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Feeding BP every Four Days?
I just got a six month old BP named Flynn (not sure of his weight). So far I've been feeding him fuzzies, but I was told they are too small for him. He last took one three days ago, and I was just wondering if I could feed him again now since the mice are slightly smaller then he should be eating. Would it hurt him in any way? I was just wondering because I only have one fuzzy left, so I was figuring I could give it to him today and buy a pack of hoppers next week at the store. Thanks!
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Should be eating pups by now if he is decent sized for a 6 month old. Can you post a pic?
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Feed him given the size of the pry it will not make a difference after that start feeding a prey equal the girth size every 5 to 7 days until the animal is 500 grams, the best way is to eyeball it.
BP get started out of the egg on hopper (much bigger than fuzzies) and quickly move to adult.
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BP stands for Ball python, right? Not burmese? Because he is wayyyy too small to eat a hopper even at six months, as far as I can see... Let me try to find a picture.
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I was told his age by a pet store as well, so maybe they weren't right? Here's Flynn.
[IMG]https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...m%2F5xmww6.jpg[/IMG]
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Your snakes body isnt smaller than a adult mouse..they eat small adult mice at 3 months. Look at the thickest part of him and he can eat mice as big as that if not a tad bigger than that.
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Okay, thank you all! I was planning on switching him up to hoppers, but I guess I'll up that to adult mice? Or are rat pups a better choice?
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP
BP stands for Ball python, right? Not burmese? Because he is wayyyy too small to eat a hopper even at six months, as far as I can see... Let me try to find a picture.
They eat hopper right out of the egg so yes at six month it can eat a much bigger prey than a hopper.
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deborah
They eat hopper right out of the egg so yes at six month it can eat a much bigger prey than a hopper.
Thank you, I was not aware. Should I go for an adult mouse?
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP
Okay, thank you all! I was planning on switching him up to hoppers, but I guess I'll up that to adult mice? Or are rat pups a better choice?
Some dont take rats right away as they get use to mice and are picky... So do what you can for now to use up what you have ect... I have fed every 3 days to catch up a smaller snake that wasnt fed right and i also fed 2 mice back to back the same day when one mouse was to small.
I feed large mice. Dont have rats local and i dont feed frozen i feed fresh kill.
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Okay, sounds good. I'll finish up my fuzzies and buy a few adult mice next trip to the store. Thanks for the help everyone! I learned a lot today. :)
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In my opinion, I'd feed off the fuzzy you have left and go right to rat pinks (or pups, can't tell his size on my phone) . It is infinitely easier to get them switched from mice to rats at a younger age then waiting any longer than you have to. That is why I only feed rats and hatchlings start right on ft rat pinks. Having an adult that needs numerous mice each week is a pain in the butt and way more expensive than feeding 1 rat.
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
You could also feed two fuzzies in one sitting so you don't have to feed twice a week.
A 6 month old BP should be eating rat pups or adult mice. Hatchings eat hopper (bigger than a fuzz) mice for their first meals.
Trust me, he can handle it.
And yes BP is the common acronym for ball python. ;)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
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Thank you for the chart BBotteron! Very helpful. Looking at it, I suppose the mouse type I'm feeding is actually a hopper, not a fuzzy. (Even though it says fuzzy on the box packaging). I will check my pet store's supply and either go for the adult mouse or the fuzzy rat. Thanks everyone!
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So I'm buying a few adult mice today. Since I just fed the snake a fuzzy, should I hold off on feeding for five days, or can I go ahead and feed the adult mouse today? The fuzzy left no visible "lump" in the snake and he is looking around for food like he's still hungry. Thanks!
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP
So I'm buying a few adult mice today. Since I just fed the snake a fuzzy, should I hold off on feeding for five days, or can I go ahead and feed the adult mouse today? The fuzzy left no visible "lump" in the snake and he is looking around for food like he's still hungry. Thanks!
Ball python's are opportunistic feeders so if given food they will almost always eat. Moving around the enclosure is normal and not necessarily a sign that they are looking for food. My male is currently doing that but has gone off food due to the winter months. I would wait a few days before offering additional food because even though it didn't leave a visible bump it's still being digested.
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
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Originally Posted by andrewross8705
Ball python's are opportunistic feeders so if given food they will almost always eat. Moving around the enclosure is normal and not necessarily a sign that they are looking for food. My male is currently doing that but has gone off food due to the winter months. I would wait a few days before offering additional food because even though it didn't leave a visible bump it's still being digested.
Thank you. I'll hold off for a few days.
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You can feed babies every four days but they do fine at once a week also.
Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewross8705
Ball python's are opportunistic feeders so if given food they will almost always eat. Moving around the enclosure is normal and not necessarily a sign that they are looking for food. My male is currently doing that but has gone off food due to the winter months. I would wait a few days before offering additional food because even though it didn't leave a visible bump it's still being digested.
This is setting pretty high expectations for a ball eating wise. Very, very few of them will eat anytime something is offered even when they are on a regular schedule. If a ball is constantly moving around something is usually up. Hungry, environment off, looking for love... Sometimes they will move around a bit but it doesn't last. A ball that does nothing is usually a "happy" guy.
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan
You can feed babies every four days but they do fine at once a week also.
This is setting pretty high expectations for a ball eating wise. Very, very few of them will eat anytime something is offered even when they are on a regular schedule. If a ball is constantly moving around something is usually up. Hungry, environment off, looking for love... Sometimes they will move around a bit but it doesn't last. A ball that does nothing is usually a "happy" guy.
That's the impression I had, that he'd only eat when he was hungry. But my BP loves handling, so he might just be seeing me and coming out of his hide. When I'm not standing in front of his enclosure he is in his hide or on his plant in his "hunting position". Thank you!
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP
Thank you for the chart BBotteron! Very helpful. Looking at it, I suppose the mouse type I'm feeding is actually a hopper, not a fuzzy. (Even though it says fuzzy on the box packaging). I will check my pet store's supply and either go for the adult mouse or the fuzzy rat. Thanks everyone!
Your welcome and I thought both these charts with a bit of common sense is almost a perfect feeding chart :) I've only had my 2 bps for a month or two but I go by the chart and they both eat perfect shed perfect so far and are gaining weight!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BBotteron
Your welcome and I thought both these charts with a bit of common sense is almost a perfect feeding chart :) I've only had my 2 bps for a month or two but I go by the chart and they both eat perfect shed perfect so far and are gaining weight!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My BP hasn't shed yet and I've had him a few weeks now. Should I be worried? I've never had my other snakes go through shedding issues.
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Just wanted to chime in, my girl looks around the same size as yours and is around the same age ... she is on rat pups
she was started on mice too, and for me she transitioned to rats seamlessly ....of course every BP is different I'm sure...so far she's proving to be a very good eater so I may be lucky
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deborah
Feed him given the size of the pry it will not make a difference after that start feeding a prey equal the girth size every 5 to 7 days until the animal is 500 grams, the best way is to eyeball it.
BP get started out of the egg on hopper (much bigger than fuzzies) and quickly move to adult.
What do you feed after 500g and how often? (We switch between small and medium rats with our adult. Would a 500g be on smalls once a week until 1500g and up and then go to mediums?)
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Re: Feeding BP every Four Days?
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