Fast weight gain? good or bad?

Wow that's just crazy to hear that a 3 yr old -female- ball was that small!

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Originally Posted by Coils

Wow that's just crazy to hear that a 3 yr old -female- ball was that small!

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My 3 y.o was only 360g when i got him. They cant get much bigger when the owner neglects to feed them anymore than an adult mouse each week. Rats pack on weight incredibly fast.

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Originally Posted by SnakeKB

My 3 y.o was only 360g when i got him. They cant get much bigger when the owner neglects to feed them anymore than an adult mouse each week. Rats pack on weight incredibly fast.

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My 4 year old male bp weighs 2100+ grams and is fed only mice. Bp's grow just fine fed mice or rats on a regular basis.

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

My 4 year old male bp weighs 2100+ grams and is fed only mice. Bp's grow just fine fed mice or rats on a regular basis.

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But do you only feed one mouse for a snake that large?

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

My 4 year old male bp weighs 2100+ grams and is fed only mice. Bp's grow just fine fed mice or rats on a regular basis.

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Wouldnt it be better to feed 1 appropriate sized rat instead of multiple mice at a time? I dont know about you but i dont want to spend a ton of time with feeding one snake when there are many others that need to be fed as well.

Theres no doubt a snake can get big on mice alone but if the snake takes rats and they are available, then your better off using them.

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Originally Posted by mykee

ANY size ball python above a hatchling doubling it's weight in 6 weeks is VERY unhealthy.
Slow down on the feedings.
Ball pythons "retain" roughly 30% of the food they consume, so in order for your animal to have gained 300g in six weeks, you've offered it ~1000g of food. Considering a 300 gram animal eats maybe 50g meals (a responsible, healthy size meal), you've offered that snake ~20 meals (or three feedings) a week?!
Slow it down or you're going to kill your ball python wth love (and obesity-related heart issues).
Good luck.

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I feed all of my snakes once a week only, every Friday. She started on mice then went to mice scented rats. I haven't checked the weight on the rats but they are "small" rats. So shes eatin, 7 times with me now. The owner who had her before wasn't trying to starve her she just wouldn't eat for him at all. Ive seen it. But she started after coming to my house.

my new girl was 950g when i got her.. she is 3 years old. with proper feeding, in 3 weeks she has gained roughly 300+g.

I should also note she was covered in mites.. so that likely caused her to loose a bit of weight.