Obese Young'in?

Can baby ball pythons become obese? I ask because I think I oopsied on my Henna...
The past 2-3 feedings (I feed her every 5 days) I went a little over the 15% rule. By a little I mean 16-17% 17 being max. (Yes, I'm anal. I weighed all her rats and did the calculations. She's my first, so yea...anal)
The alternative I had available was feeding her 1 of the pups rather than 2, which would have only been around 8%...So I figured a little bigger was better than too small.
So, I noticed after last feeding...my girl resembles a sausage now. :( She looks to be about to start a shed cycle (belly went pink yesterday), and I picked up some larger weanlings, so I figured the next few feedings I would do the low end of her food spectrum. I was just concerned, I don't want to hurt her. I know the "obese" term is usually when you can see the skin between their scales, I can definitely see that. Should I bump her on to a 7 day schedule? Or do you think reducing the meal size for the 5 day rotation is good?

Babies digest a lot faster than adults, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I had a baby eat almost 40% of his body weight once and he's fine (although I wouldn't make a habit out of that sort of thing) just didn't want to waste a small feeder when a snake was obviously interested.

There might be a poop coming is she's sausage-y...but 7 days wouldn't hurt her. I personally stick to 5 until they're a couple hundred grams or if they'll only take smaller than needed meals (like my Spider). I doubt your little one is obese: if they'll eat give them food while they're growing!

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

There might be a poop coming is she's sausage-y...but 7 days wouldn't hurt her. I personally stick to 5 until they're a couple hundred grams or if they'll only take smaller than needed meals (like my Spider). I doubt your little one is obese: if they'll eat give them food while they're growing!

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I was actually about to weigh them all because I'm bored and was going to do it tomorrow (thursday, oh look..it's tomorrow 1:33am) so why not. She is 4 months old now, and when I weighed her prior to last feeding she was at 306g. I hope there's a poop coming! She can't just keep snausageing them in there :weirdface

I'm pretty sure she would eat until she pops. That girl doesn't care WHAT is going on, if you turn the hair dryer on, she is ready to go. (F/T heating method...and people say snakes don't become conditioned. Bah!)

Sounds adorable, do you have a pic?:)

I'll go snap one real quick. The lighting will be horrid, but you'll get the pudgy effect :P

Get this...I just weighed her earlier when I posted and she was 346g, now when I took her out for some pics, I reweighed her (the scale was still sitting there, and I wanted to make sure it was 346 rather than 356 because of my fail memory) and she weighed 318g...evidently she just super peed all over her tub. Yay for late night tub cleaning :rolleye2: Anywho, here are a few pics that I could snab of little miss wiggle worm.

I apologize for the horrid lighting in my kitchen, she is yellow dagnabit..not orange >_<

Looking at the pictures she doesn't seem that bad...maybe I preemptively freaked out. Oh well! Snakey pics are fun anyways :D

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/o...5/P1020191.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/o...5/P1020192.jpg
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/o...5/P1020194.jpg

At that age 35 grams or so isn't a big deal, and when she gets to adult size even fluctuating 100 grams isn't anything to worry about.

From the pics she doesn't look either under or over weight at all, she looks just fine :gj:

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Originally Posted by devildog_dk

At that age 35 grams or so isn't a big deal, and when she gets to adult size even fluctuating 100 grams isn't anything to worry about.

From the pics she doesn't look either under or over weight at all, she looks just fine :gj:

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Thanks :) It helps me rest when other people say it. I think I just freaked a little...feeling better now :D She's still my pudgy lovie, but I'm not worried that she is overweight anymore. :oops:

She looks like a plump little thing, though not obese, and very cute. But that's what you want, enjoy her readily eating while you can!:D Her colours are gorgeous.

She looks great. I wouldn't call her obese, not at all. I didn't realize she was that young, lol. Other pics you've posted she looked bigger. Pictures can be deceiving, haha. I think most people stick with 5 day feedings until about 500 grams. And I don't think a slightly larger meal once will hurt her at all.

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She looks great! Nice and healthy. Pretty little girl for sure.

Your ball looks thick, and even a little pudgy, but for her size/age that is relatively normal. She is going to slim down as she gains length, and your current feeding schedule isn't going to stop that from happening. Personally I do not feed my balls or boas any more than once every 7 days, and even keep a sloppy schedule so that every third week is more like 10 days. I do not like to "power feed" my boids, I find they maintain a better appetite and healthy weight without trying to blow them up as fast as possible.

