feeding for max. growth

HI everybody!
I am new to snakes and love my BP (normal i guess, I think he is exceptional).
I have had my snake since june 9th 2006, I got him from PetCO for $30 and they didnt say where they got him so i am guessing he is a wild caught. I couldn't ask for a better snake! he eats right away every 3-4 days and is very docile and freindly. So far he has grown from about 18.5 inches head to tail and about an inch and a half around at his thickest to 24-25 inches head to tail and about 2 1/4 inches at the thickest part. I am kinda suprised at his growth and quite plaesed that Ike eats soo well... but I was wondering, would it be a good idea to feed him three times a week to encourage growth? Or will he lose interest and stop eating all together ? Petco said once a week, But a reptile specialty store in Parma Ohio said at least two times a week...I also dont want him to have weight issues from being over fed. Any help would be awesome, sorry for the snakes life story but i thought some back ground info on him might help, Oh yeah and i keep him in a 30" l x12" w x 19" high aquarium and i am gunna build him a new bigger plexiglass tank in the next month or so deppending if he keeps growing so quick.

thanks again,
Dave

one good size meal a week is enough. i would say twice a week max! any more than that and there is no time to digest. most bp's will regulate their own weight, too much food and they will fast/shutdown on their own.



vaughn

thanks, he seems to be really happy with a meal about every 3 1/2 to 4 days so i will stick to that then. Does a larger habitat encourage faster growth (kinda like fish?)?

with ball pythons, i've found that small enclosures(tubs) with tight fitting hides works best. warm temps,cozy hides and peace and quiet. works for me!



vaughn

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Originally Posted by cleveland180BP

Does a larger habitat encourage faster growth (kinda like fish?)?

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Nope.

So i should stick with his current house until when ? he has a good deal of space left. I heard that you should wait until the snake is about as the longest diagnal of the tank. is this good advice?

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Originally Posted by cleveland180BP

So i should stick with his current house until when ? he has a good deal of space left. I heard that you should wait until the snake is about as the longest diagnal of the tank. is this good advice?

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One square foot of cage floor per foot of snake.

tight! thanks guys!


now to read up on what the hell a spider bp is....

go here
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/

probably the best spider and spider combo collection period.



vaughn

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Originally Posted by kavmon

probably the best spider and spider combo collection period.

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You haven't seen my shed... :P :spid0r:

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Originally Posted by xdeus

You haven't seen my shed... :P :spid0r:

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Lawrence, there are a lot of things of yours we don't want to see. :O

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Lawrence, there are a lot of things of yours we don't want to see. :O

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LOL. Hopefully the list of my unmentionables are a distant second to Cue's. :oops:

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Originally Posted by cleveland180BP

now to read up on what the hell a spider bp is....

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Here's one :)

http://www.blackjackpythons.com/images/bpnet/spider.jpg

Wow, nice one, Ken!

Yeah I checked that Nerd's photo gallery out. I never knew there were soooo many mute's of ball pythons! THey look sooo kool, I especially like the lemon pastel and killer bee spider. They are sooo expensive though! i guess it's fair since these people spend so much time breeding to come up with such kool looking snakes... are the behavioral habits of spiders (or other breeds) any different than a common BP?

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Originally Posted by cleveland180BP

are the behavioral habits of spiders (or other breeds) any different than a common BP?

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Just to make it clear... the Spider is still a Ball Python, it's just a color/patern variation. There are rumors (and some observed) behavioral (mainly feeding/breeding) differences in Spiders (and some other morphs), but they are the same animal.... genus wise. :)

Cool, Thanks for the info, I wasn't sure so that clears it up... now i have another basic question. I have a hide for my BP, one of those half log deals, and he is alway under that, but it seems to be a bit small, I say this because often times he lifts it up when he streches . Is it time to go up one size? I have larger hides in his cage, but he seems to really like his log...

Lol, if he's lifting it off the ground, he might need a new one. Just whatever size you get, make sure it's tight and snug, not too big.

yeah most of the time when he is sleeping he doesn't lift his hide up, but when he wakes up i can tell cuz his log starts to move around the cage as he slithers out of it:D. time for a trip to petco!

Dave, something to think about when coming up with a plan to feed a ball python. is it a male or a female? a male would be happy to get a meal every 7-10 days, on the other hand a female would accept 2 food items every 5-7 days.keep your cage size to a minimum they feel more secure and do better that way. :spid0r:

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Originally Posted by cleveland180BP

Yeah I checked that Nerd's photo gallery out. I never knew there were soooo many mute's of ball pythons! THey look sooo kool, I especially like the lemon pastel and killer bee spider. They are sooo expensive though! i guess it's fair since these people spend so much time breeding to come up with such kool looking snakes... are the behavioral habits of spiders (or other breeds) any different than a common BP?

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DejaVuE! LMAO! I think I posted the EXACT same post, almost to a T! Know what happened? I came homw with a Graz. line Pastel from our last show! Oh, the bug WILL GET CHA'!:spid0r: Just keep peepin' all the AWSOME pix. on this sight! :P Welcome aboard!

Hey I got a Question about my BP....feeding her and such....anyone got a minute?

hmmm. wel he is a male, but he has been eating without hesitation (meaning as soon as he sees the mouse he goes for a kill a pounds that bad boy down) every 4 days, should i cut him back? I got him a larger log hide, i am just gunna place it in there and let him have two logs, then when he is uncomfortable with the smaller one he can just move, and he wont feel like he needs to readjust to his cage. sound like a good plan?basically, I handle him everyday and dont want him to be shaken up by a cage change removiong his favorite hide.