Is she eating enough?

[zreon]

Hey guys, its been a while since I have posted here, but I have a question to run buy you.

My snake has been eating once a week up until about 2 months ago. I decided to try feeding her every monday and thursday. She is eating fun but she just seems sooo anxious each time.

I just finished feeding and as soon as I open the top to her cage she begins to fly up to the top looking for food. The second she is in striking range the mouse is already constricted.

Currently I am feeding f/t adult mice. Should I consider xl mice? I have already tried rats, but she has no interest in them.

Thanks,
David

[West Coast Jungle]

You can try putting in some mouse bedding in the enclosure 15 minutes before introducing a rat and chances are she will eat it. Some never switch over though. It's cheaper than multiple mice, usually.

[muddoc]

The only way to properly answer your question as to if she is eating enough, would be to know the size of your Ball Python. However, I have found over the years, that you will get a snake that eats more consistently year around if you stay on a one prey item once a week schedule. With that said, if you have an adult ball python that refuses to switch to rats, I currently have three snakes like this, I do feed them 2 or 3 mice, depending on the snakes size, once a week. Hope that helps.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Common mistake is to overfeed snakes in captivity.

Now it is possible you might want to feed multiple preys once a week (2-3 as Tim suggested) however it depends on how big is your BP.

I decided to try feeding her every monday and thursday.

You need to allow at least 5 days between feeding.

[zreon]

ok, I will switch back to once a week then. I read of quite a few people feeding a couple times a week so I thought I would give it a try.

How do I feed multiple? Just offer another when she has finished the first one?

[muddoc]

How do I feed multiple? Just offer another when she has finished the first one?

Correct. I wouldn't leave the second prey item in any longer than about 20 minutes. Normally if they want another, they'll take it fairly quickly.

[zreon]

Alright, thanks for the help guys. I'll let you know how it goes on monday I guess

[Kagez28]

i think it's a little harder feeding multiple prey with F/T. the times i thaw 2 he wants one, the days when i only do one the little bugger stares at me like that all ya got buddy?

[kellysballs]

I dont know if this will pertain to your situation but if your snake is underweight...
I had a girl that would not eat for about 4 months. I was concerned because she was losing weight. She lost 100grams off her 700gram weight. I had to get her to eat to get a fecal sample for the vet to check for parasites.
I continued to offer every week a rat then after she refused a mouse. I heard that once a snake is almost done swallowing (just the tail hanging out) you can follow up with a pk/ft right after and they will continue to swallow. Well she finally took a mouse so I placed a prekilled mouse inbetween her open jaws and she took it no prob.
I guess technically this is assist feeding but it was very low stress for her as I did not have to pick her up or anything she just kept on swallowing. In the long run I got her fecal a week later and she was fine, no parasites, she as just fasting.
If your snake is losing weight and it will not eat more that one prey item this may be something to keep in mind.