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How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week? I've had it for close to 2 mnths and it hasn't pooed yet.
I was told 4-6 weeks , but I'm not sure if right or not.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
You're only feeding him a mouse fuzzie? My four month old is eating weanling rats (eyes and ears open).
He's probably absorbing every bit of nutrient that he can from those small mouse fuzzies and doesn't have anything left to defecate. Get him on small adult mice.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Rats will be way too big. Maybe my snake is not 4 months old I got him from Petco and the guy said he thought they were about 2 months back when they get them . My snake has grown and gained weight since I got him so in no case I'am starving him.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Still, a mouse fuzzy is too small. Hatchlings are routinely started on mouse hoppers or rat fuzzies. Yours isn't a hatchling. My 200 gram baby is eating rat weanlings. He's about 12 inches long, the same as yours.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Ok , Thanks, I'll switch him to adult mice . I've been feeding him on a special schedule meaning a day early each consecutive week to compesate for his growth. Last week he ate two fuzzies :)
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
are you kidding me? I've been feeding mine a hopper every 6 days and she's about 6 months old. There's no way I could get a rat pup in her - she wouldn't be able to move afterwards. The last time I gave her an adult mouse by mistake, she didn't move for a week and then some.
I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about. I just don't see how your 12in, 4mo-old baby could be eating rat pups when mine can hardly handle an adult mouse...
Am I really *that* off the mark on my feeding?
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindibun
are you kidding me? I've been feeding mine a hopper every 6 days and she's about 6 months old. There's no way I could get a rat pup in her - she wouldn't be able to move afterwards. The last time I gave her an adult mouse by mistake, she didn't move for a week and then some.
I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about. I just don't see how your 12in, 4mo-old baby could be eating rat pups when mine can hardly handle an adult mouse...
Am I really *that* off the mark on my feeding?
I start my hatchlings on Hopper Mice...
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
That is exactly what I was wondering I think the fuzzies are more suitable for now. Still I'm gonna try an adult mouse next time and if it's to much of a problem for the snake to swallow I'm gonna continue with the fuzzies 1 every 5 days. My snake is about 17' right now.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I almost bought what you were saying until i looked at the size of the adult mice. They are way too big for my snake .Seems that it would struggle a lot before it swallows it and my snake is 17" long
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindibun
are you kidding me? I've been feeding mine a hopper every 6 days and she's about 6 months old. There's no way I could get a rat pup in her - she wouldn't be able to move afterwards. The last time I gave her an adult mouse by mistake, she didn't move for a week and then some.
I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about. I just don't see how your 12in, 4mo-old baby could be eating rat pups when mine can hardly handle an adult mouse...
Am I really *that* off the mark on my feeding?
My youngest BP is 6 months old and has no problem taking adult mice or rat pups.
The bottom line is to feed a prey slightly smaller than the girth size (widest part of your BP’s body) once a week.
Also remember that prey size often varies, depending on the place you get your feeder from.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drugaria
That is exactly what I was wondering I think the fuzzies are more suitable for now. Still I'm gonna try an adult mouse next time and if it's to much of a problem for the snake to swallow I'm gonna continue with the fuzzies 1 every 5 days. My snake is about 17' right now.
Most hatchling are started on hoppers and quickly move to adult mice, fuzzies are not appropriated for a BP.
There is no set schedule when it comes to a BP defecating, however you need to feed your BP more, next feeding try a medium mouse, see how it goes and see if an adult mouse would work.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I have two females from this year. One I hatched on May 20th and the other hatched on July 10th. I started my babies on large rat pinks or mouse hoppers, whichever they preferred.
Both of my girls are close to 200 grams now. They just moved from rat fuzzys to rat pups and/or small adult mice (depends on what I have that day). They get these down with no trouble and are quite happy. Even though my spider was a slow starter (she hatched in july and didn't eat until september) once she got started she had no trouble moving from hoppers to rat pups in about a month.
