Re: Theropod eating and attacking

["Tony Canning" <tonyc@foe.co.uk>]

On Aug 29,  9:09am, Dann Pigdon wrote:
> Subject: Re: Theropod eating and attacking
> NJPharris@aol.com wrote:

> > Egg-eating snakes do, in fact, hork up (getting kinda technical, aren't
we?)
> > crushed eggshells.
>
> This seems kind of strange, since egg shell must be more digestible
> than thicker bones or hair. How many of us did that experiment as
> kids, of leaving an egg in vinegar over night to produce a rubbery
> egg? I would assume that egg shell would also be an excellant
> source of calcium.

Egg-eating snakes (sensu Dasypeltis etc) have specialised to the extent
that they get all sufficient nutrients from the egg contents - you can
have too much calcium in your diet.. Other less specialised snakes that
also eat eggs (eg Boiga spp) swallow the egg whole and digest the lot.

Tony

Tony Canning
tonyc@foe.co.uk