Feeding Juvenile BP Every Other Day Like Vet Said???

At that age mouse fuzzies are too small of a meal. Most ball pythons start out on rat fuzzies and move up from there.


So in this case it's not necessarily terrible advice if that is what you were feeding, it's just the wrong food item. Definitely a bad feeding schedule to recommend.
The right size prey item is very important.
If it were my snake, i would try to move up to a rat fuzzy every 5-7 days for 2-3 weeks. If the baby is taking those well then I would try to move up to the right size. A rat pup is usually the next size. Weanling is after that.
The general target you're looking for is 10% of your snake's body weight. Having a kitchen scale to measure with is a great idea.

I agree with a lot of what’s already been said. I wouldn’t feed your BP more often than every 5-7 days. I also think you’re feeding on the lighter side. I don’t weigh my snakes or their prey. I usually just try to feed the most mature prey item and your snake can easily handle a small adult mouse.

I'm going to be controversial here and say that if you are feeding it fuzzy MICE, every 2-3 days IS appropriate, and while your snake doesn't look like it's starving, it's a slight bit on the thin side. Every 5-7 days on a mouse fuzzy is not enough. When they are young, they can handle feeding more often if the prey item is small enough. If you switch over to larger prey, then 5 days is better.

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

I'm going to be controversial here and say that if you are feeding it fuzzy MICE, every 2-3 days IS appropriate, and while your snake doesn't look like it's starving, it's a slight bit on the thin side. Every 5-7 days on a mouse fuzzy is not enough. When they are young, they can handle feeding more often if the prey item is small enough. If you switch over to larger prey, then 5 days is better.

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2-3 days kinda makes sense but wouldn't it be a bit better if you feed 2 fuzzy mice in one feeding then wait the normal 5-7 days rather than multiple short feedings. I know not every snake will take 2 prey items at once but to me that makes a little more sense than quick smaller feedings.

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Originally Posted by Neko_snake

2-3 days kinda makes sense but wouldn't it be a bit better if you feed 2 fuzzy mice in one feeding then wait the normal 5-7 days rather than multiple short feedings. I know not every snake will take 2 prey items at once but to me that makes a little more sense than quick smaller feedings.

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In adults, yes, but with hatchlings and young juveniles, smaller meals more often is better. This is based of my experience, the experience of Mike Wilbanks, and a scientific study done with BPs, and people tend to get really angry about deviating from the traditional advice, but it works quite well for some people.

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

In adults, yes, but with hatchlings and young juveniles, smaller meals more often is better. This is based of my experience, the experience of Mike Wilbanks, and a scientific study done with BPs, and people tend to get really angry about deviating from the traditional advice, but it works quite well for some people.

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Interesting. I never heard it done that way. Do you happen to know what the study is called? If not I can try to look it up but I was just wondering for my own curiosity. Sounds like a good read for a science minded brain lol.

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

I'm going to be controversial here and say that if you are feeding it fuzzy MICE, every 2-3 days IS appropriate.

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This was exactly my thoughts too. For such a small item it's what I would do too if that's all I had to work with. (Though I have been testing this feeding schedule with a couple of my new noodles because I had an excess of fuzzy rats too... it's been interesting so far)

Or if for some reason the snake had a health issue that kept it from eating larger prey. I had to do this sort of schedule with a severely burned snake once. I couldn't risk stretching out his abdomen. Another was a snake with a gash on it's neck from the previous owner using unsafe housing.

But the ideal advice given by the vet really should have been more along the lines of offering that better sized prey item every 5 days or so.

Someone mentioned feeding multiple prey items every 5 days... I honestly try to avoid that as much as possible. Once in a while if I have a snake that refuses I know my a couple of mine can eat a little more depending on the prey size... But in my mind, any snake I have eating multiple prey items can increase the risk or regurge. I want to avoid that.
The other thing is the fact that BPs can get stuck on one type of food and refuse others and I don't want to have a 2000 gram snake eating multiple mice for a meal when I can easily just toss in one rat. An earlier switch is easier.

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Originally Posted by Neko_snake

Interesting. I never heard it done that way. Do you happen to know what the study is called? If not I can try to look it up but I was just wondering for my own curiosity. Sounds like a good read for a science minded brain lol.

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This MM link is as much as I know about it besides the thread somewhere on this forum arguing about it.
https://community.morphmarket.com/t/...ed-sooner/2530

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

This MM link is as much as I know about it besides the thread somewhere on this forum arguing about it.
https://community.morphmarket.com/t/...ed-sooner/2530

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Thanks for the information. I'm definitely curious to learn more about it.

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