Feeding 1200 gram ball (gender unknown)

[RobertsKitty]

I have a 1200 gram ball that I have always called male but he is unsexed. I feed him one small rat (55-65 grams) once every 7 days. He was last fed Friday and has been cruising since yesterday morning looking for another. He always cruises after his first small. Should I up him to two smalls a week, or every few days as he seems hungry. I know a lot of people who breed try to keep their males lean at around 1000 grams but I have no intention of breeding EVER and if he looks like he will take one I feel like I should give it. I have read that some people who do this, feeding when they act hungry that is, get a lot less refusals. While he rarely refuses I feel like it makes sense to go ahead and feed him.

I have tried him on mediums before but he seemed more hesitant to take it. I had to do LOTS of zombie dancing and even then he refused (which he almost never does with the smalls) so I don't think moving him up in food size is a good option for us.

[pmarks]

He should be eating a meal about 10% of his body size. Since he is hesitant to take anything larger than smalls then I would feed him two smalls whose weight together equal about 120 grams.

[CORBIN911]

I have a 1200 gram ball that I have always called male but he is unsexed. I feed him one small rat (55-65 grams) once every 7 days. He was last fed Friday and has been cruising since yesterday morning looking for another. He always cruises after his first small. Should I up him to two smalls a week, or every few days as he seems hungry. I know a lot of people who breed try to keep their males lean at around 1000 grams but I have no intention of breeding EVER and if he looks like he will take one I feel like I should give it. I have read that some people who do this, feeding when they act hungry that is, get a lot less refusals. While he rarely refuses I feel like it makes sense to go ahead and feed him.

I have tried him on mediums before but he seemed more hesitant to take it. I had to do LOTS of zombie dancing and even then he refused (which he almost never does with the smalls) so I don't think moving him up in food size is a good option for us.

To be honest that is fine stay on that schedual, The 10-15% rule only really matters to hatchlings and babies... After that, aslong as he is eating steadily (and not loosing weight) You are perfectly fine keeping him on that.... Naturally these animals dont get to eat nearly as often as we feed, them so Even a small every 2 weeks (WOULD be sufficient) But like i said, keep on that 1 small every 7 days and you'll have a nice happy snake!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

He should be eating a meal about 10% of his body size. Since he is hesitant to take anything larger than smalls then I would feed him two smalls whose weight together equal about 120 grams.

So if it reaches 4000 grams it should be fed 400 grams rats?

I would be very cautious telling people they should be using a 10% / 15% rules.

To the OP what you are feeding now is fine but if you want to get the size up a little it is fine too.

I tend to feed males smaller preys (55/65 grams) females they get up to medium (120 grams) once full grown even the 3000 to 4000 grams girls.

Usually at that size I really don't feed anything larger than 85 grams rats (I don't weigh them, I have done that long enough to gauge the size).

The advantage of feeding smaller prey is that your animal will eat with more consistency throughout the year, feeding larger prey not only will make your animal sluggish for a few days but it will also lead to more fast.

Remember that even with smaller preys weekly those animals still get more for then they would ever get in the wild.

[bcr229]

Can you have someone sex your snake for you? I have a few females that are just pounding food right now, one takes two small live rats weekly and still hunts. Unfortunately she only eats live or I would bump her up to a medium.

[PitOnTheProwl]

I would feed him two smalls whose weight together equal about 120 grams.

Your estimate doesn't work too well.
Smalls vary from 46 to 79 grams each so two will weight between 92 to 158 grams. That is a huge difference.

I feed what they eat, 1, 2 or 5. Doesn't matter to me as long as they are willingly eating.

[pmarks]

Your estimate doesn't work too well.
Smalls vary from 46 to 79 grams each so two will weight between 92 to 158 grams. That is a huge difference.

I mentioned feeding him two of the small rats that he said were between 55-65 grams which is roughly 120 grams of food weekly. I feel that is appropriate for a snake this size, especially if it is still acting hungry after 1 small rat.

[albinos_rule]

I am like Deborah, I don't weigh mine. I can tell just by looking at them if they are too big or too small..

[pmarks]

So if it reaches 4000 grams it should be fed 400 grams rats?

No. But a 1200 gram snake can definitely eat two 60 gram rats. I see what you mean about the 10% rule though. Thanks. I have never had a ball above 2600 grams so that thought never crossed my mind. Thanks.

[rlditmars]

We have a few males who as adults, have never been given more then one small a week, unless the females refused a medium, and then they would get the medium. That is rare and if we had multiple weeks in a row that occured, then the same male wouldn't get a medium two weeks in a row. Our males are all between 1700 and 2000 grams. They have nice tone and good size. While they appear eager to eat on feeding day,(when they are not off feed), none of them look malnourished or like the missed many meals.

All that is to say that one small per week should be fine unless you snake starts showing signs of weight loss.