What should sampson be eating?

Hey everyone. I just had a small feeding question. I didn't really want to make a new thread, and thought about asking this question in the previous feeding thread, but I didn't want to be rude to that person, so. My question is, I measured Sampson today, and I want to say he is about 2 feet give or take.

What exactly is ok for me to feed him and what would you guys suggest? Right now he eats one adult mouse, every two weeks, as suggested by a snake/pet shop owner. She told me never feed a python rats, and I'm curious to why. I see some people feed their balls rats and some mice. But what exactly is the controversy on rats and mice during feeding? Also how often should I be feeding Sampson and how many mice depending on size can he eat on feeding day?

This is stuff I would really like to know about and would like to hear what you fine people would do.

Thanks for reading. ^^

Its easier to go by weight In grams, as opposed to length. If you have a scale to weigh him, that would definitely help.

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Not sure why the pet store owner would say no rats. Rats are generally preferred since it's easier to feed (1 rat instead of 5 or 6 mice at a time). Millions of ball pythons across the world are thriving on rats.

What to feed now is based more on weight than length. If you have a scale, get your snake's weight in grams. If you have no scale, you'll have to eyeball it. You generally want something as big around as the snake is wide at it's widest point.

I'll see if I can find a scale this weekend then. My husband works and by the time he gets out, most stores and shops will be closed. It really stinks. I get paid tomorrow, so I'll try to see if I can find a scale.

Wow two for two on that shop! Rats are preferred and weekly feedings are the norm. Yeh length doesn't really matter... weight or width of the snake.

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The only reason I can think of why someone would say no rats is if you are feeding live because they can give the snake a nastier bite. However many people here feed live rats with supervision and no problems. So that is really not an issue either. You can up his feeding to one mouse every week. Most people feed every 5-7 days.

I would see about getting him on to rats though. It's much easier to feed one appropriately sized rat every week when they adults instead of 5-6 mice. Without a weight it's hard to say what size you should be feeding him but I would say probably rat pups or weanlings.

I wish I knew how old Sampson really is. I want to say he is a year, only 2 ft long or so, that isn't a full adult is it? Aren't adults like full grown when 4 ft? Also if I did feed him a live rat, and something went wrong, what can I do to help? When I brought Sampson in to see what kind of mice he should eat, she actually said he was fat, and should eat an adult mouse every two weeks.

I really want to find out how much he weighs now, so I will get a scale, I just haven't seen any in any of the pet shops or supply shops I visit.

I have never heard that you shouldn't feed rats :/ I feed F/T and every rep place I have been to here in the UK recommends rats! My pastel came from a reputable rep shop feeding on rat weanlings, my boy is on large rat weanlings and my spider I'm getting tomorrow ( :D ) will be getting transferred to rats as soon as I can!

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Originally Posted by KayleighBrown

I wish I knew how old Sampson really is. I want to say he is a year, only 2 ft long or so, that isn't a full adult is it? Aren't adults like full grown when 4 ft? Also if I did feed him a live rat, and something went wrong, what can I do to help? When I brought Sampson in to see what kind of mice he should eat, she actually said he was fat, and should eat an adult mouse every two weeks.

I really want to find out how much he weighs now, so I will get a scale, I just haven't seen any in any of the pet shops or supply shops I visit.

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You don't have to get a scale from a pet shop. You can find them in the kitchen-crap section at Walmart, Target, whatever.

Dose the shop you went to sell rats? If not that may be why they want to sell you their mice.

The shop I bought my BP from was feeding small mice every 2 weeks as well. The owners daughter told me quietly off to the side that this is to keep them small longer. "No one wants a pet that's already grown". I see where they are coming from but to send people home with the wrong info is just bad. The same shop doesn't provide belly heat either. Only reason I bought my BP their is I knew it had just came in the day before. They didn't have a chance to mess it up. I went back a couple months later for some feeders and the couple BPs from the same clutch that where still there had hardly grown and mine was at least 50% bigger then them.

Getting a scale is important. If for some reason you can't get one right away look for rats/mice that are as big around as the fattest part of your BP.

