Weights

I'm a little confused on snake weights and what is "appropriate" or "right"....

I keep seeing posts that state every snake grows at its own rate, some will be long and thin, others short and chunky. At the same time, I keep seeing posts that say a snake that is such and such age should weight such and such and if it doesn't it underweight and/or not being fed right (either not often enough, not the right size prey, etc).

So what is or isn't right? Either there actually is a growth curve and snakes of such and such age SHOULD weight a certain amount, or there isn't and there's a wide range of variation. If there IS a growth curve and snakes of certain age should never be under a certain weight, what is that growth curve?

I want to take care of my snakes to the best of my ability. I am pleased with how they look and are growing, but according to some on this forum, my snakes are underweight. My snakes are eating every 4-5 days, prey of appropriate size according to what I've read on this forum (following the 10-15% body weight rule). So far have had no problem with regurge, and only refusal was my Mojo when he was in shed (everyone else has, so far, decided to eat while in shed!). Every snake has eaten their first meal within a week of arriving. But now I'm concerned I need to actually be feeding them MORE because they are "underweight", but at the same time I'm afraid of overfeeding them and having problems with regurge or refusals or what have you.

Mojo - Male hatched September 2012, acquired December 2012. Last weight 210g empty on 2/3 (up from 185g on 1/22).
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...psb9ee30b3.jpg

Isabis - Female hatched August 2012, acquired December 2012. Last weight 270g empty on 2/3 (up from 220g on 1/22).
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...psd68971f1.jpg

Cinny - Female hatched September 2012, acquired January 2013. Last weight 250g empty on 2/3 (up from 215g on 1/22).
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...ps8a6dfb6d.jpg

Smaug - Male hatched August 2012, acquired January 2013. Was an assisted feed hatchling who didn't want to be a snake, now eating same size as everyone else on the same schedule, no questions asked. Last weight 200g empty on 2/6 (up from 145g on 1/22).
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...ps4e0ae621.jpg

Thing One - Male hatched mid/late November 2012, acquired end of January 2013. I'd like to see him fatten up a little. Last weight was 60g empty on 1/23 (arrival date, shipped).
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...psc378e14c.jpg

Thing Two - Female hatched mid/late November 2012, acquired end of January 2013. I'd like to see her fatten up a little. Last weight was 60g empty on 1/23 (arrival date, shipped).
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...psadb822e5.jpg

I think your animals look perfectly healthy and not underweight at all (and agree on the last two needing some weight, but this looks more like the previous breeder selling VERY soon after their first meals, or feeding sparingly before being shipped to you.. they still do not seem unhealthy to me.. only young). Unfortunately I don't know about a standard of weight to age ratio.. it's one of those things that with experience you get a feel for and just become familiar with. I have a pinstripe female that is tiny compared to her sister that I sold to somebody else - who has a rat BARN and feeds whenever he feels like. My pin girl is portly.. smaller, but definitely not unhealthy, and most people who see her joke about how chubby she looks. While I tend to feed life, I have to be careful with any rat surplus, and have been trying to get all my hatchlings onto f/t in case I have a 'shortage'. So far all but a couple of my snakes will take f/t or live interchangeably. I have a fire male that is also smaller than everyone else because he insists on eating only live mice...he simply doesn't grow as much as the others on rats.... but he's still healthy, and of an acceptable weight.

What I mean to say... is there is no set rule. If your snake is getting an adequately sized meal (Which yours are) on an appropriate schedule (also no issues with yours), and they are maintaining that 'filled out' look (no triangle shape to the back, no visible ribs, no gaunt boney faces, or heads disproportionate to the size of the body), I say you're feeding just fine. If your snakes will take more meals, I don't see any problem with it either, within reason. I've only once ever had a regurge issue with 'too much' of a meal, and I'm sure it had more to do with my inexperience at the time of feeding outside of the tub, and not just leaving the snake alone in his cage.

BPs can take a lot more variation in their husbandry than people typically give them credit for :)

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Originally Posted by sorraia

I am pleased with how they look and are growing,

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Then you are doing it right.

FWIW, they look great to me.

I agree, your babies look great. Usually when someone makes a blanket statement about a BP being undersized (without a pic), it's because we know what ours were at that age. If it's dramatically different, then there's a red flag that it might have been a slow starter, maintenance- or under-fed, not really that old, etc.

Thank you for the input, I appreciate it! Seeing multiple times on various threads, "A 6 month old snake should be more like 500 grams, because that's what mine is" (or whatever age and weight) was starting to get alarming to me when mine aren't even 300 yet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sorraia

Thank you for the input, I appreciate it! Seeing multiple times on various threads, "A 6 month old snake should be more like 500 grams, because that's what mine is" (or whatever age and weight) was starting to get alarming to me when mine aren't even 300 yet.

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I *prefer* to see at least 300g at 6 mo old, (600g would be even better), but that is me. As long as the snake looks healthy, as has been stated, it's fine. I just tend to worry a bit when I see a 6mo bp at ~120g (when my 2 month old is that size) you know?

I have a similar issue. My male albino is 852g and a bit over two years old He's gained 40g in the past three months. He's only a few inches over 3 feet and has a healthy thickness to him. His previous owner raised him on mice, but I think he was only fed 2-3 of them every other week. The vet said she was surprised at how small he was for a two year old, but proportionately he's fine.

It depends on the animal too, they might gain at different rates. I have a 400g female that are the same age as my 250g male, he eats like a pig but doesn't gain as much. But yours look fine :)

I just took new weights tonight. Good news is everyone is growing! :)

Mojo - 235g (210 on 2/3)

Isabis - 310g (270 on 2/3)

Cinny - 295g (250 on 2/3)

Smaug - 225g (200 on 2/6)

Thing One - 90g (60 on 1/23)

Thing Two - 100g (60 on 1/23)

If the snake is eating and is pooping and is shedding then I think as a snake keeper you are doing the right thing for your animals and that your snakes are healthy. You don't always have to go by the book. If you can see that the snake is growing then all is well.