Breeders and minimal feeding

I've seen a few ads floating around for '05 Balls that are 200+ grams. Is it just me, or is that very small for this far into '06? Do a lot of breeders try to get by with feeding the least amount as possible to save on the feeding bill, or would this small size indicate a picky eater?

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Originally Posted by xdeus

I've seen a few ads floating around for '05 Balls that are 200+ grams. Is it just me, or is that very small for this far into '06? Do a lot of breeders try to get by with feeding the least amount as possible to save on the feeding bill, or would this small size indicate a picky eater?

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Funny you should mention this! :) (Only to me... not an inside joke or anything.. but I was just thinking about this today..)

I have three late 05's that I received in Feb that never miss a meal, and they're all sub 300g. I also have other 05's (late, early, middle, etc..) that are around 800-900.. and a CH pet store male that's over 1300. So... it looks like I range the gambit of all different sizes.

Hope this helps...

Thanks for the info. I expect some Balls to be on the smallish side, but that would probably be the exception rather than the rule. It just seems like I've seen a lot of ads with small '05 Balls, and I wonder how much has to do with the breeders just getting by with the minimum until they can sell them.

My smallest girl is an '05 and has always been a picky eater, but even she is between 400-500 grams.

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Originally Posted by xdeus

My smallest girl is an '05 and has always been a picky eater, but even she is between 400-500 grams.

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Ditto here ... I have 1 or 2 picky ones from 05 that are at least 400 grams ... I can't believe it when I see 05's up for sale at 200 grams!!

I feed every snake like I'm keeping it for myself and by now I think everyone knows that I LOVE big balls pythons! :twisted:

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Ditto here ... I have 1 or 2 picky ones from 05 that are at least 400 grams ... I can't believe it when I see 05's up for sale at 200 grams!!


-adam

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So what do you think is the cause of this? is it poor genetics, poor husbandry, minimal feeding as previously suggested? any insights on this?

One thing that I have noticed is the "05" is a broad range. I have purchased a hand full of "05" CB ball pythons this year that range from being born in month 3 all the way to month 11. Some balls also grow at vastly different rates with the same food consumption. All of mine share the same setup, eat the same food types/quantities on the same day with no missed meals and some grow slower or faster than others. Just like any other living creature I guess.


I have an albino ball that was born in month 11 of 2005 at 74 grams and is now 230ish grams. He eats every single week and is as healthy as the next ball python. I don't see much wrong with that.

I am not a breeder but this has been my limited experience.

Hey now!!!! I have two lil boys that I feed on a regular basis that were born Sept. 2, 2005 that weigh 170g (Percy) and 250+g (Gambit)....what're you tryin' ta say??????!!!

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Originally Posted by 4theSNAKElady

Hey now!!!! I have two lil boys that I feed on a regular basis that were born Sept. 2, 2005 that weigh 170g (Percy) and 250+g (Gambit)....what're you tryin' ta say??????!!!

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That still seems very light to me. Even if they ate a small rat pup once a week: 36 weeks x 20 grams = 720 grams of food and they only gained 100-150 grams? :confused:

well, Percy did have a rough start on life...he refused to to eat his first three months of life and I had to resort to forcefeeding because he started losing weight. He is now starting to make up for lost time though, and is eating two mice now every week instead of one. the other lil guy eats one or two mice every week or so and I haven't weighed him lately so he may be closer to the 300g mark.....but regardless, i can assure you that I do NOT starve my snakes....esp my own babies. i have a girl I got in Feb., who was 268g who is now 482g, another girl i got last month who was 606g, and is now 722g. Both little males look healthy to me, drink eat, poop, shed,slither around, do all the normal things all my other BPs do...both have beautiful colors and markings and do not in the least little bit look thin to me... if I could make them grow any faster i would....but all I can do is just keep offering what I offer....one or two mice (whichever they want to eat) every week or so.

I didn't mean to imply that you weren't taking care of your snakes. I apologize if that's the way I came across. I don't think you're starving them by any means. My point of this message was that I have been seeing a lot of breeder ads with small Balls for '05s, and although I don't think any of them are being "starved", I feel that the breeders could be feeding them more than they have been. I understand there will always be light snakes due to picky eaters, late starters, etc. but not to the extent of the number of ads that are out there.