How do you know ??

[janejuwana]

Good day to you all !!
Hi, how do you know if :
1. Your BP is asleep ?
2. Your BP had enough meal ? (My BP just had a 6 cm in length mice, while she is at 60 cm in length)
3. Your BP is stressed (My BP tends to move alot and keep flicking her tongue when handled)
Thanks to you all for helping me keep this wonderful pet
Regards
Jane

[Kaorte]

1. Well if they aren't moving they might be asleep. I can usually tell if my snake WAS asleep, cause I open the tub and they kinda freak out a bit.

2. 10-15% of the snakes weight is a good way to measure how much you should feed the snake. Hatchlings can eat every 5 days, juveniles ever 7, and adults every 7-10 days.

3. Daytime roaming, not using hides, trying to escape, not eating. You can't really tell by handling the snake, only by observing its day to day habits.

[janejuwana]

Thanks Kaorte, when you said "not using hide" does it mean it doesn't enter the hide completely or just part of its body is inside the hide (Mine often let her head ourside the hide)
Is it ok to feed her again after 2-3 days of feeding ?
Regards
Jane

[Kaorte]

Putting their head outside the hide is normal. Sometimes they just like to peek out and see whats going on.

2-3 is okay but you should wait at least 5 days. Eating takes a lot of energy and they need a little time to relax.

[Oxylepy]

I can tell if my snakes are asleep in the following way.

I pull out their tub, grab them and then for a second they don't move and then suddenly give you the "OMG WTF BBQ, WHAT IS GOING ON I WAS FRIGGIN SLEEPING" stance. You get used to it. In fact usually when I grab my snakes they tend to be asleep, it's rather funny and at the same time I tend to feel like a jerk.

Easy way to avoid waking them up is to only go in and grab them when they are moving around.

[janejuwana]

"I pull out their tub, grab them and then for a second they don't move and then suddenly give you the "OMG WTF BBQ, WHAT IS GOING ON I WAS FRIGGIN SLEEPING" stance. You get used to it. In fact usually when I grab my snakes they tend to be asleep, it's rather funny and at the same time I tend to feel like a jerk."

LOL, that's really funny oxylepy, i know the feeling when somebody just snatch my blanket when i was sleeping

Problem is my BP tends to spend her time mostly in her hiding box but when i take her out she kinda like it alot, she even seems to like my touch, she's not head shy anymore

Actually how long does it take for a BP to completely digest its meal ?

Regards
Jane

[Oxylepy]

Well digestion isn't complete until the whole thing is in the rectum (at least in humans, before that you are still absorbing the last of the water and bacteria are still making vitamin k for you to use). Generally if your snake has pooped you're talking FULLY digested. But mind that some snakes are going to take longer to poo than others, as they may be absorbing more from the food.

The general consensus seems to be at around 2-3 days for digestion, my snakes tend to poop a week later (the day after I feed them which is two days after I change the bedding... if they could they would make me clean 8 days a week). When your snake becomes active again then it has probably mostly digested the food. The higher your temperatures the faster the enzymes in their stomachs act, thus making them digest the food faster, if your temperatures are too low then your snake may end up taking too long to digest and I remember hearing that the food can actually rot inside of them.