feeding.. on demand?

Ok, both Cameron and Hazard have been eating two mice per feeding every 5 days (sometimes 7) give or take.. my question is Hazard (definetly still growing, hes very small by comparasin to cameron considering they hatched in the same month, Aug07) is poking his head out of his hide and in strike position, ready to eat.. hes watching us very closely as we walk by too. my question is, would it be *bad* to feed him more frequently? It isnt power feeding if the prey isnt too big but is it power feeding if i feed him say every 4 days? Is it bad if I feed them when they start that prowling around?

I think every 5 days is the closet time frame to feed. I feed every 7 days no matter what size.

I just make sure its the right size prey. Sometimes they'll poke they're heads out before than. Or even the next day after feeding.

But they're already fed enough as it is on a 7 day regimen. I think every 5 would be the soonest. They all grow at different rates.
Hope this helps :)

well, i know cameron has been with me for several months already eating two mice every 5 days where hazard has been with his breeder all that time having one mouse every 7 days to keep their cost of keeping him all this time as low as possible... does that make sense? We refuse to feed rats so "proper" prey size may not be right on because we feed multiple mice...

Then what I would do. Is feed 10% of they're weight. Once a week. Up until they can handle small rats. Which are 45 to 65 grams. Only because I feed rats. Or in your case about 2 or 3 adult mice.

But I'd say 2 mice every 5 days should do good to about 250 to 300 grams. Then back off to every 7 days. But still feeding about 10% of they're weight.

You ever have a fecal done on the smaller one to rule out any parasites? That could be keeping her smaller.

ive only had him for about a week... i spoke to the breeder and he flat out told me he was only feeding him one mouse every 7 days and thats why hes so small (cam was the same size as him when i got her). he has grown a good bit just since he got here. should he continue to not grow i would most certainly take him to the vet (in fact im sure the breeder would even flip the bill, hes awesome) i have not had any issues with any animal ive ever received thankfully (he literally supplied: both my balls, both my beardeds, two of my cresteds and all my feeders) ive been very lucky like that so far but i do know that an animal isnt going to grow when they are fed only whats required to basically keep them alive. (he wasnt under fed, just not fed as much as i would) I do plan to back cam off when she reaches approx 300g (shes eating two mice every 5dys as i said) but for now shes about 240 give or take a few...

Thank you for the suggestion, should he continue to stay small i would absolutly bring him to the exotic vet we have here

To give you an idea since everyone does it a bit differently I feed 1 mouse a week from hatchlings to BP up to 500 grams.

For BP 500 grams and up 2 mice a week.

For BP 1000 grams and up 3 mice a week.

They grow are healthy and eat with consistency which is all that matters to me.

Why do you refuse to feed rats?

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Originally Posted by FIREball

Why do you refuse to feed rats?

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Because mice are not as adorable as rats....kidding.

Just different preferences. :)

we have pet rats and consider them as much a part of our family as we would a dog.. seriously! (no kidding here) so to feed the very pet we pamper just seems wrong... we would honestly choose to have pet rats over having pet bp if it meant thats what they *had* to eat.. it very literally does come down to preference. the breeder has told us its going to take us FOREVER to get our female up to breeding size but oh well, would rather take a full two-three years to get her breeding size if it meant we could feed mice exclusively.. and to answer previous statement, i do not think mice are as friendly.. they stink too.

is it ok too feed 2 meals every 5 days?

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Originally Posted by AshleyB

we have pet rats and consider them as much a part of our family as we would a dog.. seriously! (no kidding here) so to feed the very pet we pamper just seems wrong... we would honestly choose to have pet rats over having pet bp if it meant thats what they *had* to eat.. it very literally does come down to preference. the breeder has told us its going to take us FOREVER to get our female up to breeding size but oh well, would rather take a full two-three years to get her breeding size if it meant we could feed mice exclusively.. and to answer previous statement, i do not think mice are as friendly.. they stink too.

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Your breeder said that? LMAO!! Ashley, I mainly feed rats but all 3 of my female mousers always breed first, eat first, lay first.. And they are just as big as my rat feeding females.. Give him as many as he will take. When he refuses the next one then you will know when he's had enough.. 3,4, 10?? He knows what he wants... Not us!!! Good Luck!

I feed two mice per meal (two mice every five days, currently)

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

When he refuses the next one then you will know when he's had enough.. 3,4, 10?? He knows what he wants... Not us!!! Good Luck!

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wow really?! If I did that Cam would hit mice all night long lmfao!!!

I would do it if i knew it was something safe to do, i know you can get your snakes up to breeding weight fast, is that how you do it?

I would love more input on this for sure, as for the small male..he takes FOREVER to eat his mice i swear, in the time cam kills and eats two mice hes just starting to eat his first mouse.. i know he will catch on but shes a freakin predator for sure

so just keep feeding till they stop eating lol.... sounds good to me

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Originally Posted by Hotshot

so just keep feeding till they stop eating lol.... sounds good to me

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With a Ball python Yes! Thats how I do it ..

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

With a Ball python Yes! Thats how I do it ..

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thank you for your suggestions and comments!!

that goes for everyone else too :gj:

im doing that too!

