I have an estimated 3 - 3.5 y.o. female bp that only ate twice in an 8 month period. She was kept at several different homes at this time due to moving/power outages/construction/etc. A lot of upheaval and traveling and new environments. At the beginning of August she ate again, and has had 3 consecutive feeds interrupted by a long over-due shed. Her appetite is great, she's looking better, more active, and seems to finally be settled into our long-term home. But she is definitely underweight (not enough girth, spine more visible than usual, etc). I lost my food scale in the move and I'll be purchasing another one today to keep track of her gains. I'm wondering, if she's eating a small rat each week, what is the expected gain from that? As in, how many grams would be typical for a weekly gain? I'm endlessly relieved she's back on track, but it hurts to know and see her not be as healthy as she should be. I also don't want to feed too heavy too quickly--I've never had a regurge with her and I'm terrified to cause one. So I guess my main three questions are:
1. What is a good average weight for a 3.5 y.o. female (non-breeding) bp?
2. How many grams would a snake gain from a small-rat meal?
3. Would it be better to feed two smaller-sized prey at the same frequency than one larger-sized?
(Btw I switched from feeding in a separate container to feeding in-viv and she strikes much more readily, hasn't refused since. So I know my husbandry was off in that regard. Researching on here has helped in so many ways. Thank you guys so much!)
Reply With Quote