The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-31
LONG FAsTs OF SNAKES,
Some Remarkable Facts Gathered by
the Revue Scientifque. Paris.
Public Opinion.

Il bAAN ORllloll-
NJ. j. Pellegrin has written to the zoolog-
zeal society of a curious case of fasting of a
serpent, and in this connection IL may be
stated that frequently among the ophidians
there are observed cases of fasting the du-
ration OF which is extraordinary. Among
serpents in captivity individuals are noticed
which. although side by side with those who
willingly accept the food given them. OBJ
stinately refuse all and every sort OF nouT-
ishment. This state Of affairs cannot be in
definitely prolonged, but death frequently
does not occur until after a lapse OF time
which in many cases is very great. as will
be seen from the following interesting par
ticulars.
At the snakehouse of the Museum Of Nat
ural History in Paris facts Of this nature
are noticed frequently, and August Dumeril
cites the case OF a snake OF North America
which remained fifteen months without TAX
ing nourishment and a rattlesnake which
only ate at the end of twenty-siX months.
NJ. valiant cites the case of a pelOphile
which is still living after twenty-three
months Of fasting and a python who only
took food at the end of twenty-nine months.
This observer further reports the case OF
two pelophiles which died Of inanition, one
after three years, the other after the ex-
traordinary period OF forty-nine months,
that is, more than four years.
The case which We wish TO especially no
ttce here is remarkable not for the duration
or the faSt-Whlch was sufficiently long
nearly two and one-half years-but above
all for the loss of weight OF the animal.
that is, nearly two-thirds OF the original
NOiuilt. ACCORDING 10 the INVESTIGATIONS OF
Chossat at Geneva, experiments which
were made on warm-blOOded animals for
the most part, IL seems that death occurs
independently Of every other cause when the
subject has lost 40 to 20 per cent. OF the
original weight. NJ. Pellegrin reached the
same conclusion with reference TO ring
snakes, which, after being submitted to alb
sOlute Tasting, that Is, deprived not only OF
food but OF water, died on the average after
a loss of IS per cent. of the original weight.
In the cases of those submitted 10 relative
fasting fhnf Il not Ianrf.~.I =.
death occurred after a loss of 43 per cent.
of the original weight, but the duration OF
life was with them three times greater.
1t is not the same in the following case.
IN 18th OF November. 1893, there was
placed in the snakehouse Of the museum
a superb reticulated python OF Japan.
which measured nineteen and one-half feet
in length, his celebration being living and
brilliant, his diameter enormous. and his
activity denoting the most fourishing state
or health. Furthermore, he manifested a
dangerously aggressive disposition. He
was offered the most diverse foods, but all
were obstinately refused. Sheep. rabbits.
geese, ducks and chickens were in turn Of
fered, and whilst at times he stifed these
in his coils he left them without touching
them. He contented himself with frequent
bathing in his basin, and this fact is i'm
portant, as death comes much quicker with
the ophidians submitted to an absolute
fast.
The python continued to refuse food and
began to decrease in volume, the brilliant
and g~hstening color present at first giving
place TO a dull, gray color, and at the COM
mencement of 1902 he was Surprisingly thin.
being nothing more than skin and bone.
Completely aDathetic and inoffensive, he
allowed himself TO be handled with impuni-
~. remaining perfectly inert, rolled UP in
the corner of his cage. At different times
II was sought TO feed him by means OF eggs
placed in his mouth, but this nourishment
produced no result, and his body rapidly
became covered with sores, fragments OF
gangrenous skin were detached from the
creature, and the odor was very disagree
able. 1t was observed that partial and sue
cessive death of the organs preceded in a
way the total death, which occurred the
10th of April, 1902, that is, after two years
five months and three days Of fasting.
The animal weighed at the time of death
twenty-five kilos, the initial weight having
| been ~seventy-ive kilos. Thus the reduction
was forty-eight kilos. or nearly two-thirds
of the original weight. a remarkable fig
ure, which seems TO prove that sometimes
with the larger adult ophidians, submit
ting voluntarily To a relative fast, death
does not occur until after a loss Of weight
much greater than Chossat thought