Feeding multiple rats at once

Hello forum :),

My local pet store only sells rat pups (21 grams) and small rats (87 Grams) with no in between. She is 438 Grams. I know the 10 - 15% rule. what do i do? i once tried to feed her the small rat, and this is what happened. (I never hold my snake this way, it was ONLY for the picture):
http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/97869/9...DjsD4uMxgV.jpg

I know this is awful and the prey is WAY too large, but what should I do?

Feed her two rat pups, right after the other? do i put the second one in right after the tail of the first one goes down?

pretty inexperienced with all this :confused:

You can feed two rat pups. Offer the second pup after the first one is down the hatch. Works for either live or F/T. If you're feeding F/T, make sure the second rat is just as warmed up as the first.

Thanks a lot. She eats live, and always goes for them the second i dangle them in front of her. Should the prey have any indent on the snake? usually with the rat pups there is a little pink where the rat is and a tiny bulge. Am i doing anything wrong about all of this?

A tiny bulge is fine. You're not doing anything wrong. Unless you raise your own rats, it can be hard to get just the right size. You just have to do your best to get the total weight of rat as close as possible. Sometimes that means you have to feed multiples.

I personally like feeding smaller meals more often than one big one. But lots of people feed big meals less often w/o any problems.

Your girl is fine.
I doubt she would have tried eating it if she couldn't pass it down.
Just leave her alone for a longer time period than normal to let her digest that whopper.

I too feed light but more often. For example my 900 gm male I give him a small rat 65-85 gm once ever 7 days. Sometimes He gets one in between (3 days apart) if he is out on the prowl. I have a bit spotty supply of rats so every now and again he might get something smaller than a 65gm maybe 40 or so and I may offer two. He usually lets me know if he wants it or not.

I agree with kitedemon^
After owning your snake for awhile you'll get to know them and what they want

There is nothing wrong with feeding a snake more then once. I do.

Lumps are good..
If it was too large your snake would have regurg'd.

<90 gram rat is just fine for a 500 gram snake. Lump will be gone in a few days

Is that bump in the picture too large?

But do you guys all agree that the one in the picture was too large? it is cheaper to buy one of those than two of the 20 gramers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by masonhall

Is that bump in the picture too large?

---

Personally, I would not feed something large enough to leave a bump like you see in that picture.

However, there are many keepers who would disagree with me, and who feed items that large with no problems. I just prefer to feed smaller but more often (which includeds multiple smaller rats vice one large one).