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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snoop_Dong
I'm only planning on keeping 1 BP at a time at the moment in time so i didn't think i needed a scale. Also if i were to buy a scale friends and family would think it was for something else other than for my ball python :rofl:. Though i am aware of the addictiveness to owning different morphs so i don't know maybe in 2 years ill have a collection :D.
Scales are useful for keeping track of weights, not just of your snakes but also of the prey you are offering them. A general rule of thumb is a prey item that is 10-15% of the snakes weight. By using a scale you can keep accurate track of if your snake is gaining weight or losing weight, as well as making sure you are giving your snake a meal that is appropriate for their development level.
Personally, I would keep him to a 5 day feeding schedule. That's the feeding schedule I use for my hatchling. She went on a three week eating strike when she first came home and is now doing fine, pushing 150g and getting ready to move up to the next size prey item.
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmoothScales
I'm seriously hoping I'm reading this wrong, because your hot spot temp should be closer to 90°, with 80° being a better choice for ambient temperatures.
Oh nope you're reading it perfectly correct and nothing to rustle your jimmies over. Actually in Benin right now it's 75°F so if you think 80°F is bad you better start praying for all the native ball pythons in Benin.
P.S: I have my thermostat set to 85 so it fluctuates from 80 to 85 it just on average is normally around the lower 80's.
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmoothScales
Scales are useful for keeping track of weights, not just of your snakes but also of the prey you are offering them. A general rule of thumb is a prey item that is 10-15% of the snakes weight. By using a scale you can keep accurate track of if your snake is gaining weight or losing weight, as well as making sure you are giving your snake a meal that is appropriate for their development level.
Personally, I would keep him to a 5 day feeding schedule. That's the feeding schedule I use for my hatchling. She went on a three week eating strike when she first came home and is now doing fine, pushing 150g and getting ready to move up to the next size prey item.
For these 2 weeks i'll prob put him on a diet similar to yours because he's on his own version of weight watchers. For feeding I just use the widest part of him and check to see if it's around that size or smaller. Glad to hear your BP is eating and staying strong!
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snoop_Dong
For feeding I just use the widest part of him and check to see if it's around that size or smaller.
Also a very good guide for choosing prey items.
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I would definitely raise his basking temp.
In Benin, the reported temps being 75F doesn't mean that the snakes don't have higher temps to bask in, nor that they thrive at a lower temp.
For example, I have had days where I check the outdoor temps as about 90F but when I check the actual temp of the ground surface in the sun, it's well over 100F, up to 120F some days. So there can be many different gradients of temperatures in an area.
If he is eating the better quality rodents, then definitely keep him on those. Every 5 days should give him enough time to digest. If the prey is too large(makes a big lump instead of a small lump) then you run a risk of him vomiting it up later, which is really stressful. But if it's a small lump, you should be just right.
Definitely post some pictures. It sounds a bit strange to see ribs on a ball python. They fatten up really quickly though, so no worries!
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolfy-hound
I would definitely raise his basking temp.
In Benin, the reported temps being 75F doesn't mean that the snakes don't have higher temps to bask in, nor that they thrive at a lower temp.
For example, I have had days where I check the outdoor temps as about 90F but when I check the actual temp of the ground surface in the sun, it's well over 100F, up to 120F some days. So there can be many different gradients of temperatures in an area.
If he is eating the better quality rodents, then definitely keep him on those. Every 5 days should give him enough time to digest. If the prey is too large(makes a big lump instead of a small lump) then you run a risk of him vomiting it up later, which is really stressful. But if it's a small lump, you should be just right.
Definitely post some pictures. It sounds a bit strange to see ribs on a ball python. They fatten up really quickly though, so no worries!
Ye, i bought 25 of the quality rats and very glad i made that investment plus it was rather cheap :please:. I do realize that the temperature in Benin isn't the basking temperature for all BP but i do know that their ideal home i.e the termite mound thermally regulates to a perfect 86 degrees ideal for bacteria growth (their food). I was just using some satire to go with why i have my temperature at around 80°F even though it's set to 85°F. I just took some photos (you'll see his egg looking bulge) but i know it isn't to huge for him because he's kept it under for 72 hours though i have no idea when the bulge will go away ahahaha. For the basking temperature he's fine almost every single credible source for BP's have different ideal temperatures for their enclosures but on almost all of their varieties they say that low 90°'s should be the highest and that high 70's should be the lowest. He seems to enjoy his living conditions at the moment and momma always said "What isn't broken don't change it" :D.
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmoothScales
Also a very good guide for choosing prey items.
Yeah no joke, that tip is what made me move up to fuzzies because hatchling BP's neck near the head just looks so small and thin for something the size of a mouse!
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snoop_Dong
For the basking temperature he's fine almost every single credible source for BP's have different ideal temperatures for their enclosures but on almost all of their varieties they say that low 90°'s should be the highest and that high 70's should be the lowest. He seems to enjoy his living conditions at the moment and momma always said "What isn't broken don't change it" :D.
I sure hope you understand that the to thermograde??
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl
I sure hope you understand that the to thermograde??
I'm not at all trying to be rude, but could you rephrase that question because i'm not able to decipher what you're asking. :confusd:
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Re: My Hatchling Is Finally Eating, But Is He Emaciated?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl
I sure hope you understand that the to thermograde??
His ambient temperature is above 75°F at all times even during the night but gets higher during day. His basking spot fluctuates between 86°F and 83°F, i don't get why there is an issue with his basking temperature sense almost all major ball python research have different variety between what the essential BP basking temperature should be.
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