? Frequency of Feeding Based on Weight / Age ?

Is the feeding scedule adjusted by weight or age? Assuming the feeder is the correct size for the snake...

Feed every 5 days until the snake is ??? grams or ??? months old?
Feed every 7 days until the snake is ??? grams or ??? months old?
Feed every 10 days until the snake is ??? grams or ??? months old?
Feed every 14 days until the snake is ??? grams or ??? months old?
Feed every 21 days until the snake is ??? grams or ??? months old?

Is there a chart somewhere?

Thanks, JohnNJ

I wish I know as well :) Please answer anyone!

i have heard up until they are a year old feed every 5 days. then go to 7-10 days

I feed to keep my scale kids healthy. I don't use no "rule" other than making sure the meal is fitting its size. I feed large mice so the larger ones get an extra. My feeding schedule is consistent and no one misses a meal.

Exception: In my case the only exception is when breeding time comes around. I will toss an extra in for the females. This in no way should be considered as power feeding because its not. During this time, if the weight is good then one week out of the four I will toss in that extra one otherwise its the normal amount.

Interval is every 7 days

for the ones that are over 1000G they get 2 large mice a week
for the ones that are under 1000G they get 2 large mice a week with an extra one one of the weeks in the month.

I don't think I answered the question completely, but what I offer to feed and how I do it just works for me. They are all looking good with a clean bill of health. Hope it helps. :)

i feed every snake every 5 days one adult mosut till they hit 450grams.Then their moved to 7 days for rest of their life.

Everybody gets fed once per week, every seven days, regardless of age/weight. Although it wasn't part of the question, I feed a prey item that is roughly 10% of the body weight of the snake until the snake reaches around 1000 grams, then a 60 - 100 gram rat will do fine. I rarely feed rats any larger than that, and 100 grams is the exception, not the rule.

Steve

When I am switching my youngin's to F/T I will give them smaller meals, spaced out 4-5 days, just to help them get used to F/T. I feel like the extra practice helps them sync up to F/T.

Other than that, once per week.

JonV

I feed my snakes every 5 days until they are 500grams, then every 7 days from 500grams up.

:3

We feed our snakes every 5 days until they are 200 grams. After that it's every 7 days. The only exception might be an adult rescue that needs to regain it's weight quicker so it might be on every 5 regardless of it's starting weight but once it's back to normal, it's backed down to every 7. Remember overfeeding both in frequency and in prey size can sometimes trigger fasting behaviour in ball pythons. Learn to judge your snake's total prey volume needs over the month and adjust as needed with an eye to age, weight, breeding activity, gender, growth patterns and your own snake's particular metabolism.

I recall reading that adult BPs were on a 21 day cycle. 14 if breeding.

So the recommendation is that they stay on a 7 day schedule forever, right?

My little ones I have been feeding every 4 days (they are getting small prey rite now because the breeders I have went through a spell of not breeding)
I have one female just under 1000g and she gets one rat around 100g every 12-14 days because that is when she wants to eat.
With any of my snakes if the prey is not taken within 10min I will remove it and offer again 2 days later.
Any time one of the smaller snakes acts hungry after being offered one prey item (ie. I have one 300+g male that sometimes pokes the lid of his tub with his nose after eating one mouse, I give him another, he eats it and then stops poking the lid)

In a few weeks I am going to set up a better feeding scedual, since my feeder breeders have finaly decided to breed again.

When was that information printed? Just curious.:)

I think it's really up to the owner (responsible herper) to determine how much and how often. These animals are different and behave different when compared to one another. Some like live, some like F/T, some like gerbils...lol :P What I do see is that the general concensous is about every 7 days. Be advised that there is no true science to keeping balls thriving. As long as the basic husbandry needs are meet and one keeps to a good routine then a ball will thrive and the owner will be happy. If we dig too deep into everything we hear, read, dream, etc, then that will just introduce stress and take the fun out of watching the coolest snake in the world thrive.:salute:

I have been on this forum for quite some time and still learn something new everyday because the majority of the folks here are very passionate about their reptiles and willing to share their experiences with others. There is a great deal of information, a fantastic group of minds with sound advice and a comradry on BP.net that is tough to argue about.

Every 7 days for ever is just fine :). Now go get that rodent and chuck it at will..:rolleye2: