How long can a Wraith go between 'meals'? And can they eat human food?

[Oragami]

I was reading on some other site (or maybe it was this one), that Wraith can go hundreds of years without feeding if they are hibernating...But what if they aren't hibernating?

Does anyone know how long they can go between 'meals'?

And can Wraith eat human food?

[Dr.Mckay]

Wraith CAN eat human food. They just don't like to.

Well, they kept that wraith in season 1 for a few weeks without feeding, so i'd take a guess at a few weeks to a few months.

[Oragami]

Wraith CAN eat human food. They just don't like to.

Well, they kept that wraith in season 1 for a few weeks without feeding, so i'd take a guess at a few weeks to a few months.

But they wouldn't be able to survive on human food would they? Or can they?

And I think it would depend on how much they 'ate' at their last 'meal'...Like with humans, you eat only a little, you're hungry soon after. You eat 4 cheeseburgers, you can go for a while without food

[airrick]

I dont think this has ever really been explained or given a real answer. IMHO the Wraith have always had a vampire like quality so even if they could eat human food its always more fun to know they will eventually have to feed on their favorite meal

[dasNdanger]

From what we've been told in the show, a Wraith can go 2-4 months between feedings, and then he only needs 2-3 humans to sustain him until the next feeding. This is revealed in Instinct, when Goran says, "It feeds three, four times a year, takes two or three people each time."

So, basically a Wraith needs about one human to survive for one month - but they can feed all at once on several humans and go 3-4 months between feedings, as this episode establishes.

Todd's condition in Common Ground suggests they can survive longer than 3-4 months without feeding, but that they would be seriously weakened by starvation. So, my guess is that a HEALTHY Wraith feeds on 2-3 humans every 3-4 months...in order to maintain his strength. However, a starving Wraith, like Todd, may not have been fed in 6 months or more - thus his very weakened state in the beginning of Common Ground.

As far as eating normal food - they can, but as the wine-drinking, gourmet-dining Wraith in Condemned said (speaking of the food he is eating), "Our lineage may have diverged, but there are those of us who still retain an appreciation for finer things. And although it may provide a moment's pleasure, it does not sustain me."

So, yes...they can eat normal food, but it does not sustain them. In other words, it would be like trying to survive on nothing but sugar - after a short while you'd grow weak, get sick, and die. Producer Joe Mallozzi explained that the same thing would happen if they fed (trhough their feeding hand) on large mammals, like cows. They CAN do it, but it will not nourish them and sustain their life.

Only by feeding on humans do they get what they need in order to regenerate, and to survive. But they don't require much - approximately 8-12 humans a year.


das

[Laura Dove]

From what we've been told in the show, a Wraith can go 2-4 months between feedings, and then he only needs 2-3 humans to sustain him until the next feeding. This is revealed in Instinct, when Goran says, "It feeds three, four times a year, takes two or three people each time."
[...]
Only by feeding on humans do they get what they need in order to regenerate, and to survive. But they don't require much - approximately 8-12 humans a year.

IMO, it takes less than that, as Goran counts killings by both the adult male wraith and Ellia. I'd go with less than 10 humans a year for an adult wraith (say 5-8). The numbers probably raise if the wraith is injured and has to heal himself, though.

[The Prophet]

Do they starve to death if they don't eat, or are they weakened to such a state that they're in constant pain?

I suppose without any energy input to their bodies, the cells would eventually be unable to sustain and replicate themselves, resulting in death...

[Laura Dove]

Do they starve to death if they don't eat, or are they weakened to such a state that they're in constant pain?
I suppose without any energy input to their bodies, the cells would eventually be unable to sustain and replicate themselves, resulting in death...

Good question. I agree they would probably end up dying, but it could take months, if not over a year, of agony. *shivers*

[GoSpikey]

You do need to take in account that the adult Wraith in Instinct was probably trying to keep a low profile, aka not taking too many lives as to make sure the villagers wouldn't suddenly hunt him down and kill him, I think.

Also, you can't know if he was active after feedings. He may have slept a lot, or hibernated a bit in between feedings.

