Python weight?

Hey ive had my ball for over a month now and i just weighed him and he came in at 156g and when i purchased him they were 5-7 months old, is this weight small for his age (they did only feed him fuzzies) and i have him on large hoppers for his weight what should i feed him, o and whats the largest bp youve heard of (weight wise)

That is really small. I have a 14 week old bee that weighs more than that, and who now eats 2 small adult mice every 5-7 days.

I feed a mouse 10-15% of my BPs weight every 6-7 days. She was also underweight when I got her, but plumped up quickly. If you want to do 15% of the snakes weight every 5-7 days it should start putting on more weight. Get a good digital scale and record all feedings and weight gains so you know exactly how much weight is being gained. If it still doesn't plump up after feeding it properly, you may want to get it checked out for parasites.

im sure it doesnt have parasites its a healthy snake, they just fed it fuzzies all of the time.

How long ago was the fecal examination at the vet that came back clean with no parasites?

there was none? I do examinations on him all of the time ive never seen anything to point to anything wrong with him? He just got fed small fuzzie mice and pinkies his life when the usual prey item is bigger if you didnt read what i said uptop.

I would say it is small, however the previous owner may have had it on a maintenance diet or it may have been a trouble eater. Has it been eating regularly for you? I have some 4 month old under 100g that are not eating great and the clutch mates are easily 200g.

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

im sure it doesnt have parasites its a healthy snake, they just fed it fuzzies all of the time.

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A healthy looking snake can have parasites. the only real way to tell is if you have a fecal exam done by a vet.

He eats every time for me, either they gave me the wrong age or its just because they fed him such little things and maybe when the pet store had him he didnt eat. as long as i stay positive about the parasite matter he wont have them. Im not really worried im just gunna feed him bigger prey.

So...believing that he doesn't have parasites will prevent parasites...?

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

He eats every time for me, either they gave me the wrong age or its just because they fed him such little things and maybe when the pet store had him he didnt eat. as long as i stay positive about the parasite matter he wont have them. Im not really worried im just gunna feed him bigger prey.

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Ok, I'm sorry, but this is incorrect.
If your snake is that small, you need to check to make sure it doesn't have parasites, because your snake could die as a result. I'm a positive thinker too, but that's just ridiculous with an animals life in your hands.
Pet stores can easily and have very often presented parasites in their prey, you can not tell by looking at one.
A fecal is not that expensive, if it has parasites and is ignored, then it will get much more expensive.

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Originally Posted by simplechamp

I feed a mouse 10-15% of my BPs weight every 6-7 days. She was also underweight when I got her, but plumped up quickly. If you want to do 15% of the snakes weight every 5-7 days it should start putting on more weight. Get a good digital scale and record all feedings and weight gains so you know exactly how much weight is being gained. If it still doesn't plump up after feeding it properly, you may want to get it checked out for parasites.

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I have to agree with Simplechamp. Believing there are no parasites is not going to make it so. That being said I wouldn't say you have to go to a vet with some fresh poop ASAP. You have a solid reason why your snake could be underweight, fed fuzzies. Now you need to follow the care sheet. Up the size of the food items you are providing. Not everyone needs to keep detailed records of weights of prey and weights of the snake but you may need too. You need to either rule out parasites with a vet or get some solid proof with hard numbers that your snake is gaining weight normally. This is not something you should eyeball if there is a chance the animal could have parasites.

Hahah see thats what todays society has been ground down too. Sorry guys you cant believe that ive been meditating for along time and it works everytime :) I dont have a herp vet near me so we will just have too see.

i weighed him and recorded it and i got him larger mice about 12% of his body weight and im gunna weigh him again and if his weight hasnt increased ill try to find a herp vet nearest to me. But please dont flame on me because of what i believe, i know its a life and im not an idiot and i care for all living life but because of different beliefs of what ive been taught and the religious views its disrespectful too me if you comment on my views in any negative way, thanks.

You should have stated that it was a religious belief. I meant no disrespect, but i've seen it with a lot of people where I work. They are in denial about something because they don't want to pay for something that their pet needs.

I also don't think anyone was flaming you. Just trying to convince you to do what's best for the snake. :)

No worries i was just stating just incase it were too happen in a later post. But yea im feeding him bigger now and in a month ill give you guys notice if he hasnt gained weight, ive tried to look for a herp vet but i cant find one near me so ill have to think positive.

thanks.

