Weight concern?

[RobertsKitty]

I am purchasing a new ball from someone who bought it from a quality reptile store in our area. The store told him she was born in August but at her last weigh in she was only 187 grams. How concerning is this weight wise? He feed her a rat pup for the first time this week. I'm not sure about prior feeding schedules.

[Goggles]

Mine is the same age, and at 300g is on the light side. Fed her rat since the beginning. So yours defo needs a good feeding schedule

[Gerardo]

That is too skinny to be 10 months old. Do you know how often and what he was being fed?

[Painted]

Maybe rat pinkies? I hear they are just bags of milk when it comes to nutrition until they grow a bit larger. I have seen balls grow exponentially faster on adult mice than rat pinkies, despite universal agreement that rats are healthier.

EDIT: For example, one of my males is only 3 months old and weighed in at 200g the other day. His diet consists of only adult mice until he is large enough to take down a larger rat full of more than just milk.

[kc261]

I would not worry so much about what has happened up until now, and just put her on a proper feeding schedule. She is still young and shouldn't have any long term effects from slow grow up until now. You definitely do not want to try to make up for lost time.

[RobertsKitty]

After some sketchy answers involving vet visits and past feeding I've decided not to get her. I found a healthy hatchling that was born May 11 and had consistently eaten her last three meals.

Should I not feed rat pinkies? That is what my girl I'm getting is eating.

[Painted]

After some sketchy answers involving vet visits and past feeding I've decided not to get her. I found a healthy hatchling that was born May 11 and had consistently eaten her last three meals.

Should I not feed rat pinkies? That is what my girl I'm getting is eating.

It's really down to personal preference. Sometimes ball pythons- especially hatchlings, will only respond to the smell of a rat pinky, alive or F/T. Though in the long run, rats are better in nutrition compared to mice, I have switched the hatchlings (young balls) I can over to mice until they reach an appropriate size to down small rats or medium. A more developed rat has a lot more in it- calcium, iron, ect. Things that aren't abundant in pinkies. Is it bad to feed pinkies? No. I know people who have followed that method all their life with their reptiles. But me personally, I choose what has more nutrition at the current time.

I.E Adult mouse vs. Pinky rat. Adult mouse has more nutritional value than a pinkie rat.
When the snake can down a medium rat or even a small rat, you'll find the nutrition difference changes again and mostly in favor for the medium/small rat. Sorry, I didn't mean to say feeding pinkies will leave snakes undersized. But from my experience, all my animals grow faster on the adult mice diet for now. Again, all in perspective and preference.

-Ph.

[Eric Alan]

Sounds like a good decision on your part. Also, I'm not sure what Painted is referring to about rats being "bags of milk". There are no known nutritional concerns with feeding rats at all (and very minor differences between them and mice beyond size). An appropriately sized rat is the feeder of choice among nearly all experienced BP keepers.

Edit: Thank you, Painted, for your clarification. I understand the intent of your post more clearly now.

[Painted]

Sounds like a good decision on your part. Also, I'm not sure what Painted is referring to about rats being "bags of milk". There are no known nutritional concerns with feeding rats at all (and very minor differences between them and mice beyond size). An appropriately sized rat is the feeder of choice among nearly all experienced BP keepers.

Edit: Thank you, Painted, for your clarification. I understand the intent of your post more clearly now.

Oh gosh, sorry, I wrote the first post a bit quickly and it wasn't factual. Giving my opinion out as advice, haha. I apologize and thank you for understanding.

-Ph.

EDIT: I spelled things incorrectly :l