[Laura Dove]

You do need to take in account that the adult Wraith in Instinct was probably trying to keep a low profile, aka not taking too many lives as to make sure the villagers wouldn't suddenly hunt him down and kill him, I think.
Also, you can't know if he was active after feedings. He may have slept a lot, or hibernated a bit in between feedings.

But Ellia at least didn't hibernate. And although she certainly tried to limit her feedings, she was not starved, or it would have shown.

[kaeyla]

Yes, I would agree- every two to three months, two or three humans-and they can resist the urge to feed as well even surrounded by humans- the Wraith known as Bob managed to go a long while, about a fortnight without feeding while on Atlantis. Steve was captive for three weeks or more- it was not starvation that got him. Gabriel or Todd did not take lifeforce/substanance from Sheppard until he had an alternative supply then he gave back what he took... i get the feeling feeding for wraith is deeper than just eating for us in ordinary times- the nearest humans can get to this giving a person a blood transfusion or feeding a child by natural means rather than the bottle. both are also life giving.

Gabriel or the one known as Todd, clearly showed what effects his starvation were having on him-lack of co ordination, slurred speech, blurred vision and so forth and resulted in him collapsing...he was genuinely starving and not faking his hunger- he would haved died without feeding. he explained that the hunger was like burning alive to sheppard, while lifeforce was like water on that fire- so i can only guess what the great fire of starvation was doing to him in 'miller's crossing' .

It is also possible, feeding is on a spiritual level as well which is why human food, as oppose to humans as food, or large mammals do not substain them. Perhaps everything in the universe has a psychic vibration as well as physical prescence and the wraith have to match their substance to close to their 'vibration'- the same way a diseal car can not run on petrol to put it prosaically. Also wraith feed not only on humans but ancients too(The Defiant One). It could be Wraith can only feed on those as intelligantly evolved as themselves through what humans call souls.

I would guess wraith find human food not substaining for this reason as well as in the same way some people are dairy, wheat intolerant- or die when they eat foods they allergic to that other humans are not. Have you ever been warned about eating rabbit- hundreds of folk died in the pioneering days of America because they ate only rabbits-you expend more vitamins and energy in eating rabbits than they give back as food. Literally you starve to death even though you are eating plenty all the time...wraith are like this on human foods.

[stargater1990]

But they wouldn't be able to survive on human food would they? Or can they?

And I think it would depend on how much they 'ate' at their last 'meal'...Like with humans, you eat only a little, you're hungry soon after. You eat 4 cheeseburgers, you can go for a while without food

not nessisarily.

[dasNdanger]

IMO, it takes less than that, as Goran counts killings by both the adult male wraith and Ellia. I'd go with less than 10 humans a year for an adult wraith (say 5-8). The numbers probably raise if the wraith is injured and has to heal himself, though.

You do need to take in account that the adult Wraith in Instinct was probably trying to keep a low profile, aka not taking too many lives as to make sure the villagers wouldn't suddenly hunt him down and kill him, I think.

Also, you can't know if he was active after feedings. He may have slept a lot, or hibernated a bit in between feedings.

But Ellia at least didn't hibernate. And although she certainly tried to limit her feedings, she was not starved, or it would have shown.

I think they were trying to establish some idea of how many humans a healthy, active Wraith needs in order to survive (since there is no mention of hibernation, or the Wraith being under-nourished). I think 5 would be a little to low - but not sure. It may depend on the Wraith - if 'hunger burns like a fire', then - perhaps - some Wraith eat more than others, just like people.

Take Todd, for instance. We assume he's more restrained now than other Wraith because he's used to going without - but the opposite may be true - he made over-fed in fear of being starved again (like people who over-eat after experiencing starvation). I think a Wraith like Eddie probably took more than he needed...he just seems the type. Steve was too picky to be a glutton, but Shawn...he enjoyed all sorts of eating, so I assume he over-indulged on humans, too.

Do they starve to death if they don't eat, or are they weakened to such a state that they're in constant pain?

I suppose without any energy input to their bodies, the cells would eventually be unable to sustain and replicate themselves, resulting in death...

