Insatiable Ball!

[Mishy]

3 weeks ago I rescued a spider ball python. She was horribly underfed and malnourished when she was given to the person I got her from. Since then she has had vet care and is healthy and strong now except for being a bit underweight still but she is gaining.
So here is my question. Her appetite seems insatiable. She's eating two f/t rat pups in one sitting and will begin hunting around her tank 2-3 days later! She has a head wobble when she hunts (I've read that that is somewhat typical for spider morphs) which is how I know she is hunting and not just exploring. Should I feed her when she is displaying hungry behavior? Or should I make her wait a week? I've never dealt with this kind of behavior before. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!!!

[Mishy]

I should also mention she is looking a little disproportionate. Her head looks like its way small for her length and girth. (even though her girth isn't even where it should be)

[Xotik]

How much does she weigh? General rule of thumb has been 10-15% of the snakes body weight. I feed babies (under 6 months) every 5 days, Juvies (6m to breeding age) every 6 days and adults (breeding age) every 7 days.

Example - I have a 1483g female I rescued a few days ago - I'll be feeding her a rat that weighs around 140 grams. Its about 10% of her body weight.

[Slim]

If she's otherwise healthy, but just under weight, you will both benefit in the long run from establishing a regular feeding pattern right now when she's actively feeding.

Do you have any idea how old this BP is or what she currently weighs? Are you sure two rat pups are enough for her at her current size. A rule of thumb is to feed a prey item that's 10 - 15% of the snake's weight. She might be cruising because she need a small or med rats instead of the rat pups. Having a scale and the ability to weigh her will be essential in determining her food size.

Personally I thinks it's better to feed the correct size prey item once a week, than to feed smaller items more regularly, but that's just my opinion developed out of my own exsperience. Other keeps have had great sucess with more regular feeding. Either way, I think it's important to establish a regular schedule for when you offer.

About the wobble. Some Spiders do it when they cruise around, some do it when they strike, some do it for no reason at all. It's a well documented condition and varies from snake to snake.

As for the small head. it's a Ball Python thing...they have skinny necks too. Part of the charm.

[Mishy]

I will get a scale so I can weigh her. I don't know her age but she is about 2.5 feet long. Her fattest area is slightly larger than a quarter. I'm going to try her on small rats and see how she does.

In regards to the head wobble, when she gets excited she puts her neck up and it wobbles then she will drop to the ground and lay still. About 30 seconds to 1 min later she will resume her hunting. There are also times she will shake it up and down. Mostly left to right tho.


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