What is metabolism? I guess if you define it, then I could actually contribute to the discussion.

In this context, I think of it as the rate calories are burned/utilized. There is no question, the higher a snakes body temps are, the faster they burn calories. And it does not matter what species.

How this relates to digestion is interesting. If your animals are at the high end of their metabolism, then more heat will not increase the rate of digestion. But if they are at the low end of their ability to digest food, then by increasing the temps, it will increase the speed of digestion. In nature, the temps they seek(rate of metabolism) is directly related to bolus size. The larger the bolus, the higher the temps they chose. At least until digestion is under way.

Of course different species, have different upper limits of metabolism. As well as different lower limits.

In my opinion, the hognose I am working with have a very high upper limit and a very high metabolism. Keep in mind, all reptiles use a range of temps and a corresponding rate of metabolism. What say you sir?

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