Good question. I agree they would probably end up dying, but it could take months, if not over a year, of agony. *shivers*

I think, just like humans, Wraith do starve to death...it just takes longer, like Laura suggested. Who knows how often they fed Todd, but I doubt he had 12, 10, or even 5 hot meals a year. I wonder if he was fed well at any point, and allowed to hibernate while in captivity. I would assume they'd have to be well-fed before going into such a deep state of sleep, just like a bear.

Yes, I would agree- every two to three months, two or three humans-and they can resist the urge to feed as well even surrounded by humans- the Wraith known as Bob managed to go a long while, about a fortnight without feeding while on Atlantis. Steve was captive for three weeks or more- it was not starvation that got him. Gabriel or Todd did not take lifeforce/substanance from Sheppard until he had an alternative supply then he gave back what he took... i get the feeling feeding for wraith is deeper than just eating for us in ordinary times- the nearest humans can get to this giving a person a blood transfusion or feeding a child by natural means rather than the bottle. both are also life giving.

I agree. It's not just about sustaining their life, but 'tasting' the human emotions. In a way, there is a sort of bonding that occurs during feeding - bonding for the Wraith. This only goes both ways with the gift of life - which makes you wonder if the Wraith truly think they are giving a 'gift' - allowing the human to experience the same sensations they do when feeding.

If this is the case, then it would show what the Wraith mindset is. Because they enjoy it - perhaps it's even the only physical pleasure they really do enjoy - then they want to share it with humans, perhaps to help the humans understand how wonderful it is, but not actually realizing that it's really a form of torture.

Best way I can explain this is with my cat. I have a cat that is 'ticklish'. Now - I think that petting her should make her feel good because - well...I like to be touched, my other cats like to be touched - so I want her to enjoy the sensation of touch. However, she turns into a big squirmy bug when you pet her, even biting. I read up on it, and it seems that cats who reject petting are ticklish, and they just can't handle the sensation. But in MY mind, I still think she should enjoy it.

So, likewise, maybe the Wraith can't get their heads around the fact that the gift of life - the whole feeding/gifting process - is sheer torture. In their minds they may be thinking, "You will enjoy this - you ARE enjoying this - I know, because I enjoy it too." To them, they may truly believe they are being generous in their 'gift'.

Gabriel or the one known as Todd, clearly showed what effects his starvation were having on him-lack of co ordination, slurred speech, blurred vision and so forth and resulted in him collapsing...he was genuinely starving and not faking his hunger- he would haved died without feeding. he explained that the hunger was like burning alive to sheppard, while lifeforce was like water on that fire- so i can only guess what the great fire of starvation was doing to him in 'miller's crossing' .

Yes, his body was failing him. Of course, he may have continued to live for a while - but he was obviously unable to function properly. In the Genii prison, he was sitting on the floor, and needed support when first lead in to feed on Sheppard. He was very weak...but how long had he gone without feeding?

You wonder if the Genii just captured random humans and threw them to Todd to keep him from dying, or if they gave him prisoners (would Kolya have enough prisoners?).

It is also possible, feeding is on a spiritual level as well which is why human food, as oppose to humans as food, or large mammals do not substain them. Perhaps everything in the universe has a psychic vibration as well as physical prescence and the wraith have to match their substance to close to their 'vibration'- the same way a diseal car can not run on petrol to put it prosaically. Also wraith feed not only on humans but ancients too(The Defiant One). It could be Wraith can only feed on those as intelligantly evolved as themselves through what humans call souls.

I would guess wraith find human food not substaining for this reason as well as in the same way some people are dairy, wheat intolerant- or die when they eat foods they allergic to that other humans are not. Have you ever been warned about eating rabbit- hundreds of folk died in the pioneering days of America because they ate only rabbits-you expend more vitamins and energy in eating rabbits than they give back as food. Literally you starve to death even though you are eating plenty all the time...wraith are like this on human foods.

Yes - I think it would be something like that. Humans provide everything the Wraith need in order to survive, nothing else will do. Well, nothing else until the Lanteans find a solution...

das