Reassure me that my snake is at the right weight :(

(and this is probably new mom anxiety, but I wanna be sure I'm not doing something wrong D: )

So, the first and last time I weighed Tali was on the 16th, and she was about 106 grams. It was one feeding, and about a week after I got her and I started feeding two small mice at every feeding because I thought 106 was a little low. But now I'm not that sure- I can't figure out if she's at the right weight, or too light or too heavy :/ I need to get a scale so I can weigh her more often (when is the best time to weigh btw?), and I'm getting one tomorrow so I can do that D:

But until then, I got these of her back and sides- does she LOOK okay? Too heavy or thin? She eats like a pig and is on two small mice every 5 days (tomorrow is her feeding day in fact)


https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-D...731_181754.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O...731_175417.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q...731_181615.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m...731_181320.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s...731_181606.jpg



annddddd gratuitous pictures of my snakes face because she's pretty. the photo didn't really capture it, but her eyes are just pretty.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Ed...0=w415-h553-no
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x...731_181939.jpg

She looks good to me.

The most accurate time to weigh is after the snake passes feces and is considered "empty"

Gorgeous pattern! Agreed with Daybreaker, she looks healthy. Her spine is not super prominent and her sides aren't sunken. You can also check her belly, often times it will be concave when an animal is starving.

Looks healthy, and such a pretty snake!

healthy, and yes, get a kitchen scale that measures in units of 1 gram or 2 grams. If anything, it seems to be more on the plump side, definitively not underfed :)

For young ones, 10-15% of the body weight in food once a week is fine. For adults, if not breeding, and fully grown, you can go down to 8-10% of body weight every 10-14 days. If breeding you need a more intensive gender-specific feeding routine.

But right now based on the pictures i would say all is perfect.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pythonfriend

For adults, if not breeding, and fully grown, you can go down to 8-10% of body weight every 10-14 days.

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Sure, if you want a constantly hungry snake. A properly sized rat once a week is the norm for adults. Definitely not every 2 weeks IMO.

OP: She looks very good. Why not switch her to rats? It looks like your doing great with her.

Thanks everyone! She is definitely a pretty girl :) And I'm glad to know I'm not doing it wrong.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Coopers Constrictors

Sure, if you want a constantly hungry snake. A properly sized rat once a week is the norm for adults. Definitely not every 2 weeks IMO.

OP: She looks very good. Why not switch her to rats? It looks like your doing great with her.

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I'm planning on switching her to rat's when my local shop puts in an order for frozen food next- they don't carry crawlers right now, and I don't think she's big enough for small rats. I thought about ordering online, but when I was pricing it was just really expensive and A LOT of crawlers for one snake haha. I think he said I'd get about 12 for about 15 dollars? which is like... six weeks of food, if it's two crawlers. Or would it just be one? D: Is length or weight the deciding factor? I've always heard look at the biggest part of the snakes body to determine prey size.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sunshinenorcas

Thanks everyone! She is definitely a pretty girl :) And I'm glad to know I'm not doing it wrong.



I'm planning on switching her to rat's when my local shop puts in an order for frozen food next- they don't carry crawlers right now, and I don't think she's big enough for small rats. I thought about ordering online, but when I was pricing it was just really expensive and A LOT of crawlers for one snake haha. I think he said I'd get about 12 for about 15 dollars? which is like... six weeks of food, if it's two crawlers. Or would it just be one? D: Is length or weight the deciding factor? I've always heard look at the biggest part of the snakes body to determine prey size.

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Always go by weight when you can. It doesn't have to be exact to the point either... sometimes you cant get whats "perfect" for the animal, but u can get pretty close, it is just a guideline to help everyone..
Balls are tougher than what they seem to be, is definitely not good to have a hungry young snake, and at the same time if you over feed it for too long, it will go on a hunger strike, but at that age hunger strike is rare.

She looks healthy to me. I understand the "new mom" anxiety- I'm raising my first snakes ever from-baby size... I'm constantly fluttering around wondering if they're gaining weight at the appropriate rate, lol. I wish I could switch them to rat pups. The pet shop agreed to start ordering them for me (they sell everything live and I only desire to feed live) but last week they ordered yet no pups came in ): Still they're doing okay on mice.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but your girl will gain weight slower because she's well, a girl. My 2012 pastave was born in October and is just below 300g now. My bumblebee male is hatched in January 2013 and he's close to doubling his weight from 145g in early late May / early June. You just expect them to grow at this rapid rate lol.

Looks healthy to me too! Of course you could fatten her up a bit more if you really wanted ;)