My hogs on the other hand eat smaller meals every 3 to 4 days (I swear they would eat every day if I gave them the chance!)

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Originally Posted by TJ_Burton

Your ball looks thick, and even a little pudgy, but for her size/age that is relatively normal. She is going to slim down as she gains length, and your current feeding schedule isn't going to stop that from happening. Personally I do not feed my balls or boas any more than once every 7 days, and even keep a sloppy schedule so that every third week is more like 10 days. I do not like to "power feed" my boids, I find they maintain a better appetite and healthy weight without trying to blow them up as fast as possible.

My hogs on the other hand eat smaller meals every 3 to 4 days (I swear they would eat every day if I gave them the chance!)

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Thanks everyone!

Tj, is a 5 day schedule power feeding? I thought the 5 day was good up until she was around 500g then the 7-10 day. I ask because I know I've read that power feeding can damage / hurt the snakes in the long run, I don't want to do that to my babies.

I just want to do right by them.

Again, thanks all for the kind words :) she is my baby!

power feeding is NOT feeding more than once a week :rolleye2:

We try to offer all of our younger snakes twice a week, and none are obese or over weight, just bigger than people's snakes who only get fed once a week ;)

OP: your snake looks in excellent shape weight wise.

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Originally Posted by RoseyReps

Thanks everyone!

Tj, is a 5 day schedule power feeding? I thought the 5 day was good up until she was around 500g then the 7-10 day. I ask because I know I've read that power feeding can damage / hurt the snakes in the long run, I don't want to do that to my babies.

I just want to do right by them.

Again, thanks all for the kind words :) she is my baby!

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Not at all, but it is more often than necessary.
To be fair, I feed the first 3 meals a hatchling gets 5 days apart.

Thanks TJ, I'm sure I will change things up the longer I have my babies / get more, to see what jives with them and me. I'm just happy that they are all fat n happy :)


Side note...I never realized how awesome paper towels can be. You *KNOW* when there has been a deification! No picking up hides or checking behind stuff to see. The whole dang tub fogs up :rolleyes: Handy! (all my others are on aspen, I was testing out the papertowel thing :D)

Power feeding is forcing your snake to eat rat after rat.
(i.e shoving a secondary rat right behind the first one as it's being eaten.)

I feed my snakes under 500 grams a rat of appropriate size every 4-5 days. Then they're bumped up to a 7-10 day schedule once they hit 500 grams.
My snakes regulate their feeding really well. If I tried offering food too often, they will refuse the meal.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Power feeding is forcing your snake to eat rat after rat.
(i.e shoving a secondary rat right behind the first one as it's being eaten.)

I feed my snakes under 500 grams a rat of appropriate size every 4-5 days. Then they're bumped up to a 7-10 day schedule once they hit 500 grams.
My snakes regulate their feeding really well. If I tried offering food too often, they will refuse the meal.

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Oh my gosh. How could someone do that?? Jeez louise...

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Power feeding is forcing your snake to eat rat after rat.
(i.e shoving a secondary rat right behind the first one as it's being eaten.)

I feed my snakes under 500 grams a rat of appropriate size every 4-5 days. Then they're bumped up to a 7-10 day schedule once they hit 500 grams.
My snakes regulate their feeding really well. If I tried offering food too often, they will refuse the meal.

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"Power Feeding" is a term to describe the practice of feeding a snake (or other animal) more than necessary in order to try and accelerate the animal’s growth in order to reach a particular size as fast as possible. This practice is both unhealthy and inhumane, and can lead to various health issues.

How a person achieves this can vary quite a bit; you described a single method of power feeding. There is also the simple method of feeding oversized food items - this can also lead to regurge, but many times does not. Some snakes are fed as often as they are willing to eat which can also become an unintentional "power feeding" scenario.

I follow the "slow and steady wins the race" line of thought when it comes to feeding my animals.

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Originally Posted by RoseyReps

So, I noticed after last feeding...my girl resembles a sausage now. :( ... I know the "obese" term is usually when you can see the skin between their scales, I can definitely see that.

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This is kind of diverging a bit ... does her muscle mass seem low? Like compared to other bps of her size? I've noticed that one of my own girls resembles a sausage. She poops about once a month so I kind of expected it. But I did notice she is especially "squishy". Is your girl also "squishy"?

