What to do with "rotund" bp?

[shootingstar26]

Hey Forum,

Recently I came upon a post that said if your bp was too fat, you could see the skin between the scales. Just to make sure my bp wasn't too fat, I went and checked...and lo and behold, I could see the skin between the scales...but only on the thickest part of the snake. Does that mean it's fat? If it is, what do I do?

[4theSNAKElady]

Don't think I've ever seen an overweight Ball......ever. If someone has seen, or does own one, I want to see pics.

[shootingstar26]

Oh I see. I'll add a couple pictures. Based on what you said though, I guess maybe I'm over-reacting?

[loonunit]

Oh, I was just wondering if my new acquisition was a bit... large-boned. Because I can totally see the skin between his scales. He looks to me like he's about to pop right out of his scales. But he's only a 400g 2009 baby! And he's strong as a horse, and he's always, ALWAYS hungry. Except for the day immediately after feeding, every time I walk by his quarantine tank he comes right out and hopefully bumps his nose on the screen.

He's currently getting one or two large mice a week, or one weaned rat, depending on what's left over after everyone else has eaten. I'm reluctant to put him on a diet when he's not even a year old... but I'm also disinclined to feed quite him as much as he wants.

I'll post pics when I get home so you can compare.

[shootingstar26]

Well 4theSNAKElady, I couldn't really get a good enough photo to show you what I'm talking about. Basically when my bp is really wrapped around itself; on the thickest part showing outside, I can see sliver of skin around the scales.

[snakesRkewl]

But he's only a 400g 2009 baby!

I have 400 to 1000 gram 09's, none that I'd consider "fat".

[loonunit]

Well 4theSNAKElady, I couldn't really get a good enough photo to show you what I'm talking about. Basically when my bp is really wrapped around itself; on the thickest part showing outside, I can see sliver of skin around the scales.

Well, he/she doesn't sound nearly as fat as my Melvin--basically, you can see Melvin's skin around his scales all the time, all the way around, whether he's curled up or stretched out.

(Is your bp a girl or a boy? And how old? I've heard of "obesity" actually causing heart problems in large males. But it's also the case that my most "obese" male last year decided to fast for 5 months straight, going from 880 grams down to 580 grams between October and April. If it's a young snake, I'd feed it "normally" and not worry too much, because you really don't know how they're going to eat come winter.)

[Oxylepy]

When they turn you can see skin (because of the angle). It seems all BPs will just shed when they eat enough to get "fat." Then you cant see between the scales.

[loonunit]

I have 400 to 1000 gram 09's, none that I'd consider "fat".

Yeah, I don't consider 400 or 500 grams "fat" for 2009. It's really just his appearance: he's clearly rounder than any of my other 2009s (or 2008s, or 2007s for that matter), and he really doesn't seem to fit inside his scales. But he's also exceptionally strong for his size--when I take him out, he slings his tail around my hand and SQUEEZES. And I have some nice, muscular, 1000-gram bps, but this little guy is incredible! So I wonder if I've just got a body-building snake?

[shootingstar26]

aha! Thanks for the input guys. I'm not sure what gender it is, but I've had it for about a year...and since it was about 6 months when they gave it to me (that's the standard age that they can be given away, right?) I guess it's about one and a half years old, and since I don't have a proper scale, it's approximate weight is 680g (converting 1.5 lbs to grams).