Couple of questions...

[TexasGuy]

Ok, these might be dumb questions, but I've just been wondering, so I thought I would ask...

How often does a BP typically poop and pee? I guess I was thinking that if they eat once a week, they would poop once a week. But that isn't always the case, right?

My other question is about feeding. My BP is a male, about 850gr. I got him from someone here on the forum and he was eating two adult mice (~25gr) each week. Everyone I've mentioned this to has told me he needs to be eating something bigger. And I have to admit they do look awfully small compared to him.

So I have a couple of questions. If I continue to feed him the two mice, should I put them both in the tub with him at the same time? Or put them in at different times?

Would it be worth trying a single rat?

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Ok, these might be dumb questions, but I've just been wondering, so I thought I would ask...

How often does a BP typically poop and pee? I guess I was thinking that if they eat once a week, they would poop once a week. But that isn't always the case, right?

About once a week or more for hatchlings. For adults it can be significantly less. Impaction is rare, so don't sweat it.

My other question is about feeding. My BP is a male, about 850gr. I got him from someone here on the forum and he was eating two adult mice (~25gr) each week. Everyone I've mentioned this to has told me he needs to be eating something bigger. And I have to admit they do look awfully small compared to him.

So I have a couple of questions. If I continue to feed him the two mice, should I put them both in the tub with him at the same time? Or put them in at different times?

Would it be worth trying a single rat?

50 grams of food per week in an 850 gram snake is not totally unreasonable, but you safely could do more. Try about 10% for starters if you feel the need to feed more. You could start with one small rat ~60 grams, an adult male BP will never need more than a small rat. BPs can be imprint feeders so he may insist upon mice.

You may start your own mice colony and beef those mice up a bit more before feeding them off, just a thought.

Also, put them in there one at a time so the other mouse doesn't hurt him while he constricts the first one. Rodents can be meanies when they get the notion they're about to be eaten.

JonV

[JLC]

They'll poop and pee when they wish. Typically, they pee more than they poop, but it can be true that neither is all that frequent. Sometimes they can go weeks and weeks without a poo, even if they are eating well. (Consider...you don't go "poo" after each time you eat. ) Anyhow, their metabolism and digestive systems are not really comparable to ours.

As for feeding...they really don't need tons of food to eat. Many ball pythons in captivity are way overfed compared to what they would normally catch and eat in the wild. This isn't to say we should try and mimic wild conditions with long forced fasts and sketchy meals....just to point out that if he's getting 50g of mice a week, every week, all year long...that adds up to way more than a similar sized snake would end up eating in the wild in the same year.

You can try moving up to a single rat if you want. The snake may or may not take to it easily. Only way to know is to try. BUT...if you do...and if you feed live...then be prepared to deal with an uneaten live rat. Have a plan for what you are going to do with it. (Keep it...kill it....or can you take it back to the pet store?)

When feeding two live rodents....you DON'T put them both in there at the same time. Put one in and let the snake kill and eat it. Once the mouse has moved down into the belly and the snake has realigned its jaw, it will usually start sniffing around for more and return to the "hunt mode"....when it does, you introduce the second rodent.

If you're feeding f/t or pre-killed, then you can offer both at once if your snake doesn't need the zombie-mouse-dance to entice it to eat them.

[FatBoy]

And remember.....there are no stupid questions, only stupid people that wont ask questions.

[SatanicIntention]

I told you he'd do perfectly okay with 2 adult mice a week I wasn't lyin'.

Offer him one, wait until he finishes swallowing and is lurking again, then offer him the second one.

He may or may not take the f/t rats. He's eaten them before here. Try a weanling or a small/small once per week to every 10 days. He honestly doesn't need a whole lot of food. If you try to pack him full, he won't eat the next week(or for a few weeks). He's like that, believe me, I know. He was my snake for 3 years, LoL!

[TexasGuy]

I told you he'd do perfectly okay with 2 adult mice a week I wasn't lyin'.

Offer him one, wait until he finishes swallowing and is lurking again, then offer him the second one.

He may or may not take the f/t rats. He's eaten them before here. Try a weanling or a small/small once per week to every 10 days. He honestly doesn't need a whole lot of food. If you try to pack him full, he won't eat the next week(or for a few weeks). He's like that, believe me, I know. He was my snake for 3 years, LoL!

lol I guess I'm paranoid from everyone that sees him telling me he needs to eat something bigger.

[SatanicIntention]

No worries

I'm sure they're just used to thinking that since they're fat-bodied snakes, that they need huge amounts of food. But just because they're big, doesn't mean they need a large rat every week. WAY too much food. He would fast for months after that, or regurge it, one of the two.

Small, frequent meals get you more growth than large, infrequent meals. Large meals just results in huge, honking poo, LOL!

[bailey23]

noooooooo!!!!! do not put two rats in at the same time ever. rats are known to bite and i have seen pics where the owner put two rats in at the same time and the rat thats not being eaten chews at the snake. it can either chew holes to a point where your snake will die or it will eat of all the scales of your snake so it will have no pattern. hope i gave you some helpful tips.

[TexasGuy]

I should have been more clear. I'm only feeding frozen/thawed mice.