Safest and Fastest way to put weight on a ball python?

[steepe99]

Hello,
I'm just curious to see what are peoples ways to get ball pythons up to breeding size the fastest, I know some people feed smaller meals more often, bigger meals every week, thanksgiving size meals every two weeks, or they use vitamins etc. what feeding techniques work the best for you?
Thank you,
- Billy

[satomi325]

Just remember that getting up to breeding size quickly does not mean a snake is sexually mature. Be patient. And if you're looking for fast, I suggest grabbing a proven breeder or an adult for instant gratification. Growing up babies(females) can take 2-3 years to reach breeder size/maturity. Males tend to breed sooner.(usually around a year average, but have been seen to breed even younger)

And all ball pythons grow at their own pace if you offer consistent meals of the appropriate size. I personally wouldn't recommend over feeding or feeding obnoxiously large prey. Obesity can hinder breeding. Vitamins are not beneficial since they eat whole prey. Whole prey has everything a snake needs nutritionally.

I personally offer babies and juvis under 500g a meal every 4-5 days. Once they hit 500 g, they get bumped to a 7 day feed schedule. And adults get fed every 7-14 days depending on the snake and gender. And I feed prey approximately the same size as the largest girth of the snake.

I had two girls of the same size and same age. Both were born days apart. Both ate the same meals at the same time. But one female outgrew the other by 2-3 times. The larger female reached 1200 g before her first birthday and grew another 500g 4 months later. She never laid for me that year even though she was of 'breeding size'. She just wasn't sexually mature. I also have another girl born a month or two before my other 2. She was tiny for the longest time. She was and stayed at 500g for a year or two. She was just not a good eater and an extremely slow grower.

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[NYHC4LIFE8899]

I got an answer,go get some money and go buy a proven breeder,problems solved,since your in a big rush...your snake will grow as it grows and mature is matures,nothing you can do about that...

[Archimedes]

I got an answer,go get some money and go buy a proven breeder,problems solved,since your in a big rush...your snake will grow as it grows and mature is matures,nothing you can do about that...

I am actually pretty sure OP was just asking for techniques, not saying "GOTTA GO FAST" and demanding that their snake puts on weight. Thank you, yet again, for your useful commentary.

Anyone who's in the hobby knows and understands that things like powerfeeding are normally more negative than positive. Personally, I've found that one appropriately sized prey a week keeps my big boy growing steady for me, rather than the 15% rule, which had him plateauing every 50 grams gained. (My little girl gets her first meal with me today, no feedback on growth weight for her for a few months.)

After all, it's not like they're balloon animals that you can pump up to size. They have individual metabolisms just like every other critter.

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[Mike41793]

It honestly just depends on the individual snake. Some just grow faster than others. They could eat the exact same sized meal every week and start at the same weight, and they may not both be the same weight in 6months or a year. Some readily accept seconds or larger meals and will grow faster. Some only prefer to eat once a month or every other week and just grow slower.

[SlitherinSisters]

If I have a snake I'm trying to pack weight on I feed it every 3-4 days. I do this with hatchlings, especially hatchlings that are for sale. I feel more comfortable selling a hatchling at 100 grams than I do at 50 grams. I also do it with females that just laid.

[Zach Cedor]

Time!

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