Hungry again?

[Borgpython]

Just a quick question here. Never had this happen. But basically I just fed my bp yesterday, shes's 192g and feeding on F/T rat pups, and today I look in her tank and she's acting hungry again!, usually after feeding I dont see her for two days but right now she acts like how she does in feeding time so I'm wondering if I should feed her a second time?

[gaplastina]

Following... I'm having the same issue with my guy lately. Can't seem to get enough to eat.

[Sauzo]

My little 230g girl is the same. I feed her normally every 4 days but she is always hungry. I just fed her yesterday a 28g rat and today she is poking her head out of her hide all day and tracking me whenever I walk past the cage. If I wiggle my finger in front she curls up and slowly comes forward rdy to strike it

[Tigerhawk]

You may have to increase the size of your ball pythons meals.

[thewolfden]

I agree try increasing the size of the meals.

[Sauzo]

Well in my case, I feed her every 4 days a meal between 10-15% her weight and after she eats it, it leaves a noticeable bulge in her so you can easily tell she ate. After that she is fine and goes into her warm hide and is quiet and not seen for a day but a day or 2 later and she is poking her head out and "watching". Like I said, her last meal yesterday was 28g and she weighs 230g empty and after pooping. I'm afraid if I go larger, it might be a bad idea.

[Eric Alan]

Some stay in feed mode for quite some time, so that could be it. Remember, they're naturally opportunistic feeders, so if one meal comes around, a second following the first is a good possibility.

I don't see much reason to feed an appropriately sized meal more often than every 3-4 days in captivity (when they're young - weekly when older), despite what their puppy dog eyes might be telling me.

[gaplastina]

Are there other reasons that might cause an increase in appetite such as puberty or the weather outside? I know balls can go on feeding strikes, so I wonder if there are factors that cause an increase as well?

[Sauzo]

No idea. I got her back on nov 28 and was told she was a problem feeder and hadn't eaten for 2 weeks. She was a bit skinny and weighed 102g. I weighed her 2 days ago after she pooped and before I fed her and she was up to 230g. She has shed twice in that amount of time also and has gained mass physically as well as scale wise so I know she is doing good. The only difference is she went from the typical pet shop atmosphere to home in a 36x18x12 cage with her little hide set at 92f and ambient set to 85f with a cool side of 82f. So obviously she seems to have liked the change as she went from a problem feeder to a bottomless pit. And I don't think its puberty since she is only about 4 months old. I guess she just likes to eat

As for older, about what weight is a good weight to switch to weekly? When she is up to eating small rats? I know for my Red Tail boa I switched her to 1 week feedings at about 1 year old and then 2 week feedings as about 2 years old but she is kind of chubby so I probably overdid her when she was a baby but not sure what the break point is for a baby ball to adult ball is.

[Eric Alan]

As for older, about what weight is a good weight to switch to weekly? When she is up to eating small rats?

Yep! This tends to land around 500 grams or so.