can digestion take longer than 48hrs

I just switched my 2 month old ball to small rats from hoppers. The width looked fine but it was quite a bit longer than his previous meals. He at it fine with an obvious thicker mid section than previous feedings. He ate two hoppers within the first week and took a very normal looking poop. I have let him be for the last 50hrs and i went to handle him a bit and he still looks a bit thicker than normal. There is also a slight wavy section toward his tail. It almost looks like he is on the verge of doing his business. I was curious does the switch in feeding size take a bit more to digest? Am I over feeding him? I would take him out and try to get some pics but I don't want to upset him or overstress him. Any advice or if its normal would be helpful. thanks

Generally if you can still see a lump 24 hours after feeding, that means the prey is too big.

If you have them available, some weaned rats would be a more appropriate size up from hoppers.

Sounds like some good advice here.

Weanlings (20-25 days old) sound like a better option for your snake on how you describe it.
If you have a digital scale (if not its a smart $30 investment for BP care) weigh your snake and 10% of his weight should be the weight of his prey.

weight is the easiest way to 'size' prey items. A small rat for example will vary between suppliers I have two suppliers that they are miles apart one averages 90gm for smalls the other 50gms there is no exact yard stick. Weight is the easiest my suppliers will size by weigh for me, I can order 90gm rats and get basically what I want.

Thank you so much! I am ordering or picking up a digital scale today and will need to order some weanlings. I have looked at rodentpro and micedirect, but are there any other sites to order f/t rats? I would have gotten him something smaller but our petstores blow here in SW VA. Thanks for the input

Tons,

www.themousefactory.com/
www.gourmetrodent.com/
www.bigcheeserodents.com/
www.perfectpet.net/
www.nearnorthrodents.com/
www.loxahatcheerodents.com/
www.beechdaleanimalsupply.com/

and lots of others. I usually buy local to me as I save shipping and shipping hassles a friend just had 1000$ of rodents sit in a fed ex office from friday to monday due to a shipping error. He is selling them to a local zoo for about 300 less than he paid.

I would definitely say that if you see a lump after 24 hours, you fed way TOO big. I feed the right size, if not a tad bit larger, and after about an hour, they are pretty much back to normal. They just look full, but never lumpy.

is there anything I can do for him now? I am going to size him down the next feeding and start weighing his food. The width really wasnt much bigger than normal but the length and weight were too big for him.

Your snake should be just fine. Mother Nature doesn't always send them a prey item that is 10-15% of their body weight every 7 days. They survive anyway.

haha very true and good point!

I know there have been tons of posts but any recommendation on scales?

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Originally Posted by Morphing Unicorn

haha very true and good point!

I know there have been tons of posts but any recommendation on scales?

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You can get a good digital food scale at Walmart for about 20 dollars. I usually feed my snakes food items that are about 13% of their weight.

Th eonly problem I see with feeding large is A) they can throw it up and B) they put on unhealthy fat weight.

Now I, for one, do not sit there and weigh my snakes food or do any sort of calculations of snake weight: prey weight ratios. That to me is a waste of time and just makes keeping snakes less fun to keep. You just be fine just gauging it with your eyes. If you want to go the extra mile and weigh the prey, by all means go ahead, but to me it's just one more task to do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Morphing Unicorn

haha very true and good point!

I know there have been tons of posts but any recommendation on scales?

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I got this one at WalMart and I love it.
The little square "bowl" is great for keeping them on the scale.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Oneida-Dig...Scale/16486675

[Skinny little 134 gram Iggy is now 218 grams!].....YAY!