Fig. 2. Mean rates of oxygen consumption (_O2) prior to day 0 and up to 10 days following the consumption of rodent meals equaling 25% of the snake body mass for Python brongersmai, P. molurus, P. regius, P. reticulatus and P. sebae (N=6-8 for each species). In this and the following figures, error bars indicate ± 1 s.e.m. and are omitted if the s.e.m. is smaller than the width of the symbol used for the mean value. Note the rapid increase in _O2 following the consumption of a meal and a slower return to fasting rates by days 6-9.