Feeding frequency and prey size

[Macropodus]

... they can eat several large adult mice in one sitting, better to use a medium rat instead. I couldn't imagine feeding mice to a full size adult ball python, it would take at least half a dozen just to give him a good meal. I just weighted my largest ball python, she weights 2320 grams (5.11 pounds). She can for sure eat a jumbo rat! I'm actually feeding her smaller rats right now because she is pretty hefty and I'm going into the breeding season...

This is a bit off-topic so my apologies to the OP for hi-jacking. Mods feel free to move this if need be.

cchardwick I agree better 1 med rat vs several large adult mice. Adult rats are probably a better food source vs mice. But what about, for example, the idea of several small meals in several sittings over the span of 1 week? Your 2320gram girl that you are feeding small rats even though a jumbo could be appropriate - would you feed her more than 1 small rat in one sitting or would you space them over the span of a week?

Small rats are 45 to 85 grams. For mathematical ease let's say 50 grams. Large rats are 175 to 275 grams. For mathematical ease let's say 200 grams. Therefore, the weight of 1 large rat could = the weight of 4 small rats. By extension, 1 large rat per week could = 1 small rat every 48hrs. In your experience/opinion which, if any, is better?

I once fed an adult BP 3 small rats in one sitting. He regurgitated. It had been on 1 small per week but as it grew I increased the number of rats to 2 but did not increase the size, i.e. kept it on smalls. Its behavior indicated it was still hungry. This snake was a pet in a tank not a breeding project in a rack. Behavior was easily observable. This snake had been an aggressive feeder, but after that incident it never was again. I often wonder what the outcome would have been if I had fed it a small rat every few days instead of 2 or 3 once per week.

The 2nd to last paragraph of this link: http://www.vmsherp.com/LCBreedingBalls.htm reads, in part, "... the females will be getting a small meal every three or four days... " It pertains to what the author calls "the fattening" in preparation for a successive breeding season. But could it apply to non-breeders as well?

[cletus]

This is one of those topics where you will get many different answers. Many of them will be very situational and will contradict other opinions but aren't wrong.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

There is a huge difference between what an animal can eat physically and what it should eat, on of the biggest issue with adult BP who have a much slower metabolism is overfeeding, consequences of that, long fast and fatty liver disease that has been diagnose in some cases.

Even a 3500 grams/4000 grams can thrive on medium rats (150 grams max) once a week.

Female while needing to be plump should not be overweight, overweight female will slug out.

Now do breeders increase feeding prior to breeding an animal yes but this is a 2 to 3 months thing not a year round thing and it is done for obvious reason with females only.

The key for a healthy animal that eats with consistency is to feed smaller preys weekly.

If you feed a 250 grams rat while the animal might be able to take it it will likely skip food for 2 to 3 weeks. Feed a 150 grams rat instead and your BP will eat weekly and that translate as a bigger monthly food intake feeding smaller preys than feeding bigger ones. Feeding large preys also make your animal VERY sluggish and not just for a day or two.

The idea of feeding every 48 hours is just a bad idea for so many reasons one being that is take that much time for an animal to truly digest it's food.

It's well known that BP will fast to catch up when overfed and that is one of the most common frustration among new owners.

Additionally there is also a huge difference between male and female feeding for obvious reasons, male do not require anything larger than small rats weekly (around 75 grams) for the biggest males, they are not females and their feeding should differ.

Finally Pets VS Breeders, obviously you would not feed the animal as much either with feeding increase like breeders do prior to pairing.

It's' really about common sense and understanding their metabolism and need, sure they could eat massive prey but they do not need it and they do not benefit from them either.

Feedig large preys is very old school people have since learned a lot more about metabolism and understand how those animals function.