Huge weight gain?!?

I got Phobe right b4 Christmas, her weight just after Christmas was 660gr in this pic:
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ebe2_thumb.jpg

I weighed her again on 01/14 and it said she weighed 760gr

I weighed her again today 01/20 she weighs 966gr
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...6gr2_thumb.jpg

Phoebe is on a 5-7 day schedule of sm rats around 54-56gr. I let her excercise in tub twice a week for 10-15 minutes.

Is This weight gain abnormal?

Has she pooped in between weigh ins? I have a couple that wait FOREVER between craps and they'll gain 1-200 grams in between. Sometimes they only poop a little bit and still have a lot of rat in their belly so that could be the case. That's a HUGE weight gain for a BP in that small a period of time. Just watch and try to mark when she poops so you can weigh her afterwards.


Edit: you may also want to check your scale and how you're using it.

she had poo/urates on 1/6

So if she defecated in the 6th she has probably been fed at least twice maybe three times since then. So I would say wait until she defecates again and then weigh her. You should see a difference then. :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by llovelace

she had poo/urates on 1/6

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Well, if you fed her in between weigh ins that could help explain the weight gain. She may have had herself a nice long drink before you weighed her also. I'd wait til after the next poop to try and weigh again and see what you see.

What type of scale are you using?

I double & triple......no quadruple checked scale

I'm using a food scale non digital, but am buying a digital (like the post office uses)

ok will weigh again after next poo

At Bed bath and beyond or linens and things they have a digital scale that works really well and it's only around 25 dollars. It's a food scale but it works fine for me. I'd try and weight right after she poos so you get more of a "true weight" at least that's what I do. Hope this helps.

Does the scale at bbb have a bowl with it, and what's the max weight of the scale?

I purchased a digital 'My Weigh' scale from RBI: http://www.reptilebasics.com/Digital...p-1-c-258.html. I got the 7001DX and it comes with a bowl and weighs up to 7000 grams. It is great :)

There are so many scales to choose from out there, I believe I'm going to get this one, it weighs up to 150# it costs only like $50.00 w/free shipping. That way I can have it to use for more than just weighing the snakes.
here is a pic of it

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...50ib_thumb.jpg

When did she eat?

She ate 4 days ago

thats what that weight is


from 1/6 to now. she has not pooped. 14 days. she eats every "5-7", lets say seven just for arguments sake.

Thats two feeds with no poop.

54-56g per rat....108-112 worth of "rat" in the belly

Yeah Patrick I took that into consideration, I'm just gonna weigh her when she poos again, was also thinking about changing her to a 7-10 day feeding schedule, I plan on breeding her next season and I'm sure she'll be at ideal weight by then, also she just started on the rats on 01/02

Quote:

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Originally Posted by llovelace

I got Phobe right b4 Christmas, her weight just after Christmas was 660gr in this pic:

I weighed her again on 01/14 and it said she weighed 760gr

I weighed her again today 01/20 she weighs 966gr

Phoebe is on a 5-7 day schedule of sm rats around 54-56gr. I let her excercise in tub twice a week for 10-15 minutes.

Is This weight gain abnormal?

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Ok lets not fall into the thinking that weight is something magical. Its simple. She gained 206 grams between 1/14 and 1/20 because you fed her between 0 and 206 grams worth of rat and she drank the rest in water. If you are claiming you fed her 1 mouse that's 54-56 grams then either she drank 150 grams of water or more likely you made a mistake on one or both of the weigh ins. If you keep records of weight on days, urinations, defications and feedings you will be able to account for all of the weight changes minus a little wieght gain from drinking and weight loss from staying alive.

You just can't get meaningful information out of changes in weight over 6 days.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Egapal

Ok lets not fall into the thinking that weight is something magical. Its simple. She gained 206 grams between 1/14 and 1/20 because you fed her between 0 and 206 grams worth of rat and she drank the rest in water. If you are claiming you fed her 1 mouse that's 54-56 grams then either she drank 150 grams of water or more likely you made a mistake on one or both of the weigh ins. If you keep records of weight on days, urinations, defications and feedings you will be able to account for all of the weight changes minus a little wieght gain from drinking and weight loss from staying alive.

You just can't get meaningful information out of changes in weight over 6 days.

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I keep very accurate records on my snakes, and I can assure you that I know how to use a scale.