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

i weighed him and recorded it and i got him larger mice about 12% of his body weight and im gunna weigh him again and if his weight hasnt increased ill try to find a herp vet nearest to me. But please dont flame on me because of what i believe, i know its a life and im not an idiot and i care for all living life but because of different beliefs of what ive been taught and the religious views its disrespectful too me if you comment on my views in any negative way, thanks.

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I wasn't flaming you, I have a similar belief. However, it's alright to work with that with yourself, but not necessarily with an animal that could be influenced by other things than just you. ;]
It's important to medically make sure that the animal is safe, because it could've come in contact with something before, and it's better to be safe than sorry.

I'm sure someone on here could help you find a herp vet near you. It's always good to have one just in case. :]

This is not such a difficult issue. You need to do two things:

Increase the size of the prey (should be on adult mice at that weight, regardless of age), and have a fecal done. Most reptile vets will allow you to just bring in the fecal for examination & the charge is minimal ($15-$20). If your BP has parasites, then it will cost a bit more for the treatment, but as keepers we are all aware that vet expenses come along with the territory.

Hopefully, this is just a matter of the prey size being too small, but it is best to absolutely sure that parasites are not involved.

Best of luck.

i'm not flaming but i think all pets should see a vet once in a while. i dont have but 4 snakes and all of mine go to the vet once a month for regular check ups and every other month fecal exams done. i love my animals =) lol not saying others dont care for all of their reptiles or anything and i know some people either cant afford to take them to vets all of the time or vets are a good ways from them. i know they are many reasons why alot of people cant but i do because i have a very decent vet and i only get chaged $48.00 a month for my check ups on all 4 and 52.50 for the 4 fecal exams every other month. long story short if you are going to keep it and its a pet you care for even if a drive is long just to ease your mind and and in the welfare of the snakes well being you should try very hard to take it to the vet just to make sure it does not have any parasites or any other problems that could keep the snake under weight or from being healthy.

Can the parasites kill him or is it just a matter of being too skinny and its not healthy for the snake?

i would think they actually could if not properly treated in time, so i would have to say yes.

O wait no its a parasite, parasites need hosts too survive so they actually wont kill it, i learned about parasitism but maybe they could but if its a parasite it shouldnt die.

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

O wait no its a parasite, parasites need hosts too survive so they actually wont kill it, i learned about parasitism but maybe they could but if its a parasite it shouldnt die.

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Tell that to the million or so dead from malaria (parasite)

If the parasite load is too high the snake dies. thats why we treat parasites!

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

Can the parasites kill him or is it just a matter of being too skinny and its not healthy for the snake?

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They can kill your snake by robbing it of all nutritients. You could be feeding it the correct sized prey (which was not the case. Hoppers are too small for a 156g snake. Unless you were feeding 2-3), but you would not see any weight gain. This would mean that the snake was not absorbing any protein, fat, vitamins, etc. that it needs to survive. In addition, you could see diarrhea (which will contribute to the loss of nutrients and to dehydration), and regurgitation.

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Originally Posted by xanaxez

i'm not flaming but i think all pets should see a vet once in a while. i dont have but 4 snakes and all of mine go to the vet once a month for regular check ups and every other month fecal exams done. i love my animals =) lol not saying others dont care for all of their reptiles or anything and i know some people either cant afford to take them to vets all of the time or vets are a good ways from them. i know they are many reasons why alot of people cant but i do because i have a very decent vet and i only get chaged $48.00 a month for my check ups on all 4 and 52.50 for the 4 fecal exams every other month. long story short if you are going to keep it and its a pet you care for even if a drive is long just to ease your mind and and in the welfare of the snakes well being you should try very hard to take it to the vet just to make sure it does not have any parasites or any other problems that could keep the snake under weight or from being healthy.

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:confused:

Exams every month? Fecals every other month?

Why?

Captivity is an unnatural environment. In the wild, snakes are less likely to come back into contact with their own feces, thus reducing the chance they will be reinfected with shed parasite eggs. In captivity, they will be in contact with shed parasites constantly, even if you keep the cage quite clean. As a result, they build up higher and higher numbers of parasites in their bodies, which is what will eventually kill them. Severe weight loss is not the only problem that can be caused--parasites can cause a cloacal prolapse, and can migrate through the animal's body to sensitive organs, and even to the brain.