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Originally Posted by Orenshi

This is kind of diverging a bit ... does her muscle mass seem low? Like compared to other bps of her size? I've noticed that one of my own girls resembles a sausage. She poops about once a month so I kind of expected it. But I did notice she is especially "squishy". Is your girl also "squishy"?

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I posted pictures of her a few posts after my initial starting post. She seems generally non-squishy, but there are parts of her underbelly that are squishy-er (if that makes sense) I figure that is just incoming poop presents. Her general feel is tight though, not squishy. The squish is towards the end, hence the assumption of presents.

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Originally Posted by RoseyReps

Side note...I never realized how awesome paper towels can be. You *KNOW* when there has been a deification! No picking up hides or checking behind stuff to see. The whole dang tub fogs up :rolleyes: Handy! (all my others are on aspen, I was testing out the papertowel thing :D)

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Lol, I call it steamy windows.:D Yup, you know right away when someone needs cleaning.

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Originally Posted by RoseyReps

I posted pictures of her a few posts after my initial starting post. She seems generally non-squishy, but there are parts of her underbelly that are squishy-er (if that makes sense) I figure that is just incoming poop presents. Her general feel is tight though, not squishy. The squish is towards the end, hence the assumption of presents.

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Squishy squish squish. Lol isn't it such a fun word? I'm also worried my bp is obese, so I had a hunch that maybe they would both feel that way. Guess not. My girl's general feel is definitely squishy.

ANYWAYS, saw those pics you posted. Very cute. Henna looks great/healthy. Really diggin' her color! I'm also on the if > 500g, feed every 5 day schedule.

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Originally Posted by Orenshi

Squishy squish squish. Lol isn't it such a fun word? I'm also worried my bp is obese, so I had a hunch that maybe they would both feel that way. Guess not. My girl's general feel is definitely squishy.

ANYWAYS, saw those pics you posted. Very cute. Henna looks great/healthy. Really diggin' her color! I'm also on the if > 500g, feed every 5 day schedule.

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Thanks :) Let's see pics of your pudgey bp too!

Also, I think you meant < 500g ;) (less than 500g, 5 day)

>500g (greater than 500g, 7-10 day)

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Originally Posted by RoseyReps

Thanks :) Let's see pics of your pudgey bp too!

Also, I think you meant < 500g ;) (less than 500g, 5 day)

>500g (greater than 500g, 7-10 day)

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LOL. Yes I meant < 500g. I edited my post and didn't even catch that! Must remember "the alligator always eats the greater number". :P


Here's an old pic from when she was 350g. I'll try to get a more updated picture soon. She is almost 500g now! Look how sausagey!
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/...ps749f0a2f.jpg

She's pretty! I think she's similar to my girl, just a little pudgey, but not obese. Maybe some others can give opinions for ya too.

Haha, that's how I remember > < too :gj: Always hungry alligator ;)

I think what you're referring to is sausage tail, she might be pooping soon. :)

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Originally Posted by TJ_Burton

"Power Feeding" is a term to describe the practice of feeding a snake (or other animal) more than necessary in order to try and accelerate the animal’s growth in order to reach a particular size as fast as possible. This practice is both unhealthy and inhumane, and can lead to various health issues.

How a person achieves this can vary quite a bit; you described a single method of power feeding. There is also the simple method of feeding oversized food items - this can also lead to regurge, but many times does not. Some snakes are fed as often as they are willing to eat which can also become an unintentional "power feeding" scenario.

I follow the "slow and steady wins the race" line of thought when it comes to feeding my animals.

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Over sized meals can and usually does cause them to slow down and or stop eating for awhile, something quite the opposite of power feeding.

Heavy bodied snakes like to eat, have you seen how big some of those wild caught ones are?
In the wild they eat, possibly/probably more than most people are offering them weekly.

I was told that there is no obese ball pythons but boas are different story. I got confused on 15% limit, so I asked this question on well known reputable breeders in White Plain Show. Not just one reputable breeder. 99% of the answers were let them eat what they can and they will slow down by themselves. I should also check my Russo BEL's size, age and weight ratio.

She was eating 20% of her body weight for 2 months and sometimes 25% every 7 days. My little white BP was still asking for more even after multiple rats and mouse (25% of her body weight) but I did not give her more. My limit is 20% even if she ask for more. She poop every two weeks.