Got told today...

Got told today from the store I get my rats from that I'm power feeding my BP and she will die in less than 5 years if I keep it up. I just feed her the way I do cause I don't have much money. I try to feed her once a week on medium rats but if that's wrong then IDK I only went in today cause she hasn't been eating so I was gonna see if she will take a large mouse. I figure she isn't eating cause it's winter and I live in the mtn. but it's worth a try.
Also he said there was no way my BP is only a year old and barely 3 feet and still only be slightly over 1000grams. but I thought it was a genetic thing.

He said he knew best because he has over 20 Ball pythons.

Opinions are like ...well lets just leave it at everybody has one!

In my opinion, a MEDIUM rat might be on the largish size for a ball only 1000g but it really depends on what their "mediums" are....
Offering her food once a week is fine and not what I consider power feeding. I still have my first ball and she is over 10yrs old and she gets a rat offered every week. Totally up to her on if she eats it or not.

I have OVER 20 balls so my way has to be right!! (Just kidding :;))

Thanks,Yea the place I go medium rats are between 80-100 grams.
The people on a facebook group I'm on I told this to and are now harassing me cause they say I am over feeding since she is so long and big, But my reason of trust goes more to this site then facebook.

To me, 1000g is not unusual for about a year, although snakes all grow (and eat) at different paces. Also, feeding once a week IMO is not power feeding, especially if the rat is only roughly 10% of the snakes body weight.

1000g in a year is a bit much for the average ball, but can happen in a healthy manner.

Once a week and if the snake eats it, you are fine.

BTW: I saw your Facebook post. I agree... Here is better ;)

You did? lol thanks. She is literally eating a 27g mouse right now which takes her off a month of fasting.

Yep. I'm in the group as well. I'm Heather :)

Feeder size varries so much from store to store. I picked up a WEANED rat (not a small) that was 91g! I didn't weigh it until I got home. I bought three "weaned" rats that weighed in at 91g, 78g, and 47g. Talk about consistency.

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Originally Posted by LadyOhh

Yep. I'm in the group as well. I'm Heather :)

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What group are yall in? I love to join BP groups on FB. PM me if you can't post it (not sure if it's allowed)

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Originally Posted by BHReptiles

What group are yall in? I love to join BP groups on FB. PM me if you can't post it (not sure if it's allowed)

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It's more of Reptiles in general if that matters to you,but the group is called Reptile Talk.

Oh Hello then! :D

My wife saw your Facebook post as well :) she is another Heather :)

In no way is feeding your 1000g BP 10% it's body weight a week considered power feeding. The rule of thumb is usually 15% by weight is normal food size. I don't use weights, I am just use to eyeballing it ;)

I have seen snakes grow fast, I have seen snakes grow slow. All eating the same exact way...

Post a pic of your snake and I'd be happy to look at her body condition to help determine if she is in fact gaining too much weight too fast. Then you can go smaller feeders if necessary.

She probably stopped eating because a lot of girls hit the "wall" at 1000g and just decide its time to not eat for a little bit :) glad she ate for ya ;)

The rodent sizes vary a lot it is why I like to use weights. 10% is a normal meal and once a week is fine for a sub adult. Heck I feed adults once a week too just not always 10%. 100gm at a year seems fine to me my last snake that is just over a year is 900gm so not very far apart. It seems like everything you have said is normal what the heck are they saying? The FB page I belong to has some of the stupidest notions I have even heard of on it.

I would not seat it at all. As long as your are feeding appropriately, it doesn't matter how big she is. I have seen many yearlings hit 1,000 grams easily. And at the rate my holdbacks are growing, I wouldn't be surprised if the too got well over 1,000 around the year mark.


BTW successfully owning a large quantity of snakes can make an "expert" but sometimes it's more of what you know. There are plenty of people on here who only have a handful of snakes and are very educated when it comes to ball pythons.

I have a December 2011 spider that is over 1600grams now. And my boyfriend has a December 2012 albino that is over 1700g. They just hit a year a couple months ago and they have been offered one rat once a week since birth. Some snakes are just big I think.


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I would tell the guy that just because you've done something for a long time doesn't mean you're right. Plenty of people have done wrong things for years without too many negative consequences.

Everyone's going to do it their way. I've come to accept that, and I've come to accept that if we all do it the same way then there's a chance we're all going to end up doing something wrong collectively. Some things are standard, but some things can be negotiated. I know a guy that offers every two weeks. And I know people who offer 1000g females every 5 days too. Just depends on what you feel is right when it comes to feeding.

Power feeding, which I don't think has been covered yet, is feeding multiple prey items but as your snake begins to finish the first you place the next one in its mouth and it also swallows that. Not to be confused with someone who feeds several mice instead of rats.
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Correction albino is a 2011 not 2012


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Originally Posted by Solarsoldier001

Correction albino is a 2011 not 2012


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I was going to say, what is your secret lol

It's pretty easy to tell a healthy ball python from an obese one. Heavy and short with a small head = fat.

Good size with length and a head with the right proportional size to the body = just fine.

just a word of advice .. never EVER listen to advice or oponions given by clerks in pet stores .. you need to realise they are mostly students and similar trying to make a living .. and yet they seem to know everything about everything :O quite interesting .. if you got questions related to ball pythons this is where you ask them .. I myself started 2 years ago and it is due to ball-pythons.net and the experts willing to help out newbies like I was that I was able to take perfect care of my pythons :) - they are healthy, breeding and beautiful :) .. i read the answers to your post and as always they are spot on .. must say I love ball-pythons.net and the community here, let's keep up the good work guys! for the love of our animals and the hobby itself!
regards, Andrej