growth spurts or puberty

[gaplastina]

Do ball pythons go thru growth spurts or puberty when they might start eating alot more than they used to?

I have a male ball - 14 months old, 607g. He has been a steady, solid eater - eating f/t every 7-10 days since I got him. A couple months ago, I bumped him to 2 weanling rats before ordering more as he really should be having a small. He appears ravenous to me. He'll put down the 2 weanling like candy, and then the next day, he's poking his head out of his hide like he wants more... He last ate on 1/5, and tonight he is actively hunting and went to strike at me when I put my finger to the glass... he has never done that.

Nothing has changed in his husbandry. I'm just wondering if balls have growth spurts that might be making him hungrier than usual?

Thanks in advance... I'm not a breeder or expert... just a single snake owner living the dream....

[Sir Hognose]

Feeding him a larger prey item might help. I think you could move up to a small rat...I THINK
Just as big as his girth should be the size of the prey item...I THINK
And your setup might be causing stress if you don't have enough things to hide under or in.
I'm no bp expert, I have a lizard.

[gaplastina]

He can certainly take a small rat... I was just trying to use up my stock of weanling before I ordered more. My thinking was that 2 weanling would fill him up as must as one small rat would. Perhaps he'll get more satisfaction from one small. I do believe my hides are fine... appropriate size on cool and hot size. Nothing in the setup has changed... and the setup has kept him happy for months it just seems to be the past month that he seems so very hungry.

[Sir Hognose]

Is it going up to a shed or brumation or some other breeding event like that possibly?

[gaplastina]

He just got over a shed... I supposed it could be a brumation type of event. Would that make him want to eat more? And if so, should I let him eat more or should I keep him on a 7-day schedule? I am comfortable that the 2 weanlings I am giving him are an appropriate amount for his size - I feel bad that he appears to be hunting all the time and am not sure if I should increase feedings to see if it is passing or hold him to the 7-day schedule.