"Power Feeding"

So I hear this term a lot but am not really sure what it entails.

I've heard a few people mention that it's not a good idea and that it can lead to an overweight snake or cause them to go on eating strikes more often since the snake would feel too full after a while.

I'm not planning on power feeding I'm just curious about what exactly it is and what are people's thoughts on it.

Is it feeding your snake right after every bowel movement? Feeding every XX amount of days? Etc

It usually refers to feeding larger than normal prey more often. Normally people offer an appropriate sized prey every 7 days. Power feeding would be getting a slightly larger prey and feeding it every 2-4 days. It gives them just enough time to digest before eating again. It can lead to overweight problems, which is why it's generally healthier to just feed an appropriate sized meal every 7 days or so. :)

Just out of curiosity, what would happen if you fed them an appropriate sized meal every 6 days? I have been feeding every 7 days but Im just wondering.

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Originally Posted by mattchibi

Just out of curiosity, what would happen if you fed them an appropriate sized meal every 6 days? I have been feeding every 7 days but Im just wondering.

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I doubt it would actually do any harm to feed every 6 days but it is much easier I would think to just have 1 set feeding day to prevent human error.

I feed my babies every 5 days up to about 500 grams, so it won't do anything drastic :)

Many people feed younger snakes every four to five days. Power feeding I believe is when you feed and before the snake swallows all the way you stick another rat in it mouth.

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Originally Posted by LotsaBalls

Many people feed younger snakes every four to five days. Power feeding I believe is when you feed and before the snake swallows all the way you stick another rat in it mouth.

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That makes sense too, maybe my idea of power feeding is off... :confused:

Isnt power feeding just any way of making your snake eat more than it should for its size? I'm sure there are many ways to power feed. I know my girl would just keep eating if I put it infront of her especially because she eats live. So Im sure you could just feed one after the other to some snakes while they are still in feeding mode. Or just feed every couple of days. Either way, overfeeding or power feeding is not good for any animal or human for that matter.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

I feed my babies every 5 days up to about 500 grams, so it won't do anything drastic :)

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Same here. Breeding females are also put on a 5 day schedule.

I would consider power feeding to be any form of excessive feeding, whether it is feeding too often or too large of prey items on a regular basis. As a general rule it is recommended to feed your ball pythons 10-15% of their body weight every 5 days until they hit 500 grams (although some do it for their first year) and then move them onto a 7 day schedule.

I do what some would consider power feeding but i feed normal/appropriate sized prey item every 2-3 days for most of my young ones(if they are willing). As they get up to about 600-700grams i bring it to 4-5 days and at 1k+ every 6-7. Unless its a female of age near breeding season then i would go back to the 4-5 day cycle just to get a little more weight on her.

Thanks for the feedback ^^ I'll probably try a 5 day schedule like stated

I feed every 7 days except the new pied girl at day 5 she is raoming looking for food so I feed here when she is in hunt mode :) but she is a pig and would be easy to power feed her

We feed every 4 with makes up to 600g and females up to 1500g then they go to every 8.

I was under the impression that power feeding was feeding more than what is appropriate for their size more often and for a long period of time in order to make them bigger quicker? :confused:

I could be wrong.....

I offer them appropriate sized food sometimes every 2-3 days, sometimes every 8-10 days. I don't keep a rigid schedule when feeding; there is no "feeding day" here. The one thing I have noticed by doing this is the feeding response....the rat is usually struck within 10 seconds. If they look hungry, I offer. If they are hungry, they eat. If they don't strike after about a minute, the rat comes out and I go to the next.
I can find no scientific reasoning anywhere on why it's best to feed every "x" days. The only thing I've been told when I ask about "why?" is that "this is how it has always been done". This is not how it's done in the wild. Yes, I know they aren't in the wild, but they can eat like they are. They know when they are hungry.

IMHO I view power feeding as instead of feeding 15-20% of the body weight a week, feeding 30-40% a week, or 15-20% 2x a week (basically doubling the average amount of food) not so much jamming food down their throat, just feeding more then required. :rolleyes:

As of right now I feed my girl (currently 120 grams and 4 months-ish) about 15 grams (two fuzzies, between 7-8grams each, been this way for a week) on Sundays and Thursdays. She takes fine and still almost seems to be hungry after, im going to continue this for another few weeks, then up the prey size. (As recommended to me by local reptile supplier, A family owned store with employees & volunteers who care alot :P)

I prefer slightly smaller meals more consistently as apposed to a bigger meal less frequently, but thats just me :P

Power feeding IS when you jab food down their throat, litterally. The following video demonstrates power feeding. It is disgusting in my opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xpMZooIqkY

Over feeding is what you all are describing, feeding more often, larger prey etc. etc.

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Originally Posted by Lorgakor

Power feeding IS when you jab food down their throat, litterally. The following video demonstrates power feeding. It is disgusting in my opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xpMZooIqkY

Over feeding is what you all are describing, feeding more often, larger prey etc. etc.

