BP coming off winter fast, offer same size?

So our male and female went off feed again this winter, and it's been about four months now. Our female is starting to show interest again so should I start her off with the same size prey as before the fast or should I offer a little smaller? Does it make any difference?

Thanks guys!

As long as they have maintained their weight, you could offer the same size. If they lost a little, maybe start with a smaller meal and then go back to the normal size the next week.

To be honest, it probably won't make a whole lot of a difference either way. Smaller prey items obviously won't hurt them, but your snakes probably didn't loose that much weight over a 4 month fast. Weigh them to find out!

She's lost a negligible amount of weight. They both haven't lost a significant amount. I'd heard that after refusing food or regurg's that you should offer a smaller prey and was just wondering if that applied to the winter fasts. I'll offer her the usual rat then!

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by maverickgtr

She's lost a negligible amount of weight. They both haven't lost a significant amount. I'd heard that after refusing food or regurg's that you should offer a smaller prey and was just wondering if that applied to the winter fasts. I'll offer her the usual rat then!

Thanks!

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You might want to offer a little bit smaller to begin with, because that way if they take it then they'll be hungry for the next one and it'll start them off easier. Just my :twocents: but it's really up to you. If they usually pound the food, then you might not have a problem getting them onto normal size right away. You know your snakes better than us.

Just to be sure that no regurge will be present I will feed a smaller prey & slowly go back up 2 their usual size prey... BTW if your snakes first poop is a little runny dont be concern it happens sometimes since its their first meal in a long time...

Our female is a garbage disposal. She'll pound down just about any rodent we give her so long as it's already p/k whether that's p/k or f/t she doesn't care. Our male is much pickier. He used to be a strict mouser that only took live, but just before his fast, we got him on small f/t rats. I'll give her one of his smaller rats and pick up something a little smaller for him just to be on the safe side.

Thanks again guys!

What's a winter fast :confused:

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

What's a winter fast :confused:

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must be nice, my big male always goes off.

I'd actually start smaller. Royals are very efficient critters and during the fast the digestive system slows down a lot and starting it back up again with a big meal the animal doesn't get that much benefit from the extra food it just uses more energy. A small meal needs less energy and kick starts the juices flowing so to speak and eases the snake into eating again I'd say that the first few meals at about half size and twice frequency then increase to normal size and regular frequency. I have a 2100 gm male that I start after the fast with 90gm rats once a week for a few weeks and will then give him 120-140 gms and then to 200 or so once 2 weeks although I have been rethinking this lately to stay at 100-130 gm meals every 7 days and leave it at that, not sure of that yet but thinking on it.

It is nice to have snakes eating at all times of the year, except those gravid ones of course :P

OP: Anytime I try to start a snake back eating that's been fasting I offer smaller than normal size and then up the size gradually.

My male normal just came off a twenty day fast. I was feeding small rats and now he wants nothing to with rats so I have had to resort to small adult mice. I am feeding multiple mice for now. I will try rats again soon though. I really hate winter time because of the fasting that these snakes go through.