Eating too much???

Can my BP eat too much or will it just stop when it's full? I'm now feeding every 7 days, and yesterday it downed 3 mice in 9 minutes beginning to end and went looking for more. I think if there was another one, it would have downed it too. Is there such a thing as feeding them too much? I'm not complaining - I know I'm really fortunate to have such a good eater. I'm just wondering if I can overdo it.

- judiilana

If you did overdo it, the snake would fast for a while to 'catch up'. What size/weight/age is this snake? Maybe it's time to try switching over to rats IF you aren't against it and if he'll take them. Also, are these adult mice you are feeding it?

I've had it since Mother's day. It is reportedly 3 years old, and is just over 3 foot long. I don't yet have a weight on it, but I will tomorrow. I'm uploading a few youtube videos of last night's feeding right now and will post the link in here.

- judiilana

And yes, I think they are adult mice - you can judge for yourself as soon as I have these videos uploaded.

I have no issue feeding rats, but the pet store said they would place a special order for me if I called it in. They don't regularly carry rats, but I could call on Thursday and it would be there on Friday. The one time I called they said they weren't placing an order with that particular vendor that week, so I just stuck with the mice. Do you see any problem going back and forth between rats and mice (if a rat isn't available on a particular week?) Will it be confusing to the snake, or are they fairly adaptable?

Anyway, here are a couple videos of it catching the 1st of 3 mice in last night's feeding. It had just woken from a dead sleep and went after this mouse like there was no tomorrow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7PAPf4nFxE

And in this one, it struck at the mouse through the tupperware and spent the next 20 seconds adjusting its jaw:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUGHL5HcWvM

Hmm.. yep, that's an adult mouse. And the pet store thing answers why you give him mice. Looks like an eager feeder there.

I'll let some more experienced people say if they've had snakes that would take both rats and mice readily. I have a large female that was on rats with her breeder, but I wasn't ready to offer them so she had two feedings on two large adult mice each time then went eagerly back to rats which she is on now. I do pre-killed prey with all my snakes, though.

Well, if it's mice I would just keep offering until he refuses. Eventually he'll slow down when he's on a good routine I should think. As has been said by many, if a snake eats 'too much' they'll fast for a bit to get back on track. My ghost corn does this a lot - eating one week then skipping the next. :)

Okay - I managed to get a weight today: 783 grams (with 3 mice in the belly).

I read on here that they should be fed anywhere from 10% - 25% of their body weight every 7 - 10 days, (with 10% being on the lowest end, and 25% being on the very aggressive side). I think that I'll go right in the middle and do 18% every 7-10 days.

Based on my math, I'm going for approx. 141 grams. Researching online tells me that adult mice are 20 - 25 grams, which puts me at feeding it 5 - 7 mice every 7 - 10 days. No wonder my BP is still looking for more after 3 mice!

Does all this seem reasonable to you?

Thanks!
- judiilana

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Originally Posted by judiilana

Based on my math, I'm going for approx. 141 grams. Researching online tells me that adult mice are 20 - 25 grams, which puts me at feeding it 5 - 7 mice every 7 - 10 days. No wonder my BP is still looking for more after 3 mice!

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141 grams seems like a big meal for a 700g snake. I would personally feed it rats in the 80-100g range, perhaps 4 mice will do?

Hmm... to the OP: Try giving him a small adult rat every 7 days. It would be a LOT easier than 4 mice and probably more acceptable to him...if he'll take a rat.

Thanks for your advice guys. I'll try ordering a small rat this Thursday, and if that doesn't work again, it'll be 4 mice.
- judiilana

I have lots of snakes that will eat rats or mice. They could care less. Although I hear that some prefer one or the other.

3 years old would make it an 04 or an 05. 700 grams with a full belly sounds pretty light for that age. He was probably underfed with its previous owners. I would feed it as much as it wants once per week.

the petstore in my area is a NIGHTMARE and they barely ever have what i need. my snake will eat either rats or mice... but i find that he can kill a small rat MUCH quicker than he can kill smaller prey (we're talkin less than 45 seconds dead on the rat, and sometimes a minute and a half to 2 minz to kill mice!) i think it's because small rats are the correct size to feed him. it DEFINITELY makes life easier when you don't have to feed 4 mice at a time... one week the store didn't even have mice so i had to feed my snake 5 (FIVEEEE it was sad lol...) baby rat pups. he pounded them down but i could tell he was EXHAUSTED afterwards. (i compare it like this... 5 rat pups = like, a box of chicken nuggets... the small rat? haha... = a big mac ;) ) the week after that i finally finally got a small rat and i could tell he was much happier. he did kinda snake around thinking he was going to get more than one, but when he realized how FULL he was, he chilled his beans and went back in his hide.

thats my experience :P hope this helps!