Overfeeding?

[brobertson]

Okay, I have been following the 10-15% rule with my female bee, she was a July hatch and currently weighs 827 grams. I have always kept her on a 5 day schedule, and she eats like clockwork. However, I have been feeding her small-medium rats (70-95 grams) for the last 2 months (picked out the smaller ones at first) as they still fit into the 10-15 percent rule. However, I recently read an old thread where most people fed 40-65 gram rats to adult males and females once a week. Am I overfeeding? Thinking about going back to a 1 week schedule. Here are a few pics of her, I don't think she is overweight, but you never know

[Annarose15]

I use the 10-15% "rule" until they get on small rats (50-80g), and then they stay there (weekly).

[brobertson]

[DooLittle]

Most people switch to once a week around 500 grams it seems. And once they are an adult, switch to a small/medium rat, rather than the 10-15% rule. That seems to be more for youngsters. But, on the other hand, she will let you know if she's had enough, and will stop eating.

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[BHReptiles]

I had mine on a 5 day schedule with the 10-15% rule until mine hit about 500g. Then I started feeding them small rats weekly and don't pay any attention to weight of the rat. The only thing I do with the weights of the small rats is that I give the smallest rat to my smallest snake and the largest small rat to my larger snakes, etc.

[Capray]

I think every 7 days is just fine for a growing snake.
They really don't NEED to be fed more than that, and will probably not make much of a difference, weight wise. They evolved to have meals spaced apart, and that's how they're healthy..

For an average non breeding adult every 10 days is even better.

[Mike41793]

I feed mine by a combo of two things: when they're hungry and when I have time to feed them. The schedules are only for the keepers.

[WtGreg]

I feed twice a week until they are halfway to breeding size, then switch to once a week. When feeding the twice a week, the meals are smaller, but not by much, as they are more frequent, then when they switch to once a week it's mostly smalls and mediums.

I gotta argue with Capray as it does make a difference weight-wise, especially when bringing snakes up to breed. You do not want to overfeed as it can be unhealthy and even affect the breeding you are bringing them up for (obviously you don't want to underfeed either), but all in all the schedule he is suggesting will take twice as long to get a female ball to SAFE breeding size.

[Mr Oni]

Nice Bee!