How long should it take??

Neil:

I still think I am right even though I am anal LOL!!!! So just turn the keys to the store over to me on Monday morning ok???

I also think that it can be variable. I have an Argentine Boa that is eating f/t medium rats. She has never refused to eat. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes for the rat to "disappear", and sometimes it takes 20 minutes. Same snake, same size prey. Go figure.

Mike.... Ya got a deal!.... let's review.... on Sunday night, YOU turn over 100K to ME, and on Monday morning, I hand YOU the keys.... right??.... lmao

Now, come on guys.... why can't we just say that with "everything being equal".... can't anybody give me an answer??.... Or, are you guys so intimidated about "maybe" saying some amount of time that nobody else will agree with??.... Just take a stand and give me YOUR answer???.... I AM very serious about this question, I'm NOT trying to joke around (this time).... I DO have a time in mind, which I tell ALL my customers, as how to tell when a snake should move UP in the size rat it's eating.... I will be more than happy to tell you MY feelings.... AFTER I hear from a couple of you.... SERIOUSLY!!

OK.... let's say a 3' yearling boa.... what size rat (or mouse) would you feed it, and how long would it take the snake to get it down.... what YOU would consider a GOOD meal that will last for a WEEK before you feed him again.... Does THAT make it easier for you??

THEN.... tell me the same thing about a 4' burm....

THEN.... tell me the same thing about a 3' carpet python....

ALL THREE ANSWERS (in my book) SHOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.... just different sized food animals.... to give you guys a hint!

....Neil

Neil:

Check is in the mail for the store but ok here is my answer. The time should be no longer than 5 minutes. Longer than 5 minutes and the meal is either too large for the snake or the meal is satisfactory. Any significant deviation (1-2 minutes) less than 5 minutes and the size of the meal is too small and should be increased.

I *personally* feel that there is not a 'correct' answer to this - and it has nothing to do with being afraid to put my opinion/name to a set time limit. For anyone who has a number of snakes (all of relatively the same size on the same size prey), some will eat faster than others and there are a number of variables other than size of snake and size of prey. If a potential customer purchases a snake thinking it will eat in 5 minutes time and it takes half an hour, they then think there's something wrong...when there isn't! I have 3 adult Bci that are fed at the same time, with appropriate sized prey for their size (one is smaller than the other two, thus slightly smaller prey). The first pair usually have swallowed their prey within 5-15 minutes but the last female takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to actually eat the rat she's given. I also have 3 juvenile Bci, all roughly the same size, all feeding on mice, all of them eat within about 5-10 minutes once they've begun to swallow the prey - most of the time, there are times that it takes them longer. IMO, it just varies with the animal and the mood that the animal is in at the time you feed it.

Dianne

Fellas Fellas...

Seriously, Neil, there is NO correct blanket answer to this question. I gave examples above on why it is not a good comparison, but here, let's try a few more examples of why you can't hammer down a time.

Example four:
I have 5 Boa constrictors. All are adults over 6 feet. All are eating multiple large rats per meal(jumbo rats and rabbits are cost prohibitive when I get good clean large rats for free). My smallest one at just barely over 6 feet can eat one of these rats in under 5 minutes. The other 3 take between 5-10 to eat one rat and they are all between 7 and 8 feet. The largest, a 9 foot female, takes anywhere from 15-20 minutes on average to eat one large rat. They will all eat multiple rats of course, but the times are backwards right? The 60 pound 9 foot snake should eat a large rat alot faster than a 6 foot 15 pound snake, right?

Example 5:
I have two copperheads. Both are eating hopper mice(frozen/thawed). Both take less than five minutes to get their meals down, but they leave a noticeable lump, does that mean the meals are too small? I don't think so. It just means that they eat fast.

Now, let's try to break it down by comparing you and Jeff eating. Let's say you and Jeff are the same size and weight and all that good stuff(just for the sake of this argument) and therefore it takes the same amount of food to fill you up. You and Jeff each get a plate of food large enough to fill you up for the day. How long should it take you guys to eat this properly sized meal? It will be different for both of you since maybe Neil likes to chew his food more and Jeff likes to just inhale it. Or maybe Jeff likes to savor the flavor and Neil likes to talk while eating. You guys will finish in different amounts of time, but will still be getting the same filling meal.

The same is true for snakes, some just eat faster than others. Some like to hold the prey longer, some will choke it down kicking and screaming(got a funny story about that I'll post in the BS forum). It doesn't really matter how long it takes as long as your animals are healthy and well-fed right?

Robert,,,you are correct,,Neil and I do have too much time on our hands..Thats why i am coming to your house...Be there tomorrow afternoon.....lol

Seriously,,,Neil and I were discussing((arguing...ya'll know Neil...lol.))..Just kiddin buddy...we were discussing how long it should take for a snake to completely eat a rat...I said a certain amount,,and Neil said a certain amount...
But i am in agreement that individual snakes take different amounts of time to fully eat the rat...If Neil wants to put the times that we each stated on here,,thats fine..But we were both right...
Rob,,,see ya tomorrow...Wont be staying long,,,a month or three....lol...just kiddin Rob...

Jeff

Jeff,

that's cool buddy, I'm getting tired of spending my snake money paying the entire mortgage myself. lol Plus I need someone here to clean cages. LOL And you show up any time you please pally boy, just let me know ahead of time so I can be sure to be conveniently out of town Just kidding brother

Anyway, go ahead and post the times up. Just so you know, you're both right... and you're both wrong.

Rob.... ok, a few things first.... one, I could NEVER eat what Jeff does.... the man's a bottomless pit!.... I really don't think he even chews!.... I'm just wondering when he's going to regurgitate that small child he swollowed!....lmao

OK.... I tell everyone about the FIFTEEN MINUTE RULE! I tell ALL my customers that 15 minutes is USUALLY the perfect amount of time for a snake to swallow a GOOD meal! Any more time than that, the animal is PROBABLY too big for the snake, and you should reduce the size the next time! If it takes less than ten minutes, you should increase the size of the feeder.... this goes for MOST snakes (as far as I'm concerned).... does anybody truly feel that I'm wrong??

....Neil

Neil,

you are right...and wrong. It depends on the individual snake how long it will take to eat. It can also sometimes depend on how many times the snake has had a meal that size. I've watched a snake take an hour to eat it's first small rat, but then each subsequent small rat took less than 20 minutes.

I judge prey size more by body size of the snake than by how long it takes to get it down. I like to feed my snakes food items that are as big around or only slightly bigger around than the thickest part of the snake. OR a meal that leaves a somewhat noticeable, but not massive lump. If it takes a minute or an hour, if the prey item follows those parameters, then it's a good meal in my book. If it gets to the point where there is no lump at all, then the snake gets moved up to the next size in rodent. Can't get much easier than that

As far as Jeff's eating habits, Neil, I don't think that kid's gonna come back out the way it went in LOL You guys REALLY need to hit a strip club or SOMETHING if an argument is the best thing you guys can come up with for entertainment. lol