Reaching Mature age?

[tman]

Just wondering, at what age does a female BP max out at? When do they stop growing? My girl is 6 months and 2 feet long, is this average?
Thanks.

[emroul]

I would say that is average, yes. It all depends on how much they eat and what prey item they eat. For instance, I have seen 3 year old ball pythons that (unfortunately) were fed fuzzy mice for their entire life and they are only about 350 grams or so. That is pathetic. I would say an average healthy weight of a 3 year old female should weigh in at about 1,500+ grams. This is completely general, of course, because some go off feed, etc. For instance, I have one female that is 14 months old and weighs 2,100 grams (she is eating large rats). I did not power feed, she just NEVER goes off feed, not even while she is in shed. Then again, I have another 14 month old female who is really finicky and picky about what she eats and when she eats. She weighs about 500 grams. But the average is about 700 grams I would think.

And about your questions about when females max out. Who knows. I have seen pictures of females that weigh 4,000 grams. I have no idea how old they were. My guess is they did most of their growing up until about 3 years old and then slowed down, but continued to grow.

Hope that helps.
Jennifer

[tman]

Thanks Jennifer, It did help. My girl is now eating two adult mice at one feeding, only because I'm having a hard time finding small rats, she will only take P/K, all the other rats are to big for her yet. Thanks again.
Troy