Ball pythons can take bigger prey than most people think. Since you've been feeding fuzzy mice, I'd go up to hoppers for the next feeding, then move up from there once you see that she can eat larger prey. I'd also think about feeding her every 5-6 days. Babies eat a LOT and grow quickly!
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I have some 4.5 month old babies who are on medium adult mice and they do just fine. They defecate and shed regularly, and are around 260-300g. They got started on medium sized hoppers, then moved up to small adult mice after 2-3 feeds.
Your snake is not getting enough nutrition, which will lead to stunted growth. It is not a healthy situation..
These people are very experienced and KNOW what they are talking about, trust what they say.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindibun
are you kidding me? I've been feeding mine a hopper every 6 days and she's about 6 months old. There's no way I could get a rat pup in her - she wouldn't be able to move afterwards. The last time I gave her an adult mouse by mistake, she didn't move for a week and then some.
I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about. I just don't see how your 12in, 4mo-old baby could be eating rat pups when mine can hardly handle an adult mouse...
Am I really *that* off the mark on my feeding?
No, I'm not kidding you. We're talking 2-3 week old rats. 20-30 grams at the MOST.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by drugaria
I almost bought what you were saying until i looked at the size of the adult mice. They are way too big for my snake .Seems that it would struggle a lot before it swallows it and my snake is 17" long
I wasn't selling anything for you to buy. A mouse fuzzy is smaller than what most people start a new hatchling on. And a rat pup is 2-3 weeks old and only 20-30 grams.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
This guy takes a 2-3 week old live rat pup with no problems. Gone in under 5 minutes. It's the equivalent of a small/medium mouse.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...e/Murphy13.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...e/Murphy32.jpg
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Remember! These animals can stretch more than you would believe. I sugges trying it out, if your BP is sedentary for a few days, excellent! You know you have fed her enough. ;)
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Yes I will try it. My BP is smaller than yours girthwise :)
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by drugaria
Yes I will try it. My BP is smaller than yours girthwise :)
That means she needs to eat bigger meals. :)
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
When I got mine they were about 4-5 months old, and I fed them hoppers for about a month before moving to adult mice. My bigger girl has now been on rat pups for a couple of months and is really putting on good size. The smaller one went on a hunger strike for a month or so, but is now eating very well again, still on adult mice. I'm going to feed her two mice per session, every 5-6 days until my bag of mice is gone, then get her on rat pups also. My bigger girl is going on rat weanlings as soon as I run out of pups. Get enough size on your snake to start taking rat pups, and you will be pretty suprised how much they grow on rats vs adult mice.
Forgot to add that mine poop once every 8-12 days or so.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by drugaria
Yes I will try it. My BP is smaller than yours girthwise :)
that is most likely because of it's too small diet... he should quickly catch back up after several good adult mouse meals.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I think it's a common misconception for new ball python owners to think their snakes can't eat larger prey...because let's face it...they're little pinheads compared to the rest of their body! :P How could that tiny little head possibly consume such a gigantic rodent?
They can...and do. Quite happily. My new little guy, Sax...maybe 100g...nailed a small adult mouse without any hesitation and downed it quite easily. When he was completely done, I wasn't even sure he'd eaten....there wasn't some huge lump in his body or anything.
And if they disappear for a week after eating...well....that's VERY typical (and desired) ball python behavior. If they're out cruising all the time, they're either stressed or hungry. ;)
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
OK we'll do, Thank You all for the advice
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I was surprised to hear that a 4 month old BP was eating fuzzies. A hopper would be no problem at all, and a "small" adult mouse would probably be even better. That guy is hungry!!!
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I stopped and got a rat fuzzy today at the store. When I dropped it in the tank she was striking all over the place. Almost got me like 3 times. I think she recognizes that it's prey, but doesn't know *what kind* exactly., She's very confused. I'll leave her alone with it for a little while.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindibun
are you kidding me? I've been feeding mine a hopper every 6 days and she's about 6 months old. There's no way I could get a rat pup in her - she wouldn't be able to move afterwards. The last time I gave her an adult mouse by mistake, she didn't move for a week and then some.
