should you regularly skip a feeding?

[recycling goddess]

i've seen it mentioned a few times that most bp's in our care are overfed. i know with my fish... that once a week i don't feed them. it keeps them in better shape physically to have a day of fasting.

should we be doing this with our bps as well? perhaps once a month miss the weekly feeding and let them get hungry? will this cause them to get snarky with us and possibly tag us saying, "where the heck is my mouse???"

curious,
aleesha

[Adam_Wysocki]

I do it.

I know a lot of professional breeders that do it as well.

I don't use a set schedule, I just let the snakes let me know when it's time to take a break.

Works well for me. It's the dead of winter, I'm cycling temperatures and humidity, snakes are breeding, and every single one ate for me yesterday. No "fasters" here.

-adam

[JASBALLS]

I do it once a month. So I can get accurate weights on them. I only have 3 females not feeding. They a wrapping there water bowls and cool seeking though. Nice sign there..

[Brandon.O]

i skip a feeding here and there just to change it up for my snakes or at least feed them on a differnt day to change up the schedule and avoid them expecting food on a certain day everyweek

My bp roxy is very sweet ,shes my favorite snake, but when feeding time comes around im not kidding, she turns into a differnt snake and is truly a monster,very aggessive and super snappy,sometimes i can even get in her cage becuse she lifts up her body and when i open the cage it gets kinda hairy.Shes getting alot bigger shes just an inch shy of three feet and seems to be growing everyday. it wouldent be a bid deal if she was smaller....actually its really not a big deal now, but changing up her feeding schedule helps me alot and keeps her on her toes.In stead of pacing her cage expecting food i can surprise her.

[recycling goddess]

I do it.

I know a lot of professional breeders that do it as well.

I don't use a set schedule, I just let the snakes let me know when it's time to take a break.

Works well for me. It's the dead of winter, I'm cycling temperatures and humidity, snakes are breeding, and every single one ate for me yesterday. No "fasters" here.

-adam

do you skip a feeding or are you counting refusing food as skipping a feeding? cause i meant a healthy feeding snake... that we choose not to feed it that week...

would there be health benefits to this practise?

thanks,
aleesha

[mr~python]

i do occasionally. espescially when im sick and stuff like that where i cant make it to the store.

[jglass38]

I have been staggering their feedings and it seems to work fine. The babies eat at 5 days or 7 days and the adults eat at 7 days, 10 days or 14 days...I dont know if it has any psychological value but they always eat and they are all in perfect health

[Adam_Wysocki]

do you skip a feeding or are you counting refusing food as skipping a feeding? cause i meant a healthy feeding snake... that we choose not to feed it that week...

I haven't had a healthy ball python refuse food in a long long time. I skip feedings depending on the time of year and the snakes eating pattern.

would there be health benefits to this practise?

Yes.

-adam

[rabernet]

Originally Posted by recycling goddess
would there be health benefits to this practise?




Yes.

-adam

I'm really interested in this thread. Adam, are there specific health benefits with this practice that you can name? It never even occured to me to intentionally skip a meal here and there. I continue to learn every day around here!

[rabernet]

I'm really interested in this thread. Adam, are there specific health benefits with this practice that you can name?

That didn't come out right, it sounds like I'm challenging you, Adam. And that's not the intention behind the question at all. I was really wondering about "for instances". Thanks!