Genie's Prey Size: HELP!

[Chumana]

Hello!

I'd like to start off by saying this is my first post on this website, but I have found other very helpful forums on here, and I'm hoping you'd be able to help me...
I have a [roughly] nine month old BP named Genie. Genie is my first, and only [for now] snake that I own, so I am a novice, but it's been smooth sailing since I've gotten him.

However, I am reaching an impasse here.

Genie is currently eating adult mice twice a week, but he's at a point that I've been considering upgrading his prey size.

This is the next available size of prey:


I know the general rule is 1.5 times his tubbiest part, but I am worried about him choking on the rat. His neck just doesn't look like it'd be able to handle that!

So, what do you guys think? should I stick with the mice and just up the number of feedings in a week? Or is he ready to try a bigger meal?

[slseals1969]

I just went through the same thing, I never thought mine would be able to get a rat down but he's had absolutely no problem. I don't thing your noodle should have any problem with the rat in the picture.

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[Sallos]

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ing-Guidelines


This is a great reference.

[donnadudette2003]

Are you wanting to switch prey size because you feel it's not eating enough?
You don't need to get bigger prey yet, just feed 3 mice instead of 2.


*looking at your picture, your snakes head does come into play. For comfort I'd suggest more food rather than bigger food

[RickyNY]

Welcome Chumana. I think Genie will have no problem eating that rat. From now on, feed that size rat once a week.

[Craiga 01453]

Hope this helps.

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[iddah]

Snakes have intestines that expand to adapt to the size of the prey item, and they also have really flexible jaws with specialized bone structure and function, your bp should be able to take a rat with no issues. Personally, I think it's better to feed a larger prey item than several smaller preys.

If your snake has issues transitioning from mice to rat, I've heard that rubbing the scent of mice onto the rat can help.

My snake has been fed f/t rat pinkys since hatching, with mice, you tend to reach a point where you run out of the appropriate size to feed to your snake; with rats, finding the correct size prey is easier.

[hollowlaughter]

Yep, that rat will be fine. I posted about it recently in another thread if you want to look for the long version but TL;DR is that your BP has a slit on its bottom jaw that allows the lower jaw to split into two parts and widen, unlike the fused lower jaw in humans.

They can put down much larger prey items than people expect.

Here's an example:




These don't leave a noticeable lump in him, running about 60g for a 610g animal.

[EL-Ziggy]

That looks like an appropriately sized prey item. I'd even argue that you could even go up a size but what you have is fine. Don't be too concerned with the snake's head or neck when determining the right prey size. It's the girth of the snake at it's widest point that we should go by. I've seen large and small snakes eat meals that some might think were too big with absolutely no problems.

[OTorresUSMC]

Read this post and just curious what did you decide?? The rat in the pic looks just the right size for the snake. Better to feed one proper size than multiple small. If for no other reason than it's just easier.