this way.... Put 100 lb + goat or deer or pig in (seperately) with the biggest captive retic, the largest captive afrock, and the largest captive anaconda - and my money is that the afrock is the only one who even tries, and is succesfful.

Also, Jimmy. You said you had a young retic that ate a rat that weighed 5 x more than the snake. Do you have weights on them? If that is so, then that is damn impressive - but I am guessing you didn't weigh the snake to compare it to the rat.

Dom - got any after eating shots of that snake? Like with the huge belly.

Optimus Prime · 08-06-04, 10:33 PM

an't wait until mine get that big

Dr. Antfarm · 08-07-04, 08:44 PM

Here's something interesting I found.

http://constrictors.com/forums/showt...&threadid=2831

Stockwell · 08-07-04, 09:56 PM

The real question is who the hell wants to be around after all the experimenting, when they regurge.Be a bit tough putting that mess down the toilet. And if they barf up something with antlers,that might be a set a horns worth mounting

Dom · 08-08-04, 08:45 AM

African rocks Eat much larger prey .. Thats it thats all!

I wanna pics of a retic eating a large prey .. even somethign like a 100 pound retic eating a 35 pound pig? I doubt hed be able.. Their jaws just don't strecth that much

Dom · 08-08-04, 08:49 AM

Great discussion guys.. been away for a bit so I completly missed it ..

Jimmy .. You bring up good points with no proof though .. I have yet to EVER seen a retic even eat something a third his weigh .. Our 220 pound retic could not eat a 48 pound goat.. after 5 hours she had given up .. but my 72 pound rock ate a 28 pound pig???
and in my oppinions goat go down easier then pigs..

Ryan .. tx for the compliments.. I had borrowed a digi cam for the night ... but had to bring it back .. could not wait the 8 hours for her to eat it.. no after pics but I just bought a digi cam so I garantee that will never happenn again

Ryan.. you bring up very good points... morphology .. skull ligaments and pure proof that the afrack holds the record for largest prey .. Keep battling - your right

Someone brought up the anaconda eating a 6 foot caimen - in my oppinion a caimen must not be hard to eat because of its torpido shape .. it would go down very easilly unlike an antilope with horns and a rounded belly .. I think annacondas are 3rd on the list after retics and rocks..

I have seen many times where a large retic could not eat a preysize and a much smaller rock could ..

The time rate of the feeding was brought up a few times.. that one I don't know who wins.. All I know is it takes for ever for a Rock to eat a HUGE animal .. I have seen retics eat big things aswell and it is possible they eat faster but who really cares about that..

Anywho great debate.. lets get some proof in here...

Dr. Antfarm · 08-08-04, 03:29 PM

Here's a link to the Bob Clark thread, unfortunately the pics have expired.

http://www.bobclark.com/bcforums/top...TOPIC_ID=18635

Dr. Antfarm · 08-08-04, 03:52 PM

Here's another link to Bob Clark forums. It's not a monster sized feeding, but for the size of the snake it's impressive.

http://www.bobclark.com/bcforums/top...=Picture+Forum