I'm not saying you don't know what you're talking about. I just don't see how your 12in, 4mo-old baby could be eating rat pups when mine can hardly handle an adult mouse...
Am I really *that* off the mark on my feeding?
Wow... first, she said she was feeding weenlings, NOT rat pups.
Second, how did you feed your snake the wrong size mouse "by mistake"?
Third, do some searches, almost every experienced person here will tell you that fuzzy mice are too small for even a hatchling BP. You'd have to feed a few each week just to get a decent weight gain.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I know how you feel. :) I was feeding my girl small hoppers when I first got her at around 2 months old thinking she wouldn't be able to take larger prey. Then I watched one at the store only 2 months older nail and take down a medium adult mouse with no problem. Needless to say I started the switch to larger mice.
She's 6 months old now and eating large adult/small jumbo mice one a week and slowly catching up to where she should be weight wise. The key is to judge by the widest part of the snake, not the head or neck. :)
Good luck getting yours up to speed.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I might be way off here...but i usualyl have 300-500 baby bps every year and i start them off on Small adult mice out of the egg...and by 3-4 months depending on the particualr animal they are usually on multiple mice or rat crawlers at that age...and at around the 200-250 gram mark i move them up to rat weanlings...almost 10 years of that and i never knew i was doing it wrong LOL
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Gib? As in Chris? As in the prettiest pastel? The one that I'm lusting over on Fauna?
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
LOL one and same!
Also the same person that dont seem to know how to feed a snake right too ;)
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
yeah ive had my albino ball python since november 10th. shes only pooped 2 times!:O. is this normal?
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
ooh you got that snake on my Bday!!
dam..how come i didnt get one too...:mad:
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcampos
how did you feed your snake the wrong size mouse "by mistake"?
The store where I buy my feeders gives them to the customers in brown paper bags. If they're out of the size a customer asked for, they give the next best thing - but because they're in paper bags I didn't realize I'd gotten an adult mouse rather than a hopper until I got home. Hence the "mistake". I fed it anyway, because I figured she could handle it. But then she didn't move for ages which was completely out of the ordinary for her. That's why I considered mice too large.
Anyway, after much agression on her part, and me leaving for a lan cafe for about an hour, she finally ate the rat fuzzy. She didn't even bother to go back in her hide, and she's just laying there with this huge bulge in her middle. It looks too large for me, but I'll try again next week to make sure this wasn't a fluke. If she wants another one then I'll keep giving them to her. Otherwise, I'm going back to mice.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
i would suggest trying something this size next time you feed!
http://www.ghettoherpers.com/gallery...pics/bunny.jpg
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Gib that's absolutely ridiculous and horrid. :O That picture almost made me cry. I can't do snakes and rabbits; I just can't. I'm reminded of my little bunny I had as a child. :tears: That's exactly why I got snakes that will never need to eat prey so large.
I can feed mice and rats. But rabbits are another story.:(
...I'm sad now. It's all your fault.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gib
Damn, now thats a big meal. And being that we are on a snake forum, I do not find this offensive at all.
LOL
Ben
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
a rabbit for a BP????? people feed rabbits to RTBs that are like 10 times the size of a BP... Its a pretty sure guess that everyone will agree with me... DONT TAKE GIBS ADVICE!
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshJP7
a rabbit for a BP????? people feed rabbits to RTBs that are like 10 times the size of a BP... Its a pretty sure guess that everyone will agree with me... DONT TAKE GIBS ADVICE!
I saw the pic this morning and was wondering if I was the only one seeing it and had an issue with it as there weren't any comments, haha!