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Originally Posted by k1ingdomKaa

im doing that too!

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what?

I have pet rats too. Treat them just the way I do my dogs, as pets. But I know my snakes have to eat to and if that means rats, they get rats! I would rather feed rats than mice anyway. I'm switching all my corns to rats too! Just because there pets doesn't mean you can't feed them..

* all above statements are my opinion, opinions wernt kent to be liked!:D*

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Originally Posted by stangs13

I have pet rats too. Treat them just the way I do my dogs, as pets. But I know my snakes have to eat to and if that means rats, they get rats! I would rather feed rats than mice anyway. I'm switching all my corns to rats too!

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thus why we all have opinions :gj: what ever works for *you* works for you.. but my snakes will never ever see the eyes of a rat so long as we have pet rats, and as it sits right now we will for a long time to come, if the snakes can thrive as well as they can on mice instead of rats thats what were going to do.. its not hurting the snakes to eat mice and i can sleep at night knowing my snakes arent eating the animals i care about, best of both worlds

thanks for your input :gj:

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Originally Posted by AshleyB

thus why we all have opinions :gj: what ever works for *you* works for you.. but my snakes will never ever see the eyes of a rat so long as we have pet rats, and as it sits right now we will for a long time to come, if the snakes can thrive as well as they can on mice instead of rats thats what were going to do.. its not hurting the snakes to eat mice and i can sleep at night knowing my snakes arent eating the animals i care about, best of both worlds

thanks for your input :gj:

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Glad to be of service! :sweeet:

Mice grow nice big healthy balls also!!:D

:D thanks Justin

Yup all pucky, they will get just as big on mice. My lil guys i feed every four days, personally i dont like to feed multiples at one time so i just feed more often. This is advice i recieved from my breeder, this is what he does and has no problem getting to breeding weight just a fast as feeding rats.

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

With a Ball python Yes! Thats how I do it ..

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I'm glad to see some new ideas being thrown around however unorthodox they maybe :gj:

I think, just like kids, BP's should be fed more often when young, because of the rate of growth. At the same time, I have several animals that would eat on the hour every hour if I let them. Fatty butt snakes. :P

I feed my WC girl 2 (maybe 3) weaner rats a week (that is a rare occasion she would get 3), she is solid hard muscle, and poops regularly. She is always hunting, on a hair trigger during the day, prowls incessintely at night.

Would I feed my other girls the same amount? Heck no, they would get FAT!
LOL, different metabolisms, different snakes, different feeding behaviors.

It's just a very good rule of thumb to feed one rat (or a few mice) on a schedule. Some snakes need more, some need less.

thanks for the comments and suggestions everyone!

they all have been very helpful

Jas, have you had any problems with regurges or fat snakes because of this? This is how I figured I should feed, since that is how I feed myself. I might start doing it from now on.

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Originally Posted by WellyBelly

Jas, have you had any problems with regurges or fat snakes because of this? This is how I figured I should feed, since that is how I feed myself. I might start doing it from now on.

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No, I monitor there weights once a month. And if one looks to "fat" They go a week with out food.. I'm not power feeding them..

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

No, I monitor there weights once a month. And if one looks to "fat" They go a week with out food.. I'm not power feeding them..

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Despite what some people will say, John feeds his snakes "naturally". In Africa a ball will eat 10 times what we feed them as babies here. They are opportunistic feeders and will eat to grow to reduce their risk to predation and increase their odds at breeding. I only feed my adults once per week and babies get a meal every 4 days. I'd feed more if I had the time and was not buying all my feeders:)

Neil Golli

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

No, I monitor there weights once a month. And if one looks to "fat" They go a week with out food.. I'm not power feeding them..

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Great post :) I am all for feeding your snakes as it feels right. I hate to say "feed every 5, 7, 9 days" on the dot.
My feeding regimen varies so much that I can't really even post exactly what it is. Like, my '07 Pastel gets food roughly every 4-5 days; then I might go a week without feeding her like Jas says, if I think that it's getting to be too hefty for her. Now my adults are completely different; roughly, my girls eat once a week but like I said, if one is getting too fat, I lay off. This makes me want to knock on wood, but almost exclusively, my snakes do not go off feed. I never feed during shed times though because it just seems logical that the snake is already under stress and in a compromised state, and I like to leave it alone until shedding; to each their own on that.
With people just starting out, I do think that a feeding "regimen" is good. Like, feed every 7 days, etc. Why? People who are starting out have not really gotten a feel for the snake yet.. it is hard to explain.

wow its so great to hear more people feeding this way!!!

thank you

It was pretty cool for me too, to see that I am not the only one doing this. Jas's post made it click: there is more than one way to skin a cat (or feed a snake.) I really want to re-iterate. I am not bragging by any means.. but I do not have snakes that go off-feed. Granted, there are and could be many reasons why snakes do go off feed. But I am just saying what works with my brood. By feeding rather sporadically, in an unpredictable pattern, my snakes always eat when fed. A few of them actually "leap" out of their tubs when I go to drop their rat in.. Ginger being the most likely to do this. A light tap on the head with an empty water bottle, sets her back if it is not feeding that I am doing, but handling or tub maintenance.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that these arn't wild snakes so you can't feed them like wild snakes. Wild snakes arn't stuck in a box so they are less prone to obesity. They may eat three rats in one night but then go half a year without eating again. Also, snakes in the wild don't live half as long as captive BPs on average, if that. Its mostly due to predation, but I bet irregular meals contribute.