Unless it was a magical rat I assure you it weighed 54-56gr

I am going with Patrick on this, and will weigh her when she poos

Quote:

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Originally Posted by llovelace

I keep very accurate records on my snakes, and I can assure you that I know how to use a scale.

Unless it was a magical rat I assure you it weighed 54-56gr

I am going with Patrick on this, and will weigh her when she poos

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What do you mean you are going with Patrick. Patrick did not take into account the fact that you put the snakes weight at 760 grams on 1/14. Patrick also accounts for 112 grams of weight not the 206 that your weights show. 94 grams of water seems like a bit much. I never said you didn't know how to use a scale. I suggested you may have made a mistake. They happen even to the most experienced.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Egapal

What do you mean you are going with Patrick. Patrick did not take into account the fact that you put the snakes weight at 760 grams on 1/14. Patrick also accounts for 112 grams of weight not the 206 that your weights show. 94 grams of water seems like a bit much. I never said you didn't know how to use a scale. I suggested you may have made a mistake. They happen even to the most experienced.

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Simmer down, simmer down.

Snakes do GROW....its a odd concept, I know. Youll grasp it soon enough. 112 vs 206.......80 gram growth.....not THAT unreasonable

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starmom

I purchased a digital 'My Weigh' scale from RBI: http://www.reptilebasics.com/Digital...p-1-c-258.html. I got the 7001DX and it comes with a bowl and weighs up to 7000 grams. It is great :)

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I have the same scale and I use it for my rats. It is extreamly accurate and it has not varied on me yet. I give it 10 *'s

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

Simmer down, simmer down.

Snakes do GROW....its a odd concept, I know. Youll grasp it soon enough. 112 vs 206.......80 gram growth.....not THAT unreasonable

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Gotta luv some Patrick...

I know that mistakes happen, but being a nurse and having dealt with human lives for over 20 years, I tend to be spot on as to my findings, and I know mistakes can happen,but I tend to be overconcientious when it comes to these things, hell I'm still trying to get on the ball schedule of poos, they can hold it longer than any human! I believe that when Phoebe does poo it will be a relevant size, since she has had 3 rats with no poo, I will update this thread when she does with her current weight after poo.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

Simmer down, simmer down.

Snakes do GROW....its a odd concept, I know. Youll grasp it soon enough. 112 vs 206.......80 gram growth.....not THAT unreasonable

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Well I wasn't upset at all but I am getting confused. Animals do not spontaneously produce weight. They convert food and drink into body mass. 80 grams of growth is not unreasonable, whats unreasonable is to think that an animal will gain mass without mass being added. So help me out with this people.

1.) If the snake was 660 grams on 12/26/2008 and 966 on 1/20/2009 then the snake gained 306 grams in 25 days correct?

2.) That same snake was fed 56grams of rat every 5 days. Assuming the snake was fed on 12/27/08, 01/01/09, 01/06/09, 01/11/09 and 01/16/09 then the snake was fed 5 times 56 grams for a total of 280 grams.

3.) The snakes current weight has to be the result of 26 grams plus the total eight of feces and urates from 01/06/09 in water, correct?

To be honest those numbers seam a bit off but possible. But I do have a question.

4.) How does a snake that weighed 760 grams on 01/14/09 gain 206 grams to end up at 966 on 01/20/09 if it only ate a single 56 gram rat?

Please do not say it grew. That's not how growth works.

I reckon when she poops for you you're gonna have to get a shovel to clean out her cage.....:rofl:

And then get U-Haul in to ship it away....

Ok I will say she's retaining then, I had to replace her hide with a bigger one because she barely made it thru the opening and when I'd go to lift hide she'd lift right with it lol.

She can't just be retaining. She isn't going to gain 206g in a week from 55g of food. She may be growing (why she isn't fitting in the hide), but I also think something is up with the scale. Weight does not appear out of nothing.

Is there someone else in the house that may be feeding her when you aren't around? If you are living with someone, maybe he or she feels bad for the snake since it only gets to eat once a week, and he or she is giving it a little extra.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Egapal

Well I wasn't upset at all but I am getting confused. Animals do not spontaneously produce weight. They convert food and drink into body mass. 80 grams of growth is not unreasonable, whats unreasonable is to think that an animal will gain mass without mass being added. So help me out with this people.

1.) If the snake was 660 grams on 12/26/2008 and 966 on 1/20/2009 then the snake gained 306 grams in 25 days correct?

