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Re: Feeding?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ssscales
I just would really prefer to stay away from live feeders as much as I can most of year, if possible and not depend on them. I love the convenience of frozen feeders and would hate to constantly look for a live feeder source or have to breed my own.
I hear ya ... I think it's EXTREMELY important for each owner to feed what is convenient for them ... it makes for overall better husbandry in the end.
Raising ball pythons and feeding only F/T can certainly be done and your ball pythons will certainly thrive ... I did it with a large collection for many years and had no problems.
Keep us posted! :D
-adam
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Re: Feeding?
What size prey should you offer a 275-300gm BP?
I'm assuming fuzzy rats would be more than fine, but I'm sure they could take a rat pup judging by their girth. Would it be best to keep them on the small size?
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Re: Feeding?
I would think rats pups would be fine. Depending on what you are judging as a rat pup. I just moved mine babies from fuzzies to pups, and they are ~250g. I go by themousefactory.com measurements. :D
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Re: Feeding?
The rat pups I have access too are 20-29gm.
I think for tomorrows feeding I'll offer them fuzzies at 15-19gm. If that goes down easy, I'll move them up to pups for the next feeding.
I got them in on Friday morning and they've been relaxing, mostly undisturbed in their 11qt tubs. I have the temps at 79-80F cool side/89-90F hot spot. I've checked a few of their body temps and they are at 82F. I'll leave them alone all day tomorrow and drop in the fuzzy rats around 8:00PM.
Hopefully they will take them without any trouble.
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Re: Feeding?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki
... if you want to feed regularly, each and every week and be successful ... then smaller food items are better ... I have 4000 gram females that only eat 1 or maybe 2 40-50 gram rats per feeding ...
-adam
Am I to understand that it is possible to feed to small rats at one time? How is this done? The second is offered immediately after the first tail dissapears?
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Re: Feeding?
Quote:
Originally Posted by srozell
The second is offered immediately after the first tail dissapears?
Yup, somethin like that. I usually wait for the yawn that comes after it too. As soon as they start roaming around again, I drop the second (third) in. Be sure to make sure the first one is gone, and they're not in the process of still eating the first one. BP's, and all snakes, are most vulnerable during feeding.
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Re: Feeding?
If needed, I offer a 2nd item only after the snake has swallowed the 1st and moved on. If it is still hungry it will take the 2nd item, if not it may ignore it. Most snakes are opportunistic feeders and will rarely refuse a meal. I prefer to feed one appropriate sized meal per feeding. If I feel for whatever reason it may require a 2nd meal, I may shorten the feeding schedule from 7 days to 5 rather than feed 2 meals in one sitting.
Just my $0.02.
I plan on feeding my BP's every 7 days one good meal.
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Re: Feeding?
I'm not sure if I may have been feeding my BP wrong - she always has been given 2 rodents - the same size as or slightly smaller than the widest part of her - we dangle the first one in front of her so she takes it and then put the second on on top of her hide for her to find later. Only once has she refused this second one. She is fed every Saturday evening. We were advised this by 2 separate reptile people who weighed her and said that 2 should be fine.
Please advise - I don't want to kill her by over-feeding - I think I read in a post yesterday somewhere that power-feeding can seriously shorten a BP's life - but I understood powerfeeding to be when you literally force the next rodent down their throat.
Sue
*worried*
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Re: Feeding?
Sue, there are TONS of different opinions and methods for feedings snakes in general, and bp's in particular. If the snake consistently and readily takes the second rodent, I'm sure you're doing just fine. It'd be easy to second-guess yourself into a frenzy by reading all the various posts about how everyone else does it.
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Re: Feeding?
I'm not sure about power feeding BP's.
What I consider power feeding, is literally shoving a 2nd and 3rd food item back to back following the 1st forcing the snake to eat more than it needs or wants. With power feeding you run the risk of regurge and shortening their lives in the long run.
If they usually feed or can take a medium rat and all you have is 2 small rats, than that's ok. But, if it's correct feeder is a medium rat and you offer it 2 medium rats to push growth...that's pushing it.
With BP's I'm not sure if feeding 2 items is due to the expecting fasting months, maybe some of the more experience BP owners can respond. I will stick to one food item every 7 days, if needed every 5 days.
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