More advice needed and Kona update

[LisaG]

Hey everyone, I'm back with another feeding question. Kona has been eating small mice and doing great but the last 2 mice she still acted hungry. Last night after eating a small mouse she cruised her enclosure for most of the night. Granted, she was just moved into her bigger enclosure a couple hours before I fed her so maybe she was just checking her new place out. I don't really see a lump even after just eating. I feel her throat area is too small for a medium mouse so if I fed 2 small mice, at what intervals? One right after the other, 2 hours in between offering, etc.

Some background on Kona: unsure of sex, age and weight. Was told she is about 1 year. She eats every 5 days. Purchasing a scale today. Thank you!

[reptilemom25]

I think you need to move up to larger prey. You would be surprised how much they can stretch their mouth and throat. You really should go by the girth at the largest point rather than throat size when choosing prey. Generally they can take something as big around as their largest girth, or about 10% of body weight. A weight would be helpful in giving advice, but most 1 year olds should definitely be taking bigger than a small mouse. To give you an idea, my 11 month old is 400g and taking small rats. She really should be on larger weaned rats, but i cannot get them locally. My supplier pulls the smallest of their small rats for me. If I went by what I thought her throat could handle I would still be feeding mice.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Snake is likely way underfed. Most balls are eating at least small rats once a week at a year old. Proper prey size is the is the width of the widest part of the snake's body, not the neck. BP's disconnect their jaws to eat large food. Males normally top out at small rats and females medium rats.

[Bodie]

Stating what the other posts have said.....Sounds like you're feeding too small of prey and need to upsize. You should invest in a scale to get an idea of how much your BP weighs. Mine is less than a year old and around 270g. He is fed weened rats that weigh 30 to 32 grams which is around 12% of his weight

[JRLongton]

Small mice? For a one year old BP?

I started a one month old hatchling on rat pups, those are probably the size of two small mice. At 8 months old she's now eating weaned rats. That is probably the equivalent of four small mice.

Get on rats as soon as possible. You'll be amazed how much their mouths and necks can stretch to eat.

[rufretic]

I agree with the others, you need to move up in prey size. If the snake is still searching for food after finishing rather than curling up on the heat, that usually means they are not satisfied.

[LisaG]

Okay, I will definitely make the move up in size and over to rats. How soon can I feed again?

[reptilemom25]

Okay, I will definitely make the move up in size and over to rats. How soon can I feed again?

At least5 days between meals. Mixing partially digested food with fresh can cause a regurge.

[rufretic]

Okay, I will definitely make the move up in size and over to rats. How soon can I feed again?

I would wait at least a week if your going to try making the switch to rats, you want him nice and hungry. I would have a mouse on hand as well in case he doesn't take the rat right away, you can sent it with the mouse to make the transition easier. Don't give in and give him the mouse though. If he doesn't take the rat, just wait another week and try again. Good luck!

[LisaG]

Thanks everyone! Again, great help and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have this support system. I will update with her current weight and again at next feed.