After Feeding behavior

Okay, first of all DD is in shed, or seems to be, I was told snakes probably won't eat while in shed. DD just ate two small rats again. Now he seems to be looking around for more. I thought he would be stuffed and just lay there. Is this normal behavior?

It seems to be in the air. I think it's due to the snake's innate sense that winter is coming. Both of mine have been in super feeding mode, but I don't suscribe to the notion that you need to feed a snake as much as it can eat. I don't do it with my dogs or with myself. I don't feel it's ever healthy to eat as much as you can, no matter what type of animal you happen to have. Two small rats is more than enough. I wouldn't offer any more, but again that would be my personal preference. Just remember if you continue to feed large meals you will most likely experience fasting.

So should I back him down to one small rat? Should I try a med size rat? Should I go with longer than 1 week between feeds?

I would give him a small rat once a week, but that would be my preference depending on his size. How big is your boy?

When I started out I fed as big as the widest point on the snake and Lily would often skip a week here or there. I upped her to small rats, but I think I may have done that prematurely as she has skipped her last meal, so I am going back to weaned rats. My rescue Dandylion is still a big pig, but I think she's trying to play catch up. She's finally filled out a bit and looks good. She's only up to 2 jumbo adult mice and she seems fine with that.

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

I would give him a small rat once a week, but that would be my preference depending on his size. How big is your boy?

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DareDevil is about 44 inches per the measuring software available here. I posted a pic of him yesterday in the gallery.

I would think a small rat should do him fine.

i looked at the the pic of DD, and he looks to be a pretty good sized snake. i personally would offer a second rat at each feeding if he seems to want it. now, i am more used to feeding females with the goal of bulking them up for breeding, but unless i learn something that proves it is not a good idea (adam?) when my males get to be that size i will offer them more than one small rat per feeding.

It is in the air cuz I tell ya, Hissy has been cruisin every single nite since two nites after her last feed. She has been on the freakin prowl for some grub. She is one of those that usually just sits in her hide for days on end & only comes out to grab a quick drink or switch hides to a different temp. Lately though it seems like I can't get enough food down her throat. Trust me though, this is a welcomed change since she did not eat last year from September all the way through like March of this year.

Ours are all doing that "feed me feed me I want more" thing to! We're going to up Kyna's food this week as she also still playing catch up. Rionach is just a pig and is likely fine where she is on one fat wean rat per week (she's only 7 months old and just a hair under a pound in weight and about 30 inches long).

As far as DD, I know some of our snakes really take some time to settle down again after they eat. I guess their hunting instinct is just still on high gear afterwards for some time.

I'm no expert but maybe if he is taking 2 small rats, not refusing to eat (fasting), has a good consistent feeding response and is growing in both length and appropriate girth...I'd think you are doing something right there LOL.


~~Jo~~

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Originally Posted by mlededee

i looked at the the pic of DD, and he looks to be a pretty good sized snake. i personally would offer a second rat at each feeding if he seems to want it. now, i am more used to feeding females with the goal of bulking them up for breeding, but unless i learn something that proves it is not a good idea (adam?) when my males get to be that size i will offer them more than one small rat per feeding.

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I've never fed a male ball python of any size more than 1 small rat in a week unless it was a male that I was not planning on breeding. I don't even feed many of my male breeders every 7 days. Sometimes they get fed every 2 or even 3 weeks. Heavy males make lazy horrible breeders.

"Bulking" is a touchy subject for females. You really don't want them to be "bulky" because fat girls will throw slugs or nothing at all. Breeder females should be "tight" for optimal breeding results.

-adam

I'm glad I read this thread. My guy has been cruising too. I usually don't see him for a couple of days after a feed so I was surprised to see him out and active when I check his temps in the middle of the night. The weather is getting cooler here so I guess it really is something in the air. :)

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

I've never fed a male ball python of any size more than 1 small rat in a week unless it was a male that I was not planning on breeding. I don't even feed many of my male breeders every 7 days. Sometimes they get fed every 2 or even 3 weeks. Heavy males make lazy horrible breeders.

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do you feed your breeder males that way when they are still young and growing or only when are closer to their adult size? for instance, you have a 600 gram male that you are going to try to breed this winter. do you feed him every week or just every couple of weeks?

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

"Bulking" is a touchy subject for females. You really don't want them to be "bulky" because fat girls will throw slugs or nothing at all. Breeder females should be "tight" for optimal breeding results.

