Caesar progression thread.

[Sauzo]

Alright guys, at what size you did guys start feeding your retics medium rats? Caesar is now eating 2 small rats or 2 chicks or 2 quails every week and within 1.5-2 days, his lump is gone and he is staring out the front again. Even after 2 of them, he still doesn't seem "full" as in he doesn't retreat to hide and digest. He will sit on top of the hide and stare out the door or put his body behind his warm hide and lay his head and neck on top of the warm hide and look outside. He's probably just over 4' and probably close to 1.5 inches thick.

[jmcrook]

According to my records, Phyllis started eating medium rats in late October-early November at about 9ish months old close to 5'. She had been taking big smalls/small mediums for a bit previous to that. Even after taking her biggest meal (medium and a small that Geoffrey turned down in the same feeding) she didn't have much for a lump after 2 days. I bet Caesar could tackle a medium at this point. Phyllis's last meal was a small rat and she had completely passed it through her in 4 days. Now after I had her out for a while earlier she's back to smashing her cage up hah. Tomorrow is feeding day and she's for sure getting a medium rat.


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[Sauzo]

Lol yeah, I might try Caesar on a medium next feeding. It's pretty apparent even 2 small rats really aren't doing the job anymore for him. I'll probably up his poultry size too since he seems to love them more than rats. And also January 18 will 8 months for Caesar so yeah he is close to when Phyllis took her medium rat.

[CloudtheBoa]

According to my records River started on medium rats sometime between 4.5' and 6', only a month before she hit 6' so probably safe to say 5'-6'. She was immediately bumped to larges as I saw the mediums weren't enough. Lol

She had 5-6 meals of doubled up small rats since hitting 4.5' then 2 meals of mediums before being bumped to larges at 6'. This was over the span of maybe 3 months, but I didn't record any of the length measurements in between.


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[Sauzo]

Ok cool, yeah it sounds like Caesar might be ready for medium rats and probably next size up quails and chicks. I believe I was buying her 3 week old quails and small chicks. He is growing like a freakin weed. He's passed up Dottie in size and getting close to overtaking Vicky in size. Only one larger than him is Rosey at 7 ft but shes also just over 4 years old vs Caesar at almost 8 months haha.

[CloudtheBoa]

River has hit spurts and periods of zero growth. I'm fairly sure she hit the 6' mark at 1.5-2 months after she was recorded at 4.5' but I didn't record it. After that her growth stagnated and took ~7 months to get to 7' and only went up two sizes in rat and took a few 1 lb rabbits. She's now on colossals at over 7' at 2.5 years old and once she sheds I may try to get another length measurement. It's hard to tell if she's grown any she may surprise me. Lol


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[Sauzo]

Lol yeah same. Caesar looks pretty much the same until I take him out and let him sit on me. Then its like "dang Caesar! you've gotten huge". Then he either stretches out on the bed or will curl up on me somewhere and go to sleep or sometimes he will stretch out in front me and either stare at the floor or stare at the tv lol.

I still have a perfect record of not being pissed or pooped on lol. Been almost 3 months now!!

[ShaneSilva]

Lol yeah same. Caesar looks pretty much the same until I take him out and let him sit on me. Then its like "dang Caesar! you've gotten huge". Then he either stretches out on the bed or will curl up on me somewhere and go to sleep or sometimes he will stretch out in front me and either stare at the floor or stare at the tv lol.

I still have a perfect record of not being pissed or pooped on lol. Been almost 3 months now!!

Very brave letting the retic on the bed. I've already been peed on twice this year.


Reading this makes me wonder if I've been underfeeding my guy. He's a little over 4 feet as well but only getting one small. I've been thinking about feeding him 2 but didn't want to over do it. But seeing that you've been feeding Caesar 2 smalls no problem and they're about the same size I'll give it a try today. Do you know about how heavy the smalls you feed him are? I've small rats vary a lot in size from different rat breeders

[Sauzo]

Very brave letting the retic on the bed. I've already been peed on twice this year.


Reading this makes me wonder if I've been underfeeding my guy. He's a little over 4 feet as well but only getting one small. I've been thinking about feeding him 2 but didn't want to over do it. But seeing that you've been feeding Caesar 2 smalls no problem and they're about the same size I'll give it a try today. Do you know about how heavy the smalls you feed him are? I've small rats vary a lot in size from different rat breeders

Lol yeah I know but Caesar seems really mellow verging on being lazy haha. Although if he does piss on the bed, I'm going to be in a mess literally and figuratively .

If I fed Caesar one small a week, he would tear his cage apart. He already sticks his head out with mouth open and flails his head around after finishing his first meal and smelling the 2nd one lol. I think up to one year old, they are bottomless pits. That's why I feed him on a generous schedule plus it seems to keep laid back. After a year old, i'll cut him back and see how it goes.

As for weight, no I don't got a weight. I generally don't weigh the food anymore. I did the whole 10% body weight stuff for Dottie but really to me its a waste of time. I just feed them something that leave a noticeable lump and makes them wander off which I assume means they are full and happy. As for size, a rough guess would be about 4 inches or so from nose to butt and probably around 1-1.5 inch thick at the rear hips.

Caesar has grown a ton though. I got him back on Oct 10th and he was about 2 ft. Now at last guesstimate, he is just over 4 ft. and I think he might be going into shed as it's starting to look like his neck is getting wrinkly and he's not his usual social self.

[ShaneSilva]

Thanks for the info. Definitely going to start feeding more than one small. He ate two and was still looking for more tonight.

And 2 feet in 3 months is quite a bit of growth. You must be doing something right