2nd Successful Feeding

[Bogertophis]

Speaking of....is it out of the question to try him out on a 2nd helping? He was on live hoppers the whole time but when I brought him home (12/08) I was told I could start him on lg. adult mice. Would 2 this early be too much? I know he'll let me know if he's not hungry but he seems to have a voracious appetite and I just don't wanna make him too fat....just happy.

From that photo, he looks very well-fed. I wouldn't feed him 2 lg. adult mice at this time. Don't know what interval you're feeding at, but if he's really "starving" you
could always move up the next feed by a day. Better to grow snakes a little slower...over-feeding is as bad for them as it is for us. (see 'fatty liver disease' or 'hepatic
lipidosis')

[Shayne]

His body condition looks great. How big are your adult mice? If they're the size of a typical adult mouse, 1 is plenty with your snake weighing 220 some grams. It's very easy to overfeed snakes.

They're average size. They were just a bit larger than the largest part of the snake up until this past week. He's a lil' fatter now. I feed every 7 days. Thanks for the insight!

Also, you may want to consider trying to switch him over to rats if he's eating so readily.

That was my next question. Thanks!

What a handsome guy
My boy is still hatchling stage I guess at 3 mos old. He weighs 90 grams and went from hoppers to rats pups f/t. If I were u I would try it next feeding
Congrats!!!!

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Yea, I was kinda thinking I may need to graduate to rats here soon. He has a ridonkulous appetite. Thanks!

From that photo, he looks very well-fed. I wouldn't feed him 2 lg. adult mice at this time. Don't know what interval you're feeding at, but if he's really "starving" you
could always move up the next feed by a day. Better to grow snakes a little slower...over-feeding is as bad for them as it is for us. (see 'fatty liver disease' or 'hepatic
lipidosis')

Awesome! Think I'm gonna try bumping him up 1 day and go to feeding every 6 days. Thanks for the info!

[Sallysmom]

You honestly don’t need to feed him more often than every 7 days. Too often isn’t very good for them either as digesting is quite stressful for their bodies and they need a break between working on the meals. And with their slow metabolism it takes 2-3 days to fully digest an appropriately sized meal. The good rule of thumb is to feed him a prey that’s 10% of his body weight or slightly more, but no more than 15%. So if he’s 200-something grams his mouse should be 20-something. Also yes rats are better simply because you won’t have to ever feed multiples.

[Bogertophis]

...Awesome! Think I'm gonna try bumping him up 1 day and go to feeding every 6 days. Thanks for the info!

I should have been clearer...I wouldn't feed him ANY MORE OFTEN than every 7 days. One large mouse, or start switching to ratties, but give him
time to work up an appetite, it's better for him. That one photo is a bit far away to be sure, but he seems to be plenty "round". You are fortunate
to have the opposite problem of most BP-keepers...a snake with a great appetite.

[Shayne]

You honestly don’t need to feed him more often than every 7 days. Too often isn’t very good for them either as digesting is quite stressful for their bodies and they need a break between working on the meals. And with their slow metabolism it takes 2-3 days to fully digest an appropriately sized meal. The good rule of thumb is to feed him a prey that’s 10% of his body weight or slightly more, but no more than 15%. So if he’s 200-something grams his mouse should be 20-something. Also yes rats are better simply because you won’t have to ever feed multiples.

Okay, makes sense. I'll weigh my f/t's here in a bit. Will update when I do. Thanks!

I should have been clearer...I wouldn't feed him ANY MORE OFTEN than every 7 days. One large mouse, or start switching to ratties, but give him
time to work up an appetite, it's better for him. That one photo is a bit far away to be sure, but he seems to be plenty "round". You are fortunate
to have the opposite problem of most BP-keepers...a snake with a great appetite.

Ahh okay. Yea, you'll need to "dumb down" your typical responses for me to even begin to understand.

He's definitely "round". I'll finish out this supply (8 left in the bag) then I'll move up to ratties and see how he does. Thanks, Bogerrrrr....tophis?

[Shayne]

You are fortunate to have the opposite problem of most BP-keepers...a snake with a great appetite.

Yes, every one I've talked to about his eating habits has said (and I've read) that it's not very common to have one that's this easy.

[Jellybeans]

Its like my boy knows when its his feeding day. By the day before (6th day) he will lay with his head peering out of his hide.
He anticipates eating I think

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[Shayne]

Its like my boy knows when its his feeding day. By the day before (6th day) he will lay with his head peering out of his hide.
He anticipates eating I think

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Yessss! Mine started doing the same thing about a day before feeding. He's done it both times, which makes feeding much easier.

[Jellybeans]

Yessss! Mine started doing the same thing about a day before feeding. He's done it both times, which makes feeding much easier.

I think that's pretty cool!

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[WhompingWillow]

Its like my boy knows when its his feeding day. By the day before (6th day) he will lay with his head peering out of his hide.
He anticipates eating I think

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Just keep in mind that some snakes "beg" for food even if it's not time to eat. I have several GOOD eaters who, if I went solely by their begging, would make you think they were starving and that feeding 2-3 times per week was necessary LOL. (Even though I know that's not the case because they are offered an appropriately sized prey item weekly.)

Admittedly sometimes it makes me feel bad, but I don't give in to their puppy dog eyes because slow growth is better.