For the last month my old man Scar has been an eating machine. I've offered food daily and on only one occasion did he turn it down. In most cases feeding an adult everyday would be too much but not for him.
When Scar was recovered outside this Spring he was under weight and had lost much of his muscle tone. I attributed this to being out in the early Spring when his food sources were not readily available. He adjusted back to home life rather quickly and his eating became regular, again. He never regained that muscle tone he had once had. With most snakes, when you pick them up they move, pulling their bodies through your hand or at least while sitting there they are in a "ready to go" position. Scar doesn't do that. His body hangs and he makes very little effort to move, unless his body is being held horizontally. For all the eating he does(worms and pinkies) he isn't putting on any weight. He's not filling out and gaining muscle or fat mass.
In my work with radixes that usually means he's coming to the end of his life. One of his last mates(Bigbig) did the same thing before I had to put her down.
Scar is still very alert and a joy to have out. The other night I took him out while I watch a movie. He sat on a heated blanket the whole time. It was on high and he was covered up with only his head sticking out. After a few moments on the blanket the tongue flicking stopped and his head settled down onto the blanket. The old man fell asleep. Kids walking and running by, the dog walking by, all the activity of a house full of kids didn't phase him. When the movie was over I poured him into my hand and he returned to his enclosure. I wish I would have taken some video of him when he came to the Ranch. He was totally out of control. At the sight of a human, dog, anything he went crazy in his enclosure. This went on for months. It was a very slow process getting his to trust me but well worth the time.
Now I look at him and pray I can have 1 more year from him. Just one more breeding season from him. Looking at his face you see a young snake. He's ready for anything but his body is getting tired. He has been a blessing to have here on the Ranch. He is not only loved by my children but by hundreds of my students. Many times they will ask how's Scar is doing? before they even say hello to me. This old beat-up snake has made a big impact on a lot of children.