when is it time to move to small-med rats?

my snakes are about 2 and 1/2 to 3 ft long and a little larger around than a 50 cent piece

Small rats are the biggest a ball python will ever need for it's entire life.

Even the big girl in these pictures only feeds on what I call "small small" rats in the 40 - 50 gram range.

http://www.8ballpythons.com/images/l...97-04_2005.jpg

http://www.8ballpythons.com/images/lesser-breeding.jpg

-adam

Mines a little bigger than that, even....and Adam suggests keeping her on fuzzy rats until Novemberish. (If I remember his instructions right... LOL) Better to err on the side of feeding a little too small...than feed to big and set them off on a fast.

Adam,

When you feed an snake that size a small rat, do you feed her more than 1 in a "sitting"? And is that size of rat what is really needed to keep a snake eating on a regular basis? I have noticed a couple of my larger snakes will skip a meal sometimes and I was wondering if maybe I am feeding too big. My medium size ~800 gram snakes don't seem to care and would eat every day I think.

Neil

Dangit, Adam has some gorgeous, scrumpulous snakes....

We top out at small rats too, nothing is fed anything bigger than a small (though some of course will take the occasional multiple small). A lot of ours are on various sizes of wean rats.

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Even the big girl in these pictures only feeds on what I call "small small" rats in the 40 - 50 gram range.

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40-50 gram rats are generally called 'weanling' or 'weaned' rats in the places that I pick them up....Just incase anyone was wondering...the words that get thrown around concerning rodent sizes can get you mixed up sometimes....ha ha....most places that I have bought rats from just have....big'uns and small'uns....LOL


Adam....Looks like your lesser always get the big ladies ;) I have my fingers crossed that you get a clutch like last years :D

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Dangit, Adam has some gorgeous, scrumpulous snakes....

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Ain't that the truth???

wow if that snake wasnt about to breed id suggest slim fast lol!

so 10 40 gram rats per sitting? :)

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Originally Posted by aaajohnson

When you feed an snake that size a small rat, do you feed her more than 1 in a "sitting"?

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Usually just one, sometimes two ... late summer, sometimes three. I pull enough rats for everyone to get at least one ... then depending on breeding, shedding, etc, I double and (sometimes but rarely) triple up the bigger girls if there are extras. I don't really sweat it too much ... 52 times a year is a lot for a ball python to eat any size prey item when you think about it.

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Originally Posted by aaajohnson

And is that size of rat what is really needed to keep a snake eating on a regular basis?

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I believe it is. Long time ago I used to feed mediums and even larges and had some very inconsistent feeders. Since taking the advice of a couple of professional ball breeders and moving to "small small" rats, I've had tremendous success getting every snake to eat very regularly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aaajohnson

I have noticed a couple of my larger snakes will skip a meal sometimes and I was wondering if maybe I am feeding too big.

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Could be. I believe that ball pythons are binge feeders and will "fill up" on food given the opportunity and then fast until they need to eat again. By regulating their diet with smaller prey items, it keeps them more regular. I have no evidence to back the claim other than my own personal observations over the last 25 years.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aaajohnson

My medium size ~800 gram snakes don't seem to care and would eat every day I think.

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Ball pythons that size and younger are growing at an amazing rate and need lots and lots of feul ... once they hit the "teenage years" around 750 - 1100 grams there seems to be a definite change in their metabolisms which likely effects their appetite.

Again, no real evidence to back up the theory, just my personal 2 cents.

-adam

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

so 10 40 gram rats per sitting? :)

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No.

-adam

I don't feel too guilty about feeding a small-med sized rat every now and then...kinda depends on who's getting fed. I've got one girl that skips a meal like clockwork if she eats something big the week before, and another that would probably eat 3-4 smalls back to back if I'd let her. Its easy decide who gets the larger sized rats if I have them. By and large, since I've been feeding smaller stuff, I've noticed that all of them eat much more consistently.

Thanks for the info guys, I think I will change my feeding strategy. I only have a few frozen mediums left anyway, and when they are gone I will order more pups and smalls. :)


Neil

Adam, are these the mice you've been feeding that big girl? :giggle:

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Originally Posted by xdeus

Adam, are these the mice you've been feeding that big girl? :giggle:

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Rofl...and that's a *small* one! =D

sense nobody has yet, i just have to ask adam. how big is that gorgoues girl. wieght and length?

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Originally Posted by xdeus

Adam, are these the mice you've been feeding that big girl? :giggle:

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:rofl: That is a sad, but totally hilarious picture!