2.) That same snake was fed 56grams of rat every 5 days. Assuming the snake was fed on 12/27/08, 01/01/09, 01/06/09, 01/11/09 and 01/16/09 then the snake was fed 5 times 56 grams for a total of 280 grams.

3.) The snakes current weight has to be the result of 26 grams plus the total eight of feces and urates from 01/06/09 in water, correct?

To be honest those numbers seam a bit off but possible. But I do have a question.

4.) How does a snake that weighed 760 grams on 01/14/09 gain 206 grams to end up at 966 on 01/20/09 if it only ate a single 56 gram rat?

Please do not say it grew. That's not how growth works.

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going off on quite a tangent arent you?

Im done pissing in the wind. Yay...your went further than me!! :rolleyes:


To the OP, I really dont see anything unusual about this weight gain. I hope that I have offered some sort of comfort to you....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

going off on quite a tangent arent you?

Im done pissing in the wind. Yay...your went further than me!! :rolleyes:


To the OP, I really dont see anything unusual about this weight gain. I hope that I have offered some sort of comfort to you....

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This is not a tangent at all. I am discussing the Huge weight gain that the op asked us to discuss in this thread. If you want to bow out of the discussion thats fine but please do not belittle my questions.

Well.... I know that with my ball pythons, some of them have grown really quickly while others seem to take their sweet time while others seem to grow in spurts-- almost overnight!!!

I do think it is an error to believe that their growth can be broken down into a mathematical equation... I just have to look at some of mine and know that it just doesn't work that way; it's just not that....mathematically logical!! :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starmom

Well.... I know that with my ball pythons, some of them have grown really quickly while others seem to take their sweet time while others seem to grow in spurts-- almost overnight!!!

I do think it is an error to believe that their growth can be broken down into a mathematical equation... I just have to look at some of mine and know that it just doesn't work that way; it's just not that....mathematically logical!! :P

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Oh I would definitely agree that the growth of a snake is a very personal thing but the mass of an animal is not a mystery either. Its not even that complicated. You have food in and feces out. You have water in and urates out. Of course these numbers are not going to work out gram for gram. But they leave little room to wonder where mass came from or went.

Starmom, are you saying that its not that mathematically logical based on detailed records you have taken where the math doesn't work or based on your gut?

Actually, I'm one of those goofs who keep detailed records written out in steno pads!! Yeah, I'm embarrassed... :oops:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starmom

Actually, I'm one of those goofs who keep detailed records written out in steno pads!! Yeah, I'm embarrassed... :oops:

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Well now that that snake is out of the bag, tell us more. Much like llovelace my girl is trying to set a record for days without defecating. Whats the longest your BP's have gone? What about your BCI's? Every have weigh ins that just don't make any sense. I recently had my girl go from 266 to 277 a week later after eating a 20 gram mouse. I checked her enclosure over well and no urates or feces. I had soaked her twice in that week and the second time I put her away quick when company came over. The only thing I can think of is that I missed urates in the water when I disposed of it.

urates and urine this morning weight 875gr

Well Phoebe finally pooed along with urates and urine & a good shed (made me late for the superbowl) So when I came home I decided to weigh her. I even bought a new digital scale tonight so there would be no mistakes.

Well it's confirmed she may need Jenny Craig.


https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...978g_thumb.jpg

I have also come to the conclusion that all her weight gain probably has to do with the fact that she is on rats now,weekly instead of 1 small mouse approximately every 2 weeks (that her previous owner was feeding her)

And just when you think you had it figured out....Walked by her tank and humidity read high so I I checked under hide to check for a present and found urates w/urine & poo.

after tank clean-up I decided to weigh scale read 902g hmmmm her poo can't weigh that much (I'm thinking to myself).

Weighed urates & poo (stinky stinky) 20g, which means she released almost a 1/3 of a cup (56g) of urine. wow seems like a lot.

I can call Jenny Craig now & tell them that I'll be the only one signing up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by llovelace

I have also come to the conclusion that all her weight gain probably has to do with the fact that she is on rats now,weekly instead of 1 small mouse approximately every 2 weeks (that her previous owner was feeding her)

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Yeah I have also come to the conclusion that my snakes weight gain is a result of eating. I am trying to understand what you are trying to say with the above quote but I just don't get it. Weight gain is simple. (Food and water in)grams - (feces and urine/urates out)grams = (weight gain.)grams. Although it would be cool my snake does not have any nuclear reactions going on. No way to create or destroy mass. Snakes obey the laws of thermal dynamics just like the rest of us.