quick question about feeding.

[bplover21]

Hello to all,

Ivee been keeping and breeding ball pythons for 4 years now. I usually am not one to be concerned about feeding as I keep my collection on a routine 7 day feeding schedule. 5days for hatchlings, 10 to 14 days for adults just to keep up a healthy weight.

So here goes my question, I have bad judgement on choosing the right size prey for my snakes. Its a rarity that I get the perfect "lump" in their bellies. Now, I've been researching this feeding ten to fifteen percent of the snakes body weight. Is this a way for a decent growth rate (snake dependant of course)? Will it help me in my lack of "eyeing" snakes girth in perportion to prey size? Can you feed more frequently upon using this method? Or is this methods intended use to be every 5-7, 10-14 and so forth?

Any help from those experienced or knowlageable in this way of feeding, will be greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance!! My animals well-being means the world to me, and I want to seem them thrive. Thanks again

Damen

[steveboos]

well the 10-15 Percent rule is quite accurate and will give them healthy growth. Usually the size of prey if fine as long as it's not way too small or way too large, as long as they get it down easy, no worries.

It's not always easy getting perfectly sized prey for your snakes, so i usually just try and get 2 smaller prey or 1 perfectly sized one. Also your feeding schedule is perfect, just keep it up.

If it makes you feel any better i haven't been able to feed my larger snakes the right sized pretty due to a medium rat shortage. So i just feed 2 smalls.

[bplover21]

well the 10-15 Percent rule is quite accurate and will give them healthy growth. Usually the size of prey if fine as long as it's not way too small or way too large, as long as they get it down easy, no worries.

It's not always easy getting perfectly sized prey for your snakes, so i usually just try and get 2 smaller prey or 1 perfectly sized one. Also your feeding schedule is perfect, just keep it up.

If it makes you feel any better i haven't been able to feed my larger snakes the right sized pretty due to a medium rat shortage. So i just feed 2 smalls.

Hey, thanks for the fast reply.

Anywhoo, I'm basically wanting to know because as much of stupidity as it sounds. I've never raised the hatchlings up. I got all my breeders as adults from good friends of mines. I just recently held back a 1.1 bumblebees for future projects as well as a very nice 1.0 enchi. Since I've never raised a snake from a hatchling, I want to get the best, healthiest, but yet quickest growth (againdepends on the snake I know) with out putting them endanger of obesity or power feeding. I didn't know if those using this method is how they got there snakes up to the 1000g mark after a year. Or if its just a consistant feeding schedule. Like most posts I've read it depends on the snake itself, yes. That's understandable as its the same therory in humans. However like I said I just want to see a sence of happiness from those hatchlings and see them thrive so in 2-4 years they'll make me even more joy from their future off-spring. Thanks again.

[steveboos]

Well i'll just tell you from personal expierience, as long as your hatchling is a good eater, you really wont have to worry about the food size, since msot of the time if you can't get a rat pup, you can always get an adult mouse. Or if you need a Rat pinkie, just go for a smaller adult mouse, about the same size.

I just sold a male Het Piebald that was 200 grams december of 2009 and was 1000 plus grams when i sold him a month ago in October, he just shot up in size and was my best eater.
I fed him every 4-7 days depending on avaialbility of rats, so he took them very easily.

You can feed every 4 days if you want, but not a real big difference between 4 and 5 days, so just more money and food over time.

[bplover21]

Well i'll just tell you from personal expierience, as long as your hatchling is a good eater, you really wont have to worry about the food size, since msot of the time if you can't get a rat pup, you can always get an adult mouse. Or if you need a Rat pinkie, just go for a smaller adult mouse, about the same size.

I just sold a male Het Piebald that was 200 grams december of 2009 and was 1000 plus grams when i sold him a month ago in October, he just shot up in size and was my best eater.
I fed him every 4-7 days depending on avaialbility of rats, so he took them very easily.

You can feed every 4 days if you want, but not a real big difference between 4 and 5 days, so just more money and food over time.

Thanks again stevesboo.

I appreciate your help. I think I'm going to try feeding them 15 percent of their body weight and see what kind of lump/growth I get out of that. And then I guess this will help me further their quality of life since ill be monitoring weight and looking at them a little more. Hey thanks for helping me become a better snake keeper. Lol. Anyhow thanks again

P.s. I have everyone on FT so one large order from rodent pro and I'm good for a while on snake food. Lol. Anyhow one more question. If u fed a perfectly sized rat to ur snake that's a smidge bigger than the snakes girth for that "perfect lump", how does it compare tp feeding the prey item that's 10-15% of the body weight? Where I'm getting at is I'm hoping that by using this method I can start to just eye it better in comparison to rat size to snake size. Thanks

[seeya205]

You can go either way. The girth of snake or 10-15% its up to you! It is just a guideline to follow. It is more inportant to feed young snakes by this rule because they need the energy to grow. Adults just need to maintain their weight. If your snakes are growing and gaining weight than you are doing a good job. I feed babies every 5 days then after 4-6 months I feed every 7 days. My adults I feed every 7 days if they take it or not but I at least offer it! When its breeding time, adult females will eat heavier to get the energy needed to produce follicles.

[Quacking-Terror]

I've been reading a lot lately about the proper size of prey, and I'm wondering something. My male BP is probably close to a foot long and probably about as big around as my thumb. He's eating mouse hoppers right now. Are those too small, should I move up to something else? Thanks .

[ace_singapore]

I've been reading a lot lately about the proper size of prey, and I'm wondering something. My male BP is probably close to a foot long and probably about as big around as my thumb. He's eating mouse hoppers right now. Are those too small, should I move up to something else? Thanks .

Yes a mouse hopper is too small for him, you should use a juvenile mouse for now, and move up to an adult mouse two months later.

[ChrisBailey]

Hmm. My BP is about 25 inches and 4 inches or so at his biggest. The pet store owner told me to give him one tiny little hopper a week. He acts like he is starving! =)

[Quacking-Terror]

Thanks for the input. I'll feed him more often until I get paid, then I'll move him up.