No rats big enough

[Madscrills]

So I don't have a snake yet but I'm trying to do a bunch of research ahead of time that way I'm ready for it. But I was thinking the other day. What if I have a bag of feeders and my snake grows to the point where he could eat a larger rat. Is it acceptable to feed them multiple smaller rats until I get a shipment of larger feeders in or just do that instead of buying larger feeders that way you don't waste any that are left over if I don't have any smaller snakes to eat them?

[200xth]

Yes. You can feed multiple smaller feeders to a snake if you want.

[Madscrills]

Great, so it doesn't overly tax the snake by making it swallow multiple rodents? That's good to know. Thanks!

[CloudtheBoa]

Yup, I had to do that several times with my boa, he just kept outgrowing his rats every time I turned around. I prefer feeding one prey item under normal circumstances, though. It's more expensive to always feed smaller prey than one prey, and they don't stay at as good of a weight or gain weight as quickly as they would otherwise in my experience. It's also a little more work since you're throwing in multiples rather than just one. Just my .02.

[Madscrills]

That makes total sense. I've read that feeding them multiple smaller meals rather than a proper portioned meal means they are getting more "filler" than all of the nutrients they need to grow. So yeah under normal circumstances I agree that I think it would be better to feed them one proper meal opposed to multiple smaller ones. Though it's good to know the option to feed multiple smaller ones is available in a pinch without risking straining the snake too badly.

[NH93]

Definitely. Especially if they are about ready to move up a size in rat, but not quite.
The best way to tell, I think, is by weighing the food with a kitchen scale (can be bought at any box box or army surplus store for around $10; a digital one!)
I wouldn't suggest feeding more than 2 at a time though. I'm not quite sure the whole reason - someone with more experience can jump in! - but I have heard that it is best to feed no more than 2 at one feeding. It could be because there are less nutrients in 2 fuzzies compared to 1 pup of equal weight, for example... but don't quote me on that.
If you need to feed 3, then I guess it is much past due for you to have been buying larger prey for your snake

[JMinILM]

Like others have said, feeding multiple is fine in cases like that where they have outgrown their food supply. Then the next time you order get larger sizes as one right sized meal is preferred over multiple smaller meals.

[Inarikins]

The only problem you really run into with feeding multiples is sometimes snakes aren't interested in prey items that are too small. As for not feeding more than 2... As long as you're not forcing the snake to eat, they won't force themselves, they'll stop when they're done.

[MonkeyShuttle]

maybe sense a snake doesnt digest hair and claws its best to keep the amount of hair and claws passing through its system at one time. only my GUESS

[Pythonfriend]

my guess is that there is absolutely no reason to feed 3 or 4 or 5 food items in a single feeding.

you feed one, wait 5 minutes, if the snake is still interested and curious, you feed another one, wait 5 minutes, if the snake is still interested and curious, feed a third one, and so on. and you continue until the target weight of food is reached, or until the BP is no longer interested.

really, we have people here that are stuck with big females that have awesome genetics but will only eat mice, and want to breed them. what are they supposed to do, what do you think they are doing? it can require something like 7 adult mice or even more to get to the weight of a large adult rat.

but stick to the food scedule. dont go to a 3-day-scedule just because you have more smaller food items. stick to once every 5 days or more for young ones, and once every 7 days or more for adults. stick to the same food scedule, and on feeding day just give them the different food items in short intervals.