What is the primary rule concerning the width of the prey item relative to the snake's body?
Answer
No wider than one to one-and-a-half times the snake's widest point
Selecting the appropriate prey size is paramount in captive snake management to facilitate digestion and avoid obesity. The primary, consensus rule emphasizes the diameter of the prey item in relation to the snake's girth. Specifically, the prey item must be ensured to be no wider than a range spanning from one time up to one-and-a-half times the widest point of the snake's body. This physical constraint is often paired with a weight calculation, where the prey should constitute 10% to 15% of the snake's total body weight. Both metrics serve as critical checks to ensure the meal is manageable for the snake's digestive tract and system to process efficiently.
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