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maybe bulking isn't the right word. basically i want them to be physically prepared to breed and lay eggs. its not fat that i'm going for but i do offer them more to eat than i offer my other snakes. if one of the big girls is cruising after one rat i offer her another. if one of the smaller girls is cruising after one rat i point at her fat belly and send her to bed. :)

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Originally Posted by mlededee

for instance, you have a 600 gram male that you are going to try to breed this winter. do you feed him every week or just every couple of weeks?

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I have a 600 gram male that I plan on breeding this season that's getting either large fuzzy rats each week or weaners every other week. He'd probably wolf down 2 smalls a week if I let him, but from experience, I know that that would be a disaster.

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Originally Posted by mlededee

if one of the big girls is cruising after one rat i offer her another. if one of the smaller girls is cruising after one rat i point at her fat belly and send her to bed. :)

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For me, I've already shut off most of my big girls ... I have some 3500 - 4500 gram girls that would still be eating 3 smalls a week if I let them, but they look good, so they are done for a while. Even the 2500 gram girls are on way less food now unless they look "thin". The small girls that are at 1400 grams are getting as much as they will eat.

-adam

lol my BP's have been wanting more food to. cruisin every night, lookin for more food when there done eating and everything. it must be in the air!

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

I have a 600 gram male that I plan on breeding this season that's getting either large fuzzy rats each week or weaners every other week. He'd probably wolf down 2 smalls a week if I let him, but from experience, I know that that would be a disaster.

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hm, ok i may need to back off my male a little. he is about 850g and currently eats 1 small rat every week. ooh, he is not gonna like that! he's always looking for something else to eat.

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

For me, I've already shut off most of my big girls ... I have some 3500 - 4500 gram girls that would still be eating 3 smalls a week if I let them, but they look good, so they are done for a while. Even the 2500 gram girls are on way less food now unless they look "thin". The small girls that are at 1400 grams are getting as much as they will eat.

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one of my girls has slowed down a little on her own in the last few weeks--she's somewhere around 2100+ grams. she looks good and has that firm tone to her so i think she's pretty much done. my other big girl is about the same weight but she is just now finally starting to really firm up, and she is still aggressively taking multiples every week. i think i'll keep giving her multiples for the next month or so until i'm happy with her body tone. does that sound like a good plan?


(sorry this thread kinda veered off into a let's talk about mlededee's feeding schedule for breeding this winter. :rolleyes: )

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Originally Posted by mlededee

hm, ok i may need to back off my male a little. he is about 850g and currently eats 1 small rat every week. ooh, he is not gonna like that! he's always looking for something else to eat.

one of my girls has slowed down a little on her own in the last few weeks--she's somewhere around 2100+ grams. she looks good and has that firm tone to her so i think she's pretty much done. my other big girl is about the same weight but she is just now finally starting to really firm up, and she is still aggressively taking multiples every week. i think i'll keep giving her multiples for the next month or so until i'm happy with her body tone. does that sound like a good plan?


(sorry this thread kinda veered off into a let's talk about mlededee's feeding schedule for breeding this winter. :rolleyes: )

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Your male is fine ... cut him off and let him start thinking about the girls he's gonna be with. Male ball pythons don't multi task well.

Your girls sound fine. As long as their bellies feel tight and not hollow and you can't pinch any skin along their sides they should be good to go.

I start cycling temps in like 4 weeks or so ... feeding is gonna be cut way way back for everyone VERY SOON!!! Time to get to gettin!

-adam

Okay what is the best way to wiegh him? Also, when I first brought him home his under belly was a little concave, and the guy who sexed him told me I needed to put wieght on him. So how much should a 44 inch 2004 BP wiegh?

i use this scale: http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/in...PROD&ProdID=12. any similar type of digital scale will work as well. sometimes you can find good deals on ebay.

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Originally Posted by unimom

Okay what is the best way to wiegh him? Also, when I first brought him home his under belly was a little concave, and the guy who sexed him told me I needed to put wight on him. So how much should a 44 inch 2004 BP wiegh?

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Since you own a single animal, it's really not necessary to worry about his weight. The weight based discussions in this thread related to breeder animals.

As long as his skin is tight and there is no visible protrusion of his spine, he's fine.

If you have any doubts, a qualified vet that specializes in reptiles is the best way to get piece of mind. As a matter of fact, annual vet visits for your ball python are an excellent idea to make sure that he is growing and maturing normally and that he stays in excellent health! :D

-adam