How can you tell if your BP is fat/obese??

[4theSNAKElady]

I have heard of this happening, but I don't think any of mine ever got to a "fat" point. Has anyone ever experienced this??? and does it happen often at all.I know fat sausage snakes don't make good breeders. Does anyone have any pics either, so that I can compare what one looks like?? Thanks

[JimiSnakes]

I'm not sure with BPs too much, but I know the males seem to do better if they are not that fattened up.

[Adam_Wysocki]

I've never seen an obese BP ... I'm not even sure it's possible ... p. regius is one species that definitely does a great job at regulating their weight on their own.

-adam

[4theSNAKElady]

That is great to know.....now burms on the other hand....I have seen really fat burms...Once at a reptile show I saw the snake equivalent of the mom on the movie What's Eating Gilbert Grape?...not pretty.....

[mocolo]

Umm, well when I first brought my BP to the vet, he said it was on the brink of obeseness. He said the signs are that when the snake basically just makes a turn in on itself, if the skins/scales wrinkle up ALOT, then it MAY be getting a little fat. He also could tell because when we just picked my BP up, you could actually feel the excess flab. Like you could pinch some skin, and pull it a bit! But he said my BP was fine

[4theSNAKElady]

hmmm.......pinch some skin......usually if you can "pinch some skin", on a BP, it's signs of dehydration, IMO. For Adam: so, if BPs rarely or never become obese, is it ok to just feed them as much as they'll eat, as long as it's on a feeding schedule??? I was just wondering if it's ok to put some "extra" weight on my girls cause they've been powerhousing lately!!!

[Adam_Wysocki]

\For Adam: so, if BPs rarely or never become obese, is it ok to just feed them as much as they'll eat, as long as it's on a feeding schedule???

It's up to you. I do not ... I feed them enough each week ... in my experience, ball pythons that are allowed to eat as much as they want each week will sooner or later end up fasting while their bodies "catch up".

Ball pythons have evolved to be opportunistic "sit and wait" predators ... when the getting is good, they feast ... then they live fat dumb and happy until they need to eat again.

I prefer the consistency of feeding all of my snakes each and every week.

-adam

[4theSNAKElady]

Oooohhh......I think I get it!!! So instead of huge meals, just feed "just what they need", as opposed to what they want, and they'll get used to the regularly scheduled feeding program amount, and expect it every time. That way, they'll keep a "healthy" steady weight instead of gaining alot, then losing alot, which i would assume isn't a good thing. That is good to know....glad you responded.

[mocolo]

Umm, well when I first brought my BP to the vet, he said it was on the brink of obeseness. He said the signs are that when the snake basically just makes a turn in on itself, if the skins/scales wrinkle up ALOT, then it MAY be getting a little fat. He also could tell because when we just picked my BP up, you could actually feel the excess flab. Like you could pinch some skin, and pull it a bit! But he said my BP was fine

I know what you mean by the dehydration, bit it wasn't like pulling "loose skin" It just felt like very thick skin, which you could move around...