Increase size of rat for a yearling?
Hello Everyone,
Yesterday was cleaning day for my ball pythons. Also is the first time I weighed everyone. I have weights on all of them from their breeders and wanted to see how they all have progressed over the last few month being with me. My oldest female who turned a year old on October 8th is 743g. She gained a good amount of weight so far, she is also the one who has never refused a meal. She is always looking for food too it seems. I still have her on rat weanlings (which was suggested by the breeder). Do you think she is fine on the weanlings or should I increase the size of the rats now that she is over a year old?? Maybe if there is an increase in food size she won't be as ravenous between feeding days? I feed every 5-7 days depending on scheduling.
Re: Increase size of rat for a yearling?
Okay, cool. Yea she seems like she is always on the hunt, lol. The breeder would offer her a few rat weanlings. I just give her one. The one time I offered her two she didn't eat the second one. But that is when I first got her. So I think maybe after my weanlings are done, I have a few left. I'll size up and see how she does. Thanks for the suggestion and the chart info. I can use it for the others too. I think our other female is under weight. She is our picky one. So the chart helps for her too.
Re: Increase size of rat for a yearling?
Are you feeding F/T or live?
I usually say go a little smaller if feeding live for the snakes safety.
If feeding F/T definitely small rats (60-90G) are okay now. More nutritious than weanlings. However, I would feed every 10-14 days once on small rats.
Re: Increase size of rat for a yearling?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dakski
Are you feeding F/T or live?
I usually say go a little smaller if feeding live for the snakes safety.
If feeding F/T definitely small rats (60-90G) are okay now. More nutritious than weanlings. However, I would feed every 10-14 days once on small rats.
I agree- hopefully feeding f/t. And it's better (healthier) to underfeed slightly than to overfeed slightly- so when in doubt, lengthening the interval between meals is a good way to go.
And...feeding snakes doesn't have to be such an "exact science" at every feeding anyway. They sure don't eat on schedule in the wild, nor is it essential for captive pets or breeders.
Re: Increase size of rat for a yearling?
Frozen thawed all the way. I am actually picking up two BPs at the NARBC Tinley show in March. They were on live. I asked the breeder to start offering f/t a few times before pick up. I want to make sure they are readily taking the dead. I have fed hognose live in the passed and I tried hard to switch over. Which worked. I have transitioned a baby BP over no problem. So I always go f/t. I just do scheduled feeding to keep track and wrote everything down to make sure they are good. Thanks for the advice!