Some questions about a rescue

[Kenidi]

I was at petsmart A few weeks ago and lady was there with a ball python she was trying to get the store to take in as if it was a rescue or animal shelter. The store wouldn’t take it and I got to talking to her and decided to take it home. She told me her boyfriend had purchased it as a baby from the local reptile show in October if 2017, so I am guessing it is a year and half old. This guy is tiny. I’m not sure how many times he has eaten but I’m guessing not many. Since I have had him, he has eaten a large f/t mouse every 5-6 days without issue, so I’m not sure if these people just weren’t feeing him or what. Last week he weighed 127g.

My my question is really about his long term health. He seems fine right now, other than being underweight, but I am not sure if this will cause him to be stunted. Anyone have any experience with this amount of underfeeding? Under 130g at 1.5 years is crazy to me.

[bcr229]

Not a BP but I have a retic that, for a variety of reasons (undersized baby from a boob egg, uneducated teen bought her from sketchy breeder, not eating due to stress, prolapses, etc.) was only 69 grams at six months old when she finally came to me. I ended up assist feeding her for almost a year, and while she grew it was nowhere near as quickly as if she'd been eating on her own.

At just four years old she is still undersized - only 10 feet - but healthy, eating well, and continuing to grow. Per the vet's advice I have not pushed food on her to catch her up to her peers.

[Bogertophis]

I was at petsmart A few weeks ago and lady was there with a ball python she was trying to get the store to take in as if it was a rescue or animal shelter. The store wouldn’t take it and I got to talking to her and decided to take it home. She told me her boyfriend had purchased it as a baby from the local reptile show in October if 2017, so I am guessing it is a year and half old. This guy is tiny. I’m not sure how many times he has eaten but I’m guessing not many. Since I have had him, he has eaten a large f/t mouse every 5-6 days without issue, so I’m not sure if these people just weren’t feeding him or what. Last week he weighed 127g.

My my question is really about his long term health. He seems fine right now, other than being underweight, but I am not sure if this will cause him to be stunted. Anyone have any experience with this amount of underfeeding? Under 130g at 1.5 years is crazy to me.

Sounds like they didn't know what they were doing (with his temps. & enclosure) since he's eating so well for you. Poor little beep, so glad he's in your hands now-
I'd just be patient...he's still young at only a year & a half, so I'd imagine that eventually he'll catch up, but it may take quite a while. As already noted, don't push him.

This is not unlike what snakes routinely survive in the wild anyway...