too small

my bp is about 2 1/2 feet and 431g i think that s/he is only about 6 months to a year old is s/he to small do i need to feed her alot more i picked her up at a pet shop about 3 weeks ago and fed her once then she went into shed so she hasnt eaten in about a week

All snakes grow at different rates. There is no specific weight or length. What kind of prey item are you feeding, rats or mice?

trying to feed live rats but shes not eating idk why she ate the day we got her a live rat but we are trying to feed her now and she just ignores it but she tastes the air moving around alot all the signs shes hungry

I would try a live mouse and see if she eats that.

If she doesn't take a mouse the next time, then try her on an african soft-furred rat the following feeding. As for whether or not she's too small, it's difficult to tell other than by eye. If she looks "triangular" (i.e. with her spine being pretty visible) then she's too thin. Otherwise, there's no age-to-size ratio for you to be able to tell if she's on track.

My 6 month female is 100 grams.. So I guess anything can happen.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7668/0131110124a.jpg this is scar (named so becuse he has a bite on his side that left a scar pervious owner) in regards to the asf my local petsbarn sells african spiny rats insted of asf same? diferent?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Abaddon91

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7668/0131110124a.jpgmy local petsbarn sells african spiny rats insted of asf same? diferent?

---

Well he doesn't look underweight at all, which is good.

I've heard the term African Spiny Rat before, and to the best of my knowledge although they aren't the same as an ASF. I've read that their hairs are abnormally stiff, but not so much so that they're like a hedgehog, although they complete a similar function as armor.

I'm going to need to get some other opinions on this one, but I don't see why you shouldn't offer one.

you do not want to feed any kind of spiny mice, they are prickly and I don't imagine they would make a suitable food item (imagine trying to swallow a porcupine).

Rats or mice. If you can find ASF's, try that if you want. If not, some ball pythons stop eating when it gets cold in the northern hemisphere. Its not a big deal as long as they don't lose a lot of weight (50 grams over 4 months is not a lot of weight for example).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cinderbird

you do not want to feed any kind of spiny mice, they are prickly and I don't imagine they would make a suitable food item (imagine trying to swallow a porcupine).

---

Thanks for clearing that up. I wasn't sure if they were actually that prickly or not :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DarrinLowe

My 6 month female is 100 grams.. So I guess anything can happen.

---

6 months and only 100g?? Seems very small to me.

thanks you guys went a bought a mouse and she struck imeditly currntly eatting it she did strike wrong and ened up getting the tail with the head outof her coils the mouse tryed to bite but i guess i couldnt stop it at that point but gain thank you as for feeding mice should i feed twicw a week or two in one sitting

You should feed twice in one sitting if she'll take it. Feeding more than once every 7 days or so unless they are hatchlings stresses out their digestive system. At 400+g, once every 7 days should be plenty sufficient.

I'm in deep doggy doo doo if feeding more than once a week is bad for their digestive systems :O

My girl is 600g and gets fed every 5 days. She is eating small rats.

What's a good weight to switch to sr my girl is at 450g but she hasnt showed interest in a rat in a while could it be intimidation or are sr just not what she likes and I should stick to 2large mice for feeding

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Abaddon91

What's a good weight to switch to sr my girl is at 450g but she hasnt showed interest in a rat in a while could it be intimidation or are sr just not what she likes and I should stick to 2large mice for feeding

---

I'd try switching over to rats. Try maybe a weaned rat. Rats have alot more nutrition than mice. When I switched to rats, I could sure see them bulk up. Some people have trouble switching to rats. Try putting the rat you want to feed, with a mouse while you dethaw it or whatever, hoping to get some mice scent on the rat.

Would trying to fing a rat the same size or a bit bigger work

My guy is about 8 months old. I've been feeding him a hopper mouse a week, and he's 22" and 220g. He looks quite healthy. His body has a very slight triangular shape, and his skin is good and tight. He's active, and everything is clear. Two sheds since I got him 5 months ago, and he's grown quite nicely.

Once I run out of the F/T hoppers (which are the same diameter as the widest part of his body now,) I'll change foods. I've got 8 mice left.

Should I get adult mice, or weanling rats? He seems to be doing quite well on mice, but I've heard rats are more nutritious.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eracer

My guy is about 8 months old. I've been feeding him a hopper mouse a week, and he's 22" and 220g. He looks quite healthy. His body has a very slight triangular shape, and his skin is good and tight. He's active, and everything is clear. Two sheds since I got him 5 months ago, and he's grown quite nicely.

Once I run out of the F/T hoppers (which are the same diameter as the widest part of his body now,) I'll change foods. I've got 8 mice left.

Should I get adult mice, or weanling rats? He seems to be doing quite well on mice, but I've heard rats are more nutritious.

---

Yes you should switch to rats. Maybe try a rat pup or something the size or your snake. An 8 month old BP is usually alot more than 220g. Iv have my girl for 6 months and she's 625g, and she was a baby when got her.