Should i switch my BP to rat pups?

[Nephil]

Hello everyone, i am back with another question. This might sound dumb, but i just want to make sure i won't do any mistakes anymore. So my BP is about 7-8 months old and weighs 208 grams, since iwas a total newbie i ordered a lot of mice of the wrong size (hopper mice) and to not let them go to waste i just fed him 2 hopper mice every feeding day. Now that they are finishing (8 left) i have to reorder food for my snake, and have been thinking to switch him to rats, and looking at the feeding chart i should give him rat pups. My question is, since from my guess there will be a major difference between rat pups and hopper mice, is it okay to switch him to a new much bigger prey so suddenly? Will it hurt him?

[Snow Balls]

If he is a strong feeder then you should have no problem switching him over. It’s easier to switch them when they’re young compared to when they get older


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hugsplox]

I agree with Snow, making the switch when they're younger is a lot easier than waiting until later. I think you'll see when you get the pups that they aren't all that big and your snake, at 7-8 months, should have no issue with them.

[Nephil]

I agree with Snow, making the switch when they're younger is a lot easier than waiting until later. I think you'll see when you get the pups that they aren't all that big and your snake, at 7-8 months, should have no issue with them.

Thanks for the answer! I have another problem i forgot to add to the post though, so i hope you don't mind me asking an additional thing, or i might just post another thread. I just checked the site i order the food from, but the rats are too small or too big compared to what i am searching for. Looking at the feeding chart rat pups weigh about 20-29 grams, but the site just offers rats that are 13-20 grams or the ones that are 30-50 grams, but they do have adult mice that which are also fed to BP's my weight. Have you got any idea what should i order? The rats that weigh more or less? I want change his diet before he becomes a picky adult, but i can go for the adult mice too if that's the best option.

[Neko_snake]

Thanks for the answer! I have another problem i forgot to add to the post though, so i hope you don't mind me asking an additional thing, or i might just post another thread. I just checked the site i order the food from, but the rats are too small or too big compared to what i am searching for. Looking at the feeding chart rat pups weigh about 20-29 grams, but the site just offers rats that are 13-20 grams or the ones that are 30-50 grams, but they do have adult mice that which are also fed to BP's my weight. Have you got any idea what should i order? The rats that weigh more or less? I want change his diet before he becomes a picky adult, but i can go for the adult mice too if that's the best option.

I think it's more personal preference here but since you still have a couple meals of hoppers left, I'd go with the bigger pups. Your snake should be able handle the 30 grams but you might have to wait a little longer for the next feeding. Like instead of 5 days feed 7 days or so. Basically wait until your snake is looking for their next meal. At least that's what my snake does. He comes out and begs like a puppy lol.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

[Nephil]

I think it's more personal preference here but since you still have a couple meals of hoppers left, I'd go with the bigger pups. Your snake should be able handle the 30 grams but you might have to wait a little longer for the next feeding. Like instead of 5 days feed 7 days or so. Basically wait until your snake is looking for their next meal. At least that's what my snake does. He comes out and begs like a puppy lol.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

Man, if i'd follow the "wait till your snake is hungry to feed" rule right now i'd have to feed him daily haha. After i give him the second hopper he calms down for a day or two, but then he starts begging by trying to get out of the tub. He still looks hungry even when he doesn't beg like that though, when he's calm he still keeps his head out of the hide waiting for his meal, so i am really curious to see what will happen if i give him a rat pup. I have no problem waiting 7 days instead of 5 and to order him the bigger rats, i just worry that the 30-50 grams ones are too big for him, but I'm not that experienced like everyone here. So it shouldn't be a problem if i give him a 30+ gram meal instead of 20+ one as reccomended in the feeding chart?

[Neko_snake]

Man, if i'd follow the "wait till your snake is hungry to feed" rule right now i'd have to feed him daily haha. After i give him the second hopper he calms down for a day or two, but then he starts begging by trying to get out of the tub. He still looks hungry even when he doesn't beg like that though, when he's calm he still keeps his head out of the hide waiting for his meal, so i am really curious to see what will happen if i give him a rat pup. I have no problem waiting 7 days instead of 5 and to order him the bigger rats, i just worry that the 30-50 grams ones are too big for him, but I'm not that experienced like everyone here. So it shouldn't be a problem if i give him a 30+ gram meal instead of 20+ one as reccomended in the feeding chart?

Well typically you can feed 10-15% of their body weight so a 208 gram animal like yours can handle a 31 gram animal even if that's on the big side of the range. You'd be surprised how much they can handle. It typically surprises new keepers. Now I'm new as well. I've had my snake for about 5 months. But I've worked with an adult male bp for a while and garter snakes before that. It's definitely a sight to see them eat a big prey item. Now if you get the bigger ones I'd definitely weigh them and sort them so you have a bag of big ones and a bag of smaller ones. You might even be able to make a note with your order that you'd prefer the smaller ones but I'm pretty sure your snake will gain enough weight to eat the smaller ones then be ready for the bigger ones when you get to those.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

[Nephil]

Well typically you can feed 10-15% of their body weight so a 208 gram animal like yours can handle a 31 gram animal even if that's on the big side of the range. You'd be surprised how much they can handle. It typically surprises new keepers. Now I'm new as well. I've had my snake for about 5 months. But I've worked with an adult male bp for a while and garter snakes before that. It's definitely a sight to see them eat a big prey item. Now if you get the bigger ones I'd definitely weigh them and sort them so you have a bag of big ones and a bag of smaller ones. You might even be able to make a note with your order that you'd prefer the smaller ones but I'm pretty sure your snake will gain enough weight to eat the smaller ones then be ready for the bigger ones when you get to those.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

Ahh, i see. Yeah, I'm really surprised by how big of a prey they can eat, i remember when i got my BP he was hella underweight (only skin and bones because the shop i got him from kept feeding him 1 pinky a week) and was very nervous when he had to swallow a hopper for the first time. I'll get the bigger rats and surely start off from the ones that weigh 30 grams and then reaching the ones that weigh more, but he still has some time to gain some more weight with the leftover hoppers. Thanks for the help!

[Neko_snake]

Ahh, i see. Yeah, I'm really surprised by how big of a prey they can eat, i remember when i got my BP he was hella underweight (only skin and bones because the shop i got him from kept feeding him 1 pinky a week) and was very nervous when he had to swallow a hopper for the first time. I'll get the bigger rats and surely start off from the ones that weigh 30 grams and then reaching the ones that weigh more, but he still has some time to gain some more weight with the leftover hoppers. Thanks for the help!

Exactly. He definitely has time. My 2 snakes have been gaining around 50-60 grams per month so around 4 feedings. Not saying that's how quickly yours will grow but that's my experience. So he'll be ready for the bigger ones in no time.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

[EL-Ziggy]

Other than the day they arrive I don’t weigh any of my snakes or their prey anymore. I’ll admit I did do this 10 years ago but I quickly learned that it’s totally unnecessary when it comes to feeding. I understand that breeders have to make sure their females are a certain age/size/weight for breeding purposes.

When it comes to prey size, my motto is, “if it fits, they gets.” I typically feed my snakes prey that’s 1-2x the widest part of the snakes body. I’ve seen 125g pythons easily smash a 40g jumbo mouse. It’s ok to feed larger meals as long as they’re not outrageously oversized. You’ll just need to increase the intervals between feedings. I’m sure your BP can handle rat pups. Just feed the smaller ones first if you’re uncertain. I’d be more concerned with changing prey type then prey size especially with a BP. Some of them can be picky and stubborn. I hope he transitions seamlessly for you.