How am I doing on weight?

I think my bp is a male because he's about 3 to 3.5 feet. but who really knows if he is or not. I've had him a little over a year, and I'd guess that he's a '10 or '11.

He wasn't the best eater on live and my supplier went out of business so he went on a 6 week diet before he decided to eat large frozen rats. He's eaten two large frozen rats about ten days apart and refused the last feeding two days ago. I weighed him yesterday and he's 1294g.

Sorry for the rambling post, but is this a good weight for my bp?

1294 is a good weight for a male, and could even be a female if it is a 2010/2011.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

1294 is a good weight for a male, and could even be a female if it is a 2010/2011.

---

Thanks. I've never probed, and only attempted to pop once or twice but I got peed in the face so I haven't tried since. I've just been concerned because my snake wasn't a regular eater even when I had him on live. He was eating once a month if that over the summer. How long does it take a snake to start loosing weight? The last two meals seamed to put some weight back on him but that's just by looks.

they can go over a year with out eating, that isn't healthy but goes to prove that they are hardy.

Do you have a scale? the best thing to do when they aren't eating to to regularly weigh them and record the data. once you start to see that he is loosing weight, it is time to do whatever you can to get him back on food.

as long as your temperatures/humidity are correct and you are providing good hides (2 identical hides appropriately sized) you should be fine

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

they can go over a year with out eating, that isn't healthy but goes to prove that they are hardy.

Do you have a scale? the best thing to do when they aren't eating to to regularly weigh them and record the data. once you start to see that he is loosing weight, it is time to do whatever you can to get him back on food.

as long as your temperatures/humidity are correct and you are providing good hides (2 identical hides appropriately sized) you should be fine

---

No scale anymore. He's fat just not as fat as some of the picture I see on here so i was wondering.

a scale is a good tool for BP's, even the really cheap ones are more than good enough. I got this one at a grocery store for $15

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/f79cdeb5.jpg

I use it to determine how much to feed my snakes and to track their development

Not sure what your supplier calls a "large" rat, but the large rats my supplier has would be far to big for a 1300 gram BP. Having a scale is really helpful in this hobby.

So back to my original question. I am well aware of scales and their uses.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

So back to my original question. I am well aware of scales and their uses.

---

Considering you dont know if its a male or female, havent provided pictures, and dont know if its a 2010 or 2011, I'd say you've gotten pretty good feedback already from Aaron and Slim.

1293 grams is a good size whether he/she is male or female. I would try to get him/her on a regular feeding schedule, like 10% of body weight every 7 days.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

So back to my original question. I am well aware of scales and their uses.

---

So back to my original question. How large are the "large" rats you are feeding your snake? What are their average weight?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slim

So back to my original question. How large are the "large" rats you are feeding your snake? What are their average weight?

---

Let me weigh all of them individually on my scale so that I can average them...
Oh wait, I forgot. I don't have a scale.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

Oh wait, I forgot. I don't have a scale.

---

and that is your problem

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

Oh wait, I forgot. I don't have a scale.

---

Go get one! ;) I need to get one myself, I think it would be very useful in the long-term for both feeders and snakes.

The large rats I've seen also seem like they'd be much bigger than what your guy could take. Where'd you get them from?

Anyway, your BP is probably in good health when it comes to weight. There's no specific weight they need to be, just want to make sure they're not noticeably thin and they don't have that triangular shape that suggests emaciation.

You can get a good scale at walmart for like $20. The scale and my temp gun are prolly the 2 best purchases ive made since getting into bps...

1. I'm not spending money on a scale. Unless you are going to give my yours for free, you're beating a dead horse. I had access to a scale at one time and I was curious as to my snakes weight.
2. If the snake ate the rat then the rat was not too big.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

1. I'm not spending money on a scale. Unless you are going to give my yours for free, you're beating a dead horse. I had access to a scale at one time and I was curious as to my snakes weight.
2. If the snake ate the rat then the rat was not too big.

---

Why would you post here if your not going to accept any help

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

1. I'm not spending money on a scale. Unless you are going to give my yours for free, you're beating a dead horse. I had access to a scale at one time and I was curious as to my snakes weight.
2. If the snake ate the rat then the rat was not too big.

---

Since you insist on being stubborn, then my only advice is to always feed the width of your ball python's widest part, no more, no less, and you'll be pretty safe. If you really cant afford to dish out $20 for a scale though, it makes me wonder about you... :rolleyes::D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

1. I'm not spending money on a scale. Unless you are going to give my yours for free, you're beating a dead horse. I had access to a scale at one time and I was curious as to my snakes weight.
2. If the snake ate the rat then the rat was not too big.

---

Can you explain why you are so against purchasing a scale?

