Safe weight gain rate?

[HospiceNHeartsRN]

I have had Ekans about 3 weeks now. She weighed 72 grams when i brought her home. She has eaten 3 times for me, once every Sunday. The first was a fuzzy mouse, and the last two were hoppers. Saturday she was up to 86, and today after a small poo she is up to 94.

She seems... puffy... around her bottom half. I know this is probably due to more poo and pee waiting to be released, but she seems to be gaining really quickly.

Just wanting to make sure it is ok she is gaining so well, and I am just being a paranoid new mom. Please tell me I'm just being paranoid

[AKA Dave]

This does not sound unreasonable to me. My Tucker is averaging about 15g a week wight now. Siagi had a growth spurt and jumped almost 40g in 10 days. He did drop a little after he shed and poo'd but only 16g or so. Anyway, I don't think that Ekans' growth is out of line. I'd be more concerned if he were not growing steadily at this point. Maybe someone else with more BP experience will weigh in though.

Dave

[EarMice]

The difference is 22 grams. Hoppers are between 7-12 grams (x2) and fuzzies are between 3-6 grams (x1). Seems entirely within the realm of what you've been feeding her. She probably is going to lose some more weight by defecation/urination. I would like to see a picture though, to see if she's constipated.

[HospiceNHeartsRN]

Thank you guys, I figured I was just over thinking and being paranoid

Here is side view of her tail


And a view if the bottom


And just a happy, cuddly picture just because


Thanks again, I am brand new to this snake thing, and tend to be a little paranoid

[EarMice]

What a pretty lady. I'm really digging her colors and pattern.

She doesn't really look bloated to me. Though if you think she's constipated, having her in some barely warm water that comes halfway up her side (height wise) can help.

[HospiceNHeartsRN]

What a pretty lady. I'm really digging her colors and pattern.

She doesn't really look bloated to me. Though if you think she's constipated, having her in some barely warm water that comes halfway up her side (height wise) can help.

Thanks! Granted, I am a little partial, but I think she is gorgeous too, especially for a Petsmart normal!

And I don't think she is constipated either. I honestly think that since she is the only ball python I've ever been around I just don't really have a good idea what she is SUPPOSED to look like, so I set her rather skinny starting point as "normal" in my head.

I'm a nurse for humans, so that much weight gain so quick just seems like a whole lot to me... i mean, if we all gained 75 to 80% of pound for pound what we ate we would all by like 600 pounds! Just needed someone with more experience to tell me it is ok/normal for a snake to gain like that

[EarMice]

Thanks! Granted, I am a little partial, but I think she is gorgeous too, especially for a Petsmart normal!

Normals are beautiful too and I quite like this one. The tan donuts along her spine are really cool.

And I don't think she is constipated either. I honestly think that since she is the only ball python I've ever been around I just don't really have a good idea what she is SUPPOSED to look like, so I set her rather skinny starting point as "normal" in my head.

I'm a nurse for humans, so that much weight gain so quick just seems like a whole lot to me... i mean, if we all gained 75 to 80% of pound for pound what we ate we would all by like 600 pounds! Just needed someone with more experience to tell me it is ok/normal for a snake to gain like that

She's tiny, not skinny so she's fine. If they're unhealthy skinny, she'll be more triangle shaped with her spine poking out.

(not my picture)

Don't worry about her growth as long as you feed her appropriately sized prey on a good schedule.
And I'm laughing about the snake/human comparison. Snakes are something else, hahahaha. It's really cool to learn about them, I'm sure you'll be fascinated by how different they are.