feeding.. on demand?

[ADEE]

Ok, both Cameron and Hazard have been eating two mice per feeding every 5 days (sometimes 7) give or take.. my question is Hazard (definetly still growing, hes very small by comparasin to cameron considering they hatched in the same month, Aug07) is poking his head out of his hide and in strike position, ready to eat.. hes watching us very closely as we walk by too. my question is, would it be *bad* to feed him more frequently? It isnt power feeding if the prey isnt too big but is it power feeding if i feed him say every 4 days? Is it bad if I feed them when they start that prowling around?

[2kdime]

I think every 5 days is the closet time frame to feed. I feed every 7 days no matter what size.

I just make sure its the right size prey. Sometimes they'll poke they're heads out before than. Or even the next day after feeding.

But they're already fed enough as it is on a 7 day regimen. I think every 5 would be the soonest. They all grow at different rates.
Hope this helps

[ADEE]

well, i know cameron has been with me for several months already eating two mice every 5 days where hazard has been with his breeder all that time having one mouse every 7 days to keep their cost of keeping him all this time as low as possible... does that make sense? We refuse to feed rats so "proper" prey size may not be right on because we feed multiple mice...

[2kdime]

Then what I would do. Is feed 10% of they're weight. Once a week. Up until they can handle small rats. Which are 45 to 65 grams. Only because I feed rats. Or in your case about 2 or 3 adult mice.

But I'd say 2 mice every 5 days should do good to about 250 to 300 grams. Then back off to every 7 days. But still feeding about 10% of they're weight.

You ever have a fecal done on the smaller one to rule out any parasites? That could be keeping her smaller.

[ADEE]

ive only had him for about a week... i spoke to the breeder and he flat out told me he was only feeding him one mouse every 7 days and thats why hes so small (cam was the same size as him when i got her). he has grown a good bit just since he got here. should he continue to not grow i would most certainly take him to the vet (in fact im sure the breeder would even flip the bill, hes awesome) i have not had any issues with any animal ive ever received thankfully (he literally supplied: both my balls, both my beardeds, two of my cresteds and all my feeders) ive been very lucky like that so far but i do know that an animal isnt going to grow when they are fed only whats required to basically keep them alive. (he wasnt under fed, just not fed as much as i would) I do plan to back cam off when she reaches approx 300g (shes eating two mice every 5dys as i said) but for now shes about 240 give or take a few...

Thank you for the suggestion, should he continue to stay small i would absolutly bring him to the exotic vet we have here

[Stewart_Reptiles]

To give you an idea since everyone does it a bit differently I feed 1 mouse a week from hatchlings to BP up to 500 grams.

For BP 500 grams and up 2 mice a week.

For BP 1000 grams and up 3 mice a week.

They grow are healthy and eat with consistency which is all that matters to me.

[FIREball]

Why do you refuse to feed rats?

[Krazy99CL]

Why do you refuse to feed rats?

Because mice are not as adorable as rats....kidding.

Just different preferences.

[ADEE]

we have pet rats and consider them as much a part of our family as we would a dog.. seriously! (no kidding here) so to feed the very pet we pamper just seems wrong... we would honestly choose to have pet rats over having pet bp if it meant thats what they *had* to eat.. it very literally does come down to preference. the breeder has told us its going to take us FOREVER to get our female up to breeding size but oh well, would rather take a full two-three years to get her breeding size if it meant we could feed mice exclusively.. and to answer previous statement, i do not think mice are as friendly.. they stink too.

[Hotshot]

is it ok too feed 2 meals every 5 days?