I use mine all the time, it is an extremely useful tool for keeping healthy snakes, and at $15 it was one of the cheapest tools in my arsenal.

a scale can:

1. help you track the development of your snake

2. allow you to feed your snake the correct amount of food (15% of the snakes body weight)

3. allows you to track weight loss when a snake stops eating (this allows you to determine when it is time to take more drastic measures)

4. Allows you to easily track the development of females when breeding (I under stand that not everyone who has a BP plans on breeding)

I use my scale on all of my snakes at least once a week. considering I spend $15 on it, and I have used it hundreds if not thousands of times already I certainly think that it is well worth the price.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mattchibi

Since you insist on being stubborn, then my only advice is to always feed the width of your ball python's widest part, no more, no less, and you'll be pretty safe.

---

x2


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

1. I'm not spending money on a scale. Unless you are going to give my yours for free, you're beating a dead horse. I had access to a scale at one time and I was curious as to my snakes weight.
2. If the snake ate the rat then the rat was not too big.

---

Just turned into a troll with that bs reply...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

1. I'm not spending money on a scale. Unless you are going to give my yours for free, you're beating a dead horse. I had access to a scale at one time and I was curious as to my snakes weight.
2. If the snake ate the rat then the rat was not too big.

---

Well with that kind of intelligence and logic idk why you came here to ask guidance from us...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

1. I'm not spending money on a scale. Unless you are going to give my yours for free, you're beating a dead horse. I had access to a scale at one time and I was curious as to my snakes weight.

Not owning a scale is your call, but it comes in very handy for optimal husbandry of these snakes. If optimal husbandry is not your goal, then your current attitude and course of action are spot on :gj: Just keep in mind that the only one who suffers due to any lapses in husbandry is your snake.

2. If the snake ate the rat then the rat was not too big.

No, a hungery ball python will attempt, and many times succefully consume a rat that is much to large for it. This can lead to digestive distress, and regurge. It is your responsiblity as a snake keeper to insure you feed the proper size prey. Note I said responsibility, not choice.

---

Eric, we are here to help when you need it. I urge you to take a look around this Forum and get a feel for the tone and candor of BP.net. This is not like some of the other forums you may be a member of. We don't shoot first and ask questions latter around here. If you want advice, ask for it. But if you want to act like a troll, PM me and I'll be happy to give you a list of other reptile forums where the atmosphere is more appropriate for the style you've shown in this thread.

3. The snake did not regurgitate the rats he ate. And they were about as big around as the snake maybe a little larger which by my understanding is perfectly fine up to 1.5 times as big as the snake.
4. I have money. I just think it's better spent on booze and women. Not necessarily in that order.
5. Why do you care if I do or do not buy a scale.
6. Get over yourself.

5. Why do you care if I do or do not buy a scale.
6. Get over yourself.[/QUOTE]

Man if your not gonna take the advice, how about you get over yourself and go take care of your Bp on your own stop wasting the time of people here that actually care about helping people that need it

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

3. The snake did not regurgitate the rats he ate. And they were about as big around as the snake maybe a little larger which by my understanding is perfectly fine up to 1.5 times as big as the snake.
4. I have money. I just think it's better spent on booze and women. Not necessarily in that order.
5. Why do you care if I do or do not buy a scale.
6. Get over yourself.

---

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a.../trollfeed.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

3. The snake did not regurgitate the rats he ate. And they were about as big around as the snake maybe a little larger which by my understanding is perfectly fine up to 1.5 times as big as the snake.
4. I have money. I just think it's better spent on booze and women. Not necessarily in that order.
5. Why do you care if I do or do not buy a scale.
6. Get over yourself.

---

:confused: I wonder a little about the kind of women you can get for the price of a $20 kitchen scale... Don't ask for help if you think you already know all the answers.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

I have money. I just think it's better spent on booze and women. Not necessarily in that order.

---

http://alltheragefaces.com/img/faces...-over-here.png

Really though. I think this one's a lost cause, he's not going to buy a scale or drop the attitude. As Maixx so elegantly illustrated, don't feed him.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

3. The snake did not regurgitate the rats he ate. And they were about as big around as the snake maybe a little larger which by my understanding is perfectly fine up to 1.5 times as big as the snake.
4. I have money. I just think it's better spent on booze and women. Not necessarily in that order.
5. Why do you care if I do or do not buy a scale.
6. Get over yourself.

---

You are either a troll or a pee-pee poor snake keeper. Either way I'm washing my hands of this one. Good luck in all your adventures, be they in snake keeping or of the troll variety. Duces!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EricWright

3. The snake did not regurgitate the rats he ate. And they were about as big around as the snake maybe a little larger which by my understanding is perfectly fine up to 1.5 times as big as the snake.
4. I have money. I just think it's better spent on booze and women. Not necessarily in that order.
5. Why do you care if I do or do not buy a scale.
6. Get over yourself.

---

still mad?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by D2b

Why would you post here if your not going to accept any help

---

Troll, thats why

this thread should have stopped after the first reply. lol

:taz:Troll: How am I doing on weight?

The Serpent Merchant: 1294 is a good weight for a male, and could even be a female if it is a 2010/2011.