feeding, once or twice a week?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by IamKaervek

Condescending mockery aside

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Lighten up.

-adam

Well, looks like I'll try offering 2 mice the next time I feed, just to see if he is even interested in an extra meal. Thanks for the feedback.

Okay preface this by saying....just our way, not the "only" way. Also to clarify, yes we were feeding f/t for awhile, however, every one of our snakes other than Brannagh either refused it after the first week or cut significantly back on their intake of prey. We were just not pleased with their feeding responses at all on f/t so we've gone back to strictly live feeds. All of them barring Saoirse are back up to their normal feeding routines. We suspect Saoirse being a wild caught adult is just reacting to the season and since she is not losing weight we are not concerned at this point.

Now as to multiple prey. We offer multiples to the snake's that need them for a couple of reasons. Because we feed live we feed a smaller prey size so as to help make sure the snake is safe and can easily handle what is offered. Due to this we offer multiples to some of the snakes as they require that volume of prey. We offer the first live rat, which is generally dispatched efficiently within seconds. Once the snake has completely consumed the rat and the mass of it is well down into the body of the snake (not bulging in the neck area) and the snake has resumed a hunting position, we offer the next prey. It is usually dispatched with as much gusto as the first. If the snake doesn't go for the second prey aggressively we give it only a little time (which we monitor) then we remove the prey and wait till the next week's feeding day. If the snake doesn't look to be wanting more or goes off to it's hide then we don't even bother to offer another live prey item.

This way the snake's decide what they feel like eating each week. If they are good and hungry they go for the second one...if they aren't, then they are content with one and I'm okay with that.

We don't feed the same volume of prey over a few days as for me that would be inefficient, cut down on the days I can handle our snakes and I'm not comfortable with them have 2 prey items in them in different stages of digestion. I have feed on a less than 7 day cycle occasionally without any problems, but in the end the 7 day cycle seems to work best for us and our snakes.

Just the way we do things around here.......


~~Jo~~

Accck wrote a book in my last post LOL and still forgot this bit....

I do have to disagree Shelby on your age for breeding comment. I don't think age is an appropriate indicator. I have one female that by age could breed this year. She is in no way a candidate for breeding and it would likely end poorly.

We have been advised to use a weight/length indicator and that even that is not a "perfect" method. 1,500 grams minimum with a 500 grams per linear foot expectation is what we've been told to use as a basic starting point when judging a female's readiness for breeding. Even with that we've been told to judge our females by their "feel" and our knowledge of their health and feeding habits, etc. In other words a big fat female snake isn't any better to breed than an underage or underweight snake.


~~Jo~~

Yes Jo, Adam already told me I was incorrect. I had read that info on some article on a breeder's website.