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Naw your def right... a ball shouldnt be fed anything more than a medium rat... and even that is larger than most people choose to feed but itsnt toooooo unreasonable... a rabbit is probably the same as like 3 jumbo XXL rats.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
That looks like a young rabbit. And although it's not really a good idea to feed rabbits, people use rabbits as feed often for larger snakes. VPI has even suggested that a small (NOT ADULT) rabbit can be used as food. I don't see what the big deal is. :/
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I have several Ball Pythons that eat Large and Jumbo Rats...
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gib
i would suggest trying something this size next time you feed!
I would hope you are not SERIOUSLY suggesting to feed a rabbit to a BP
I don’t have any issue with feeder rabbits (for large snake) however for a BP this is way over-killed.
Because a BP can eat a large prey does not mean he needs to. Adults BP don’t require a large prey to thrive.
The largest I feed are small rats 65 grams once a week and it is enough food even for an adult, more than they would ever get in the wild.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by coldbloodaddict
I have several Ball Pythons that eat Large and Jumbo Rats...
I'm curious as to the weight on those large and jumbo rats. And what is the size of the BP eating them and how often.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Wow Alot of regurge what ya heard from somewhere else on here....
I still cant understand how and why folks think BPs cannot eat large meals???
Ive been keeping a Large collection for going on 9 years,,and a very large BP collection of over 150 animals and breeding them for 5 years and have never had an issue with feedin large meals to them in any shape form or fashion...so heck im sure all the folks chiming in that im doing it wrong MUST be right....
The snake pictured is my very first BP shes almsot 9 years old and ive rasied her since the day she came out of the egg...that snake will Eat ANYTHING she sees...her normal meals consist of 1-2 large rats from Rodentpro and she eats them every 7 days like clockwork and after that particualr meal,,,she sat on her basking spot for 3 days like she does after every other meal nd had her normal meal on the7th day like she does every week....only thing different after that meal came about a month later...her poo had more hair than usual in it!
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Well whatever works for you
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Rabbits are nothing but rodents. The right size prey for the snake should be the only criteria here I would think.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsirkle
Rabbits are nothing but rodents.
No they aren't...... they are lagomorphs.
John
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
exactly...jsut another rodent....nothing wrong with a snake the size of a blood python taking a cpl of large rats....but if you feed it a rabbit the exact same size everyone freaks out..
What amazes me is that folks with no real experience are the ones that are telling me im doing it wrong...
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
I must be way off then. When I got my baby I started him off on pinkies. Now he is 5 months old and I'm feeding him hoppers.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Well, I decided to put some credence into your position Gib, and I have read around a few different sites. I also have some books by well known authors and herptoculturists. Unfortunately, none of them back up that feeding 1-2 large rats every 7 days is recommended. VPI, NERD, Vosjoli, and others all say that BP's can eat 2-3 mice as adults. I have seen your picture of the female, and from the laying of the scales, you can very clearly see her skin inbetween them. This is usually a good indicator that she is too fat.
If you were to feed 1-2 large rats every few weeks, I could better agree with your position. I hope that most people will err on the side of caution, and avoid overfeeding our captive animals. Primarily based on the very experienced words of Dave and Tracy Barker. I would rather follow their guidance than yours, since theirs also reflects common sense.
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Re: How often should a 4mnth Bp defecate if fed 1 fuzzie mouse a week?
Trumetal I go thru at teh very low end on any year 300 baby bps...and NONE of htem ever see a pinky EVER...hopper mice for real small babies (40-50 gram range small) and everything else gets started on small adult mice as soon as they shed and never see anything smaller ever...and these babies thrive and become feeding machines as adults!LOL there a QUITE a few members on here that many many many babies from me
Indiangirl it no fat on that animal only reason you see any skin thru the scales is because she in the process on constricting or throwing another loop over...she is a strong feeder and a very large animal tho.she cose to 5ft long and over 3000 grams..so 1-2 large rats is basically maintenance feeding for her..Would you only feed a 5ft boa one small or medium rat a week???
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