Prey Size

I fed my two houdurans larger than normal prey last night. It was just wider than their widest part. They both managed to eat the prey but there is quite a bump in their bellies.

Will they pass on eating something if it is too big or do they have no judgement on that - just eat whatever is given.

The feeding was over 15 hours ago and no sign of issues just yet.

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Originally Posted by L.West

I fed my two houdurans larger than normal prey last night. It was just wider than their widest part. They both managed to eat the prey but there is quite a bump in their bellies.

Will they pass on eating something if it is too big or do they have no judgement on that - just eat whatever is given.

The feeding was over 15 hours ago and no sign of issues just yet.

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They will probably be fine. If it's huge they might not consider it prey. However, their judgment on a little too big is not too good. Nuance is not a strong suit of snakes!

Of note, some snake are stretchier than others. Corns can eat something 1 1/2 times their body size, although not recommended as they get older. Kingsnakes/Milksnakes tend not to be as stretchy. Aim for about body width or slightly larger in general.

If it's been 15 hours and no issues, it should be no problem. Keep temps on target and do not handle for 2-3 days! Let them digest fully.

My two cents.

I will go a little smaller at next feeding. I had these prey items and wanted to use them up. I was just worried about a regurge. Never had that happen and sure don't want to.

Fingers crossed all is well when I get home from work tonight - that will put it at the 24 hours point.

I've Never had a snake have issues from a meal that was too large, generally if it's something big enough to cause them an issue, they either won't eat it, or most educated keepers would see the size difference and err on the side of caution. If it looks way too big, it probably is.

From what i've really seen, usually a snake will decide if a prey item is too big after theyve tried to swallow it for an hour. If they're sitting around happy now, I feel like they should be fine.

Once upon a time one of my carpet pythons ate her mouse *sideways*, folding it in half as she took it down. It looked like she’d swallowed a tennis ball! She was fine (and a juvenile at the time, IIRC about the size of a young adult corn snake).


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Originally Posted by Slicercrush

From what i've really seen, usually a snake will decide if a prey item is too big after theyve tried to swallow it for an hour. If they're sitting around happy now, I feel like they should be fine.

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i agree w/ this. a snake will stop trying to swallow if prey cannot get past their jaws. unless your snake is ill, scared/stressed or there is something wrong/foul w/ the prey, it wont' regurge if it can swallow it. it will just have a lump for a lil longer.

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Originally Posted by L.West

I will go a little smaller at next feeding. I had these prey items and wanted to use them up. I was just worried about a regurge. Never had that happen and sure don't want to.

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You can also push their next feeding out a bit longer than normal. If they're normally fed weekly, go 10 days. If they're on a 10-day schedule, feed gain in 14 days.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

You can also push their next feeding out a bit longer than normal. If they're normally fed weekly, go 10 days. If they're on a 10-day schedule, feed gain in 14 days.

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^^^^
This is what I do.

Sometimes one of my snakes may refuse their xl rat, and the snake that is next in line may usually take a large, I give them the xl and I can easily skip their next feeding for 5-7 days.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...4ba3c6a6a7.jpg

Lizzy is usually a garbage can, but is not interested in food this spring.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...f93967a2dc.jpg

So Etta who eats large rats, will gladly take Litzy’s xl.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

You can also push their next feeding out a bit longer than normal. If they're normally fed weekly, go 10 days. If they're on a 10-day schedule, feed gain in 14 days.

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Yes, this is what I intend to do. Thanks