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Exactly, what everyone is describing is power offering which can lead to over eating in some snakes.
A snake will eat when it's hungry, offering the snake food when it's obviously wanting to eat is not power feeding.

Thanks everyone for all the replies and what not :)

I can see the difference between Over feeding and power feeding now. I feed my snake an appropriate sized meal every seven days (as in we have a designated feeding day for all the snakes in the household [not all of them mine]). But one of my roommates feeds his snake prey that is 10-15% of it's weight (or a little more) every 3-4 days if he has time to go get more feeders. As soon as his snake defecates he's like "Okay time for another!" It's a hatchling CRB but is already a lot larger than the female and wide in girth (almost 200 grams). I don't know it just makes me nervous.

Also, that video makes me sad. The poor snake can't even take a break in between.

idk how accurate this is, but i heard that power feeding can reduce the lifetime of the snake too, like it might only live for 10 years instead of 20, for example

Well with anything and obesity it shortens the lifespan. Obesity, leads to fatty liver disease and I'm sure other things. And that probably doesn't do well for the lifespan.


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Originally Posted by Lorgakor

Power feeding IS when you jab food down their throat, litterally. The following video demonstrates power feeding. It is disgusting in my opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xpMZooIqkY

Over feeding is what you all are describing, feeding more often, larger prey etc. etc.

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I couldn't watch the whole video. Disgusting.....poor poor baby :tears:

Another question: is there times when over feeding would actually be appropriate? What are the pro's and con's of overfeeding?

Over feeding is never good. Feed a younger snake mor often than an older one is fine, they are growing faster and can use more food. Even an older underweight snake shouldn't be over fed. Appropriate size and intervals for your snake. Some will be more active or just grow faster and need more. You need to know your snake.

I was feeding every 7 days up until like 3 weeks ago (the breeder also was on a 7 day schedule). But now I'm doing 5-5-4 schedule out of convenience (friday- wednesday - monday- friday- etc...) I really don't think it should give me any problems, if so, please let me know






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Oh and to add to the topic, I have always (ok, not always, but since I started this addiction) thought of power feeding as bigger meals more often.






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Originally Posted by Lorgakor

Power feeding IS when you jab food down their throat, litterally. The following video demonstrates power feeding. It is disgusting in my opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xpMZooIqkY

Over feeding is what you all are describing, feeding more often, larger prey etc. etc.

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Isn't that Assist feeding?






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lol are people confusing force-feeding with power-feeding?

In my understanding power feeding is feeding your snake large prey and as much as possible (maybe every 3-4 days). Overall the snake will be consuming alot more calories and as a result will grow and gain weight faster than normal. I'm pretty sure this method of feeding is used to get snakes up to breeding weight as quick as possible.

With all the money in BP morphs, the standards for breeding have gone down.

Whereas force-feeding involves you physically stuffing food down he snakes throat, usually used on a non-feeder to keep the snake from starving itself.

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Originally Posted by SkYyame

lol are people confusing force-feeding with power-feeding?

In my understanding power feeding is feeding your snake large prey and as much as possible (maybe every 3-4 days). Overall the snake will be consuming alot more calories and as a result will grow and gain weight faster than normal. I'm pretty sure this method of feeding is used to get snakes up to breeding weight as quick as possible.

With all the money in BP morphs, the standards for breeding have gone down.

Whereas force-feeding involves you physically stuffing food down he snakes throat, usually used on a non-feeder to keep the snake from starving itself.

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This is exactly my thought..






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Originally Posted by Munizfire

Isn't that Assist feeding?






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no assisting is holding a snake by its head and putting the prey in its mouth in an effort to get it to eat. This is usually done with a small prey item.

What is happening in that video is forcing the snake to eat more than it is being offered, I.E. they offered some sort of fowl and before it is completely down and giving the snake the option to strike and eat another item willingly they are simply utilizing the already open mouth and inserting more food after more food after more food not giving the snake the option to stop.

IMO that video is sad and disgusting.

Force feeding is when your snake won't eat at all, and you have to push the food into them so they don't starve. Assist feeding is when they haven't gotten the strike and coil then eat thing down and you put the food in their mouth then they swallow on their own. Over feeding is feeding your snake more than it needs. Power feeding is forcing more food into the snakes mouth than it needs.

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Originally Posted by SHROP

no assisting is holding a snake by its head and putting the prey in its mouth in an effort to get it to eat. This is usually done with a small prey item.

What is happening in that video is forcing the snake to eat more than it is being offered, I.E. they offered some sort of fowl and before it is completely down and giving the snake the option to strike and eat another item willingly they are simply utilizing the already open mouth and inserting more food after more food after more food not giving the snake the option to stop.

IMO that video is sad and disgusting.

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Didn't watch the video... Lol

Oh well, seems like I'm wrong






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Oh wow, just saw the video... Poor burm :(






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