Can feed be to large and harm your python

I was feeding my 237gram female, one 25gram mouce every 5days. She has been acting hungry lately so I upped the size of the mouse to a 45gram jumbo mouse.

She had to really stretch her mouth and jaw to get this thing down, Does a python know what it can handle? or will it try to eat something even if its too big and potentialy injur itself

i accidently killed my corn snake by over feeding it when i was 11-12, so yeah its possible to hurt your snake from too large of prey. now, will they know its too big? i dont think so imo, but i could be wrong

They can handle some pretty large food items (1.5x their width) but one of the problems with feeding prey items that are too large is that if they get it down they can/will regurgitated it. If that happens you need to be really careful with how you handle feedings for the next few weeks as their systems reset.

That size doesn't sound too large for your ball, I would stretch out the time inbetween feedings if you plan to feed larger items (ie every 7 days instead of 5).

I believe some "know" when prey items are too big (even when they're really not): one of my balls won't touch anything larger than ~30 grams when she's almost at 600 grams and could easily take weaned/small rats. I think some snakes are just shy feeders when it comes to the size of prey they're offered.

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Originally Posted by daybreaker

that size doesn't sound too large for your ball, i would stretch out the time inbetween feedings if you plan to feed larger items (ie every 7 days instead of 5).

I believe some "know" when prey items are too big (even when they're really not): One of my balls won't touch anything larger than ~30 grams when she's almost at 600 grams and could easily take weaned/small rats. i think some snakes are just shy feeders when it comes to the size of prey they're offered.

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x2!

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Originally Posted by mikeandsheleen

x2!

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http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7018/imag0108z.jpg

What do you guys think now?

She should be fine.

that one snake that will want some stomach meds to help with upset stomach lol( joking )
I got a 1500+ gram female that taken large rats for that were 300-500 gram in weight and be looking at me like were my bed time snack the next evening.
I love to cause they ft rats I had in fridge.

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Originally Posted by PythonOutlaw

What do you guys think now?

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Yes, should be fine. More often than not, it's the HUMANS that are intimidated by the size of the prey, more so than the snakes. :P