We may have sought out a chair next to the fireplace after Thanksgiving dinner, simply finding a comfortable place to let the "turkey coma" wash over us. Similarly, Emory's favorite place to digest after a big meal is a warm rock directly under the heat lamp. For a rat snake, it's not just cozy. Heat is necessary for digestion.
Ectothermic animals like snakes save energy by not maintaining a consistent body temperature on their own. Instead, they rely on their environment for warming up or cooling down their bodies.
Muscles, organs, and digestive enzymes operate most efficiently in a narrow range of temperatures, so it is important for Emory to find the right hotspot in her habitat after swallowing a mouse. A warmer body temperature means the mouse will pass through her system more quickly. She will also process and absorb her meal more efficiently under the heat lamp, ensuring that she'll have plenty of energy until she eats again next week.
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