I think it is a bad idea to feed any snake until it refuses a meal. This may work for one snake, but how can someone say your snake won't gorge itself to the point of regurgitation or even death?

The majority of breeders suggest feeding every 7-10 days on a regular basis because this has been shown to promote longevity and health in the long run. If you start feeding your snake randomly there is a good chance it may start fasting.

I read a good post on why its good to feed BPs regularly, but I can't remember what it said. It was something about the motabolism and such. Try to get some info before you start experiementing with unorthodox feeding regimens.

-Austin

I personally don't feed that way, but obviously Jas is doing something right. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Austin Smith

One thing you have to keep in mind is that these arn't wild snakes so you can't feed them like wild snakes. Wild snakes arn't stuck in a box so they are less prone to obesity. They may eat three rats in one night but then go half a year without eating again. Also, snakes in the wild don't live half as long as captive BPs on average, if that. Its mostly due to predation, but I bet irregular meals contribute.

I think it is a bad idea to feed any snake until it refuses a meal. This may work for one snake, but how can someone say your snake won't gorge itself to the point of regurgitation or even death?

The majority of breeders suggest feeding every 7-10 days on a regular basis because this has been shown to promote longevity and health in the long run. If you start feeding your snake randomly there is a good chance it may start fasting.

I read a good post on why its good to feed BPs regularly, but I can't remember what it said. It was something about the motabolism and such. Try to get some info before you start experiementing with unorthodox feeding regimens.

-Austin

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Who is experimenting? Me!! How else can I learn about these animals? Other Breeders?? They know what they know HOW?? Experimenting!! Go read another book and be brain washed bro!! I'll keep on trying to figure these animals out for Myself...:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Austin Smith

Also, snakes in the wild don't live half as long as captive BPs on average, if that. Its mostly due to predation, but I bet irregular meals contribute.

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I can't say I agree with you on this bit. Snakes in the wild actually suffer from very little natural predators. They're considered a nuisance by locals and are exported by the thousands for the pet industry worldwide and food industry in China. :twocents:

You're probably right about snakes have few natural predators. However I think that may only apply for adults. Logic tells me that babys would have a whole host of predators looking to munch them up. I could be wrong though. I'll need to do some research to know for sure. The bottomline is I don't think its such a great idea to feed randomly. Do what you what you think is best though and please share the results.

-Austin

Mine get fed every Friday. My younger snakes get fed every 5 days and the young 'cruisers' get fed when they start cruising.

I don't exactly feed until the snake stops eating. It's kind of like this. I feed the snake one appropriately-sized rat. In a few days, I see how things are going; if the snake is in shed, I don't feed. This is another issue I have that I stick to: not feeding while the snake is in shed. Why? It is my preference. I just don't like bothering a snake that's in blue and waiting the start of its shed. Do I say that it is proven to be the best way to handle a snake in shed? Nope. It works for me and mine, though.. and I don't get food refusals almost to a tee in my snakes, seriously. Again, I am not bragging. I am saying that, since my snakes consistently are in great condition, eat, shed, breed and poop/urate, I am doing right in my book. Even my breeding males take food with gusto..
So said snake sheds. I offer a prey item right after the shed.. bam! Snake bags rat. If we're talking hatchlings, I'll feed every 5 days or so, but if I skip a day, or feed in 4 days (never more often than that) it is no huge issue. If there were a concrete rule as to how long it took each snake to digest and poop-out a rat, I would by all means feed in a strict regimen. Since there is no such rule, I feed in a window of..
Every 4-6 days for "babies" snakes under 500-odd grams
Every 6-7 days for "growers" 500-1000 grams
Every 7-10 days for adults 1000 grams and over.
It is just my way of doing things based on observing my snakes, not based on concrete numbers and rules.
Oh, though, I don't feed prey items until the snake stops eating. I'll feed one appropriately sized prey item in one feeding. Or two smaller ones if need be due to availability.

A little off topic, but today was feeding day and I was down to my last snake to feed when my cell phone rang. My wife had called and just started talking and wouldnt stop. I look up and my albino female could smell a rat next door (32 qt tub with RB divider) so I caught her sneaking into one of my normals sides who was already constricting her rat pup. Luckily I got her before she got too close and put her back in her side and she was more than happy to get her helping.

very interesting.... Since my BP George got over his pneumonia & is better. I gave him a prekilled fuzzy,and 5 days later(today) I gave him a live small mouse. Cause last night he would have had a prekilled fuzzy, but my cat Jake decided it was for him instead!!!:O I was curious to know how many & when to feed BP's. This is a great thread!! George seems Satisfied!!! I actually watched him,get ahold of the mouse, then eat him. I put George in a large round container, with holes in lid, & feed him. :snake: