Pictures of new girl

if she is eating every week, i don't see a problem. if she slows down or gets picky and doesn't eat one week, i'd go back to 1 mouse a week. the big thing is that she eats steady all year long if possible. alot will take 2-3 rodents then they might take a week or so off, or start a fast. if you can keep them eating weekly you will see more growth.


vaughn

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Originally Posted by jglass38

That is good stuff. I would like to see Adam's opinion on the whole thing. Sometimes I feel like they are hungry right after one small rat. Maybe its time to go back to mediums for the bigger ones.

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For me, multiple smaller meals work out much better than single large meals. I just weighed some 04 girls this morning and I have a bunch that are 1700 grams. They've been fed once a week all year. Once they hit 600 - 700 grams they get bumped up from chubs to what I can "small small" rats. 40-50 gram range. They always take 1 per week and sometimes 2 but usually never more. That's 400 grams of rats per month. If they can retain 100 grams of that, then I'm cooking with gas!! .... 100 grams growth per month should be doable. It doesn't always work out (I've got some 03 girls that are 900 grams because they like to eat the chubs still), but if you work with enough animals, you'll be able to identify the ones that are going to grow like nuts within a couple of feedings.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

For me, multiple smaller meals work out much better than single large meals. I just weighed some 04 girls this morning and I have a bunch that are 1700 grams. They've been fed once a week all year. Once they hit 600 - 700 grams they get bumped up from chubs to what I can "small small" rats. 40-50 gram range. They always take 1 per week and sometimes 2 but usually never more. That's 400 grams of rats per month. If they can retain 100 grams of that, then I'm cooking with gas!! .... 100 grams growth per month should be doable. It doesn't always work out (I've got some 03 girls that are 900 grams because they like to eat the chubs still), but if you work with enough animals, you'll be able to identify the ones that are going to grow like nuts within a couple of feedings.

-adam

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That would involve weighing the rats considering that all vendors seems to sell a small rat at different sizes. I am trying to stick with Rodent Pro though which is usually pretty consistent in size.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

That would involve weighing the rats considering that all vendors seems to sell a small rat at different sizes. I am trying to stick with Rodent Pro though which is usually pretty consistent in size.

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With all of the feeding I do, I've just learned how to look at a rat and tell how much it weighs. I'm not percise, but close enough. If you want the growth, ya gotta do the do!

I wonder if the difference in feeder types accounts for some of the difference in weight gain? (I tried to word that delicately so as to not start WWIII).

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

With all of the feeding I do, I've just learned how to look at a rat and tell how much it weighs. I'm not percise, but close enough. If you want the growth, ya gotta do the do!

I wonder if the difference in feeder types accounts for some of the difference in weight gain? (I tried to word that delicately so as to not start WWIII).

-adam

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I feed a small every week but I am might bump the females up to 2 if they are hungry.

What kind of war would that start?

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Originally Posted by jglass38

What kind of war would that start?

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The whole F/T vs. live thing.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

The whole F/T vs. live thing.

-adam

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Those are fun debates!! :0

I nearly got myself banned from another forum for starting a war on that subject. But it was more because I just didn't like the attitude this guy had about the whole thing.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Those are fun debates!! :0

I nearly got myself banned from another forum for starting a war on that subject. But it was more because I just didn't like the attitude this guy had about the whole thing.

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Well sadly, while ball python growth on a diet of F/T vs. a diet of live is certainly a topic that should be discussed, the myths about live feeding and the attitudes of people that are anti-live feeding probably make it way too much of a hot button issue for that to ever happen on a message board anywhere.

If feeding F/T weren't so much of a PIA for me, I might actually take the time to do some actual research on the subject. I've done it for mice vs. rats with fantastic results! ... Personally, I'd be curious from a scientific standpoint.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Well sadly, while ball python growth on a diet of F/T vs. a diet of live is certainly a topic that should be discussed, the myths about live feeding and the attitudes of people that are anti-live feeding probably make it way too much of a hot button issue for that to ever happen on a message board anywhere.

If feeding F/T weren't so much of a PIA for me, I might actually take the time to do some actual research on the subject. I've done it for mice vs. rats with fantastic results! ... Personally, I'd be curious from a scientific standpoint.

-adam

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I am not anti live feeding when done properly but I also feel for myself that I would rather feed FT if possible. Its a personal opinion and I try hard not to impose my feelings on others. Although sometimes I fail there. I would be curious too to see the difference. I can understand the rat vs mouse thing as they are physically different and contain different protein/fat values but how would there be a difference between live and ft?

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Originally Posted by jglass38

I am not anti live feeding when done properly but I also feel for myself that I would rather feed FT if possible. Its a personal opinion and I try hard not to impose my feelings on others. Although sometimes I fail there. I would be curious too to see the difference. I can understand the rat vs mouse thing as they are physically different and contain different protein/fat values but how would there be a difference between live and ft?

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I feed both F/T and Live -
To tell you the truth, it's a bit irritating defrosting the rats everytime and it doesn't smell that good inside either.
Dealing with live is much easier, and to tell you the truth, I see better feeding responses with live, but then again that's just me.
Other's might have better feeding responses with Frozen.