Consider that, if you believe positive thinking can make real changes, you would be going up against the will of other living things. If the parasite ARE there, you cannot make them disappear--they are ALIVE. Killing them that way would not be so easy--living things have the will to stay alive. It is best to find out whether or not they are there, for the health of your snake.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Captivity is an unnatural environment. In the wild, snakes are less likely to come back into contact with their own feces, thus reducing the chance they will be reinfected with shed parasite eggs. In captivity, they will be in contact with shed parasites constantly, even if you keep the cage quite clean. As a result, they build up higher and higher numbers of parasites in their bodies, which is what will eventually kill them. Severe weight loss is not the only problem that can be caused--parasites can cause a cloacal prolapse, and can migrate through the animal's body to sensitive organs, and even to the brain.

Consider that, if you believe positive thinking can make real changes, you would be going up against the will of other living things. If the parasite ARE there, you cannot make them disappear--they are ALIVE. Killing them that way would not be so easy--living things have the will to stay alive. It is best to find out whether or not they are there, for the health of your snake.

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I agree that there is value to testing new arrivals and maybe running a fecal at the checkup every year.

But if you are practicing good husbandry skills and have treated all incoming animals for parasites, why a fecal every other month?

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

:confused:

Exams every month? Fecals every other month?

Why?

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because it isn't expensive and i want to make sure my animals are always healthy. i do not breed or sale animals, so these 4 are my babys and i will make sure they stay are treated at the slightest moment something might occur. some may think i am foolish but i just care for my snakes.

dont be rude and dont think you know everything on how the world works i respect you so respect me and my views. Small adult mice for a 156g ball python then?

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

dont be rude and dont think you know everything on how the world works i respect you so respect me and my views. Small adult mice for a 156g ball python then?

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I am not a mice guy but a 150g ball could take a fat rat pup. i would say go with adult mice.

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Originally Posted by xanaxez

because it isn't expensive and i want to make sure my animals are always healthy. i do not breed or sale animals, so these 4 are my babys and i will make sure they stay are treated at the slightest moment something might occur. some may think i am foolish but i just care for my snakes.

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Personally I believe every other month is overkill. it is unlikely your animal will get parasites in a 2 month period. i would say a good portion of keepers never get a fecal exam.

I am not trying to talk you out of it by any means. It shows you care for the animals and are providing top notch care.

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

im sure it doesnt have parasites its a healthy snake, they just fed it fuzzies all of the time.

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How can you tell :confused:, you are not a vet are you?

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

there was none? I do examinations on him all of the time ive never seen anything to point to anything wrong with him?

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You need to have a fecal done your examinations will not determine whether or not your BP has internal parasites

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

as long as i stay positive about the parasite matter he wont have them.

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Are you being serious? A RESPONSIBLE owner would take their animal to a vet if they were noticing any type of issues.

I wonder if your BP had a RI would you be positive about it as well and hope that it clears on it’s own :confused:

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

Can the parasites kill him or is it just a matter of being too skinny and its not healthy for the snake?

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Yes

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

Small adult mice for a 156g ball python then?

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I feed rat pup right now (26 grams) to 140 grams BP (140 grams at 2 months old BTW)

Bottom line it is highly advisable to get a new incoming snake check by a vet to get a clean bill of health, this is YOUR responsability.

Be PRO-ACTIVE!

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

O wait no its a parasite, parasites need hosts too survive so they actually wont kill it, i learned about parasitism but maybe they could but if its a parasite it shouldnt die.

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When two species have a symbiotic relationship, the host will not die. Not all parasites have this relationship with their hosts. :snake:

"A RESPONSIBLE owner would take their animal to a vet if they were noticing any type of issues."

Wow do you think that was a respectful and nice thing to say? Have you ever heard of different beliefs? RESPECTFUL people would know what im talking about. Thanks, read my other posts to before you disrespect me.

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Originally Posted by snakevet121

Thanks, read my other posts to before you disrespect me.

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I have read all the posts on this thread and still stand by mine!

So because i dont have a herp vet im gunna bring him to one that doesnt exist? you cant even apologize for that?

Sometimes you gotta put your beliefs aside and do what is best for the animals you care for. Everything may be ok or you thinking positive may work, but what if it doesn't. Please use your head on this one. Here is a link to a herp vet database...just try & see if you can find one nearish you.

http://www.herpvetconnection.com/

haha sorry when you have a strong belief for something i am using my head and i think more then other people with a "literal" sence. but i weighed him today and hes gained 10-15 grams from a little bit too large feeding, i knew he didnt have parasites and i just had to up his food.

Just feed the snake if it eats feed it every 3 to five days,it seems to me its under fed.

thats exactly it. the pet store started it out on pinkies and when i purchased they'd feed it a fuzzie every WEEK.

Your snake still alive? You ever take it to the Vet?

nevermind.

Wow didnt mean to bring this back up...didnt realize its from 08...my b