undersize/weight?

Thanks for the advice. Why will she grow quicker on rats, because it's a bigger meal?

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Originally Posted by N0ctrnl

Thanks for the advice. Why will she grow quicker on rats, because it's a bigger meal?

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Yes.

That's what I figured but wasnt sure if rats were more "nutritional" for snakes. Also how often SHOULD she be shedding? she looks like she will shed very soon as of right now, just curious of what the normal rate was.

If you get her on a recovery diet, meaning more x more frequent, she will shed as needed. Are you feeding her in her enclosure. I always pull mine out and put them in a heated 15gallon tank thats covered on all sides and enough to let some light in and dangle a f/t and found less distractions means better eating habits..

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Originally Posted by ElliotNess

If you get her on a recovery diet, meaning more x more frequent, she will shed as needed. Are you feeding her in her enclosure. I always pull mine out and put them in a heated 15gallon tank thats covered on all sides and enough to let some light in and dangle a f/t and found less distractions means better eating habits..

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This in itself is a distraction to some/most snakes, by removing them form there comfort zone... Id simply just feed them when its dark in room, with little ambient light.

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Originally Posted by N0ctrnl

That's what I figured but wasnt sure if rats were more "nutritional" for snakes. Also how often SHOULD she be shedding? she looks like she will shed very soon as of right now, just curious of what the normal rate was.

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As for this its all different from snake to snake, and age. when they are younger and growing sheds come much more frequent, when they are older there's many reasons they can shed, from injury/scale damage, to just overall new skin/growth. My full grown female sheds roughly 8-10 weeks give or take. Where some of my younger growing ones shed every 4-5 weeks, I have a pied girl who's went from 550-1000 and shes shed for me One time, which is just weird, where when she was a worm to 550 she shed every few weeks.

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Originally Posted by N0ctrnl

That's what I figured but wasnt sure if rats were more "nutritional" for snakes. Also how often SHOULD she be shedding? she looks like she will shed very soon as of right now, just curious of what the normal rate was.

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The nutritional composition of rats vs mice are slightly different, but considering no one really knows what a ball python's nutritional needs are, it really doesn't matter.

Nutritional values per Rodentpro...

A Juvenile Rat has:
Crude Protein: 56.1%
Crude Fat: 27.5%
Natural Ash: 14.8%
Energy as K/Cal:g 5.55 K/Cal
Vit- A & E (in Ui): 151,389 & 139.2

An Adult Domestic Mouse
Crude Protein: 55.8%
Crude Fat: 23.6%
Natural Ash: 11.8%
Energy as K/Cal:g 5.25 K/Cal
Vit- A & E (in Ui): 578,272 & 100.4

here are some amusing threads regarding this topic...

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...3-Rats-vs-mice
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/pytho...ts-v-mice.html
http://www.rcreptiles.com/forum/about780.html
http://www.captivebredreptileforums....vs-mice-5.html

If you read through them, you'll find some say their BP's grow faster on rats, some will say they grow faster on mice, and some will swear they've noticed no difference...

I've had a few mousers over the years, and I'm in the "no difference" camp...it is more inconvenient to feed mice though...and they stink...

I once heard that they've even found hieroglyphs dating back to ancient Egypt discussing the merits of feeding ball pythons rats vs mice...

I feed her in her tank, usually I drop in a mouse at night nad I'll wait for her to grab it before I go to bed so I know the mouse doesn't injure her. Thanks to all for the advice.

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Originally Posted by sho220

An Adult Domestic Mouse
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Energy as K/Cal:g 5.25 K/Cal

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I feel like I should be eating mice... they are so low in calories! ;)

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Originally Posted by N0ctrnl

Any other advice is greatly appreciated, especially as I will be buying a male soon. Thanks again.

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Just want to know what you mean by this OP. Are you wanting to know about your snake's feeding schedule so you can learn before getting a new snake, or are you insinuating that you plan on breeding the two?