When I got my girl the first feeding I did was rat pups. Shes been on rats since. Rats are larger than mice and will hold them longer between feedings than mice. We have a lps jere that charges pet rat prices for feeders because they don't breed their own and they don't like rats. With supervision you won't get the nasty bites. Mice are an advantage on the biting factor but then you have to think of the nutritional value also. Balls eat anything appropriate sized in the wild. Mine at approximately 2 ft was eating rat hoppers. I hated them because they moved too fast lol. Remember though if they were feeding 1 mouse every 2 weeks he's probably going to be hungry after waiting for his next meal. I fed every week at that size and still do, unless she's blued. Thats the only time she ever skipped a meal. On scales go to walmart or target which ever you have and get a scale there. Last time I looked they were around $20 or so. I need to pick a couple up myself. My girl after a forced fasting takes largish small rats at 3 1/2 yrs old. A friend has a ball that will take jumbo at the same age. That boy is fat though. Mine is on the skinny side until I get her back up to weight.

A note on the scales: Look for one that will do a tare weight. This is so you can zero the scale with a container on it then add your BP to the container and only see the BP weight. You could always weigh the container separate and do the math after but being able to do a tare weight is helpful.

With out a container good luck getting a good weight. The only thing harder then weighing a BP that doesn't want to be weighed is measuring one that doesn't want to be measured.

So I went and bought a scale and of course a new gorgeous girl I named Cleopatra. I have no pictures of her yet, but will take some after she's not so bitey.

I have a bit of a problem, I had asked what Sampson should be eating as well as other details such as apparent BS a store owner had told me. But now because I'm worried about one of my snakes, I do need good advice now that I have all of my snakes weights recorded.

Sampson is 220 grams.

Kaa is 20 grams. (This is frightening me, he's got loose skin, and I don't know if thats normal, I fear he's been under fed by his previous owner.)

Cleo is 100 grams, and I think she may be either the same age or younger then Kaa. That is why I am afraid that Kaa is only 20 grams.

so what should I feed these guys? And how many rodents should be fed to them in one go? Especially Kaa.

The snake shop owner of where I got my girl, said he fed her Rat Pinkies.

So the other two?

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Originally Posted by KayleighBrown

So I went and bought a scale and of course a new gorgeous girl I named Cleopatra. I have no pictures of her yet, but will take some after she's not so bitey.

I have a bit of a problem, I had asked what Sampson should be eating as well as other details such as apparent BS a store owner had told me. But now because I'm worried about one of my snakes, I do need good advice now that I have all of my snakes weights recorded.

Sampson is 220 grams.

Kaa is 20 grams. (This is frightening me, he's got loose skin, and I don't know if thats normal, I fear he's been under fed by his previous owner.)

Cleo is 100 grams, and I think she may be either the same age or younger then Kaa. That is why I am afraid that Kaa is only 20 grams.

so what should I feed these guys? And how many rodents should be fed to them in one go? Especially Kaa.

The snake shop owner of where I got my girl, said he fed her Rat Pinkies.

So the other two?

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Sampson needs at least a rat pup every 5-7 days, it will not be long before he is on small rats...at 2ft he might be able to start now.

Cleo should be able to take a pup as well every 5-7 days

Kaa, start with rat pinkies every five days for now, move to fuzzies when you get around the 55-75g mark...after that he will probably be ready for pups.

10-15% of body weights been working well for me feeder size. 20 grams sounds really small, like pinky/fuzzy size.Definitely quarantine in case of internal parasites etc.

Thank you so much for the information, my heart honestly goes out to you. I'll do just that and i'll be sure to keep checking their wight often.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KayleighBrown

I wish I knew how old Sampson really is. I want to say he is a year, only 2 ft long or so, that isn't a full adult is it? Aren't adults like full grown when 4 ft? Also if I did feed him a live rat, and something went wrong, what can I do to help? When I brought Sampson in to see what kind of mice he should eat, she actually said he was fat, and should eat an adult mouse every two weeks.

I really want to find out how much he weighs now, so I will get a scale, I just haven't seen any in any of the pet shops or supply shops I visit.

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There is no set length for balls at any age. The averages are simply 3-6ft, with the average being around 4ft...sizes are determined by a cocktail of feeding, genetics, and environment. I know of a handful of specimens that maxed out around 30 inches, but I also saw more than few that were flirting with the 6ft mark.