What is considered power feeding?

[The Serpent Merchant]

I agree with all the people about forcing. You can't apply human functions and dysfunctions to animals.

My snakes determine when they want to eat. Some eat 3-4 days. Some are 5. Some are 7... and so on. I breed my own food so I can offer whenever I like to. I know my snakes and I know their body language so I can almost always tell within a moment or two if my snakes are going to eat. All of my snakes will take a break if they don't want to eat. I think some of this stuff is totally just parroted around from forum to forum.

Regards,

B

So then explain why snakes will try to eat things so large that they end up dying. Sure most snakes will turn down food if it is offered too often. But some will and in those cases I would consider this power feeding. I have a snake that eats small meals more frequently. That isn't power feeding but if large meals are fed too frequently then the results are the same as if you forced the snake to eat the rat.

[VEXER19]

So then explain why snakes will try to eat things so large that they end up dying. Sure most snakes will turn down food if it is offered too often. But some will and in those cases I would consider this power feeding. I have a snake that eats small meals more frequently. That isn't power feeding but if large meals are fed too frequently then the results are the same as if you forced the snake to eat the rat.

This is another reason why monitoring how often your snake poops is also very important. I can tell when my girl still has food in her or is needing to seriously drop a load. So I do agree that it is possible for a snake to kill itself by being offered too much. but that is more knowing when to hold a feed rather than power feeding just IMO. Like my girl eats in shed but right now she hasn't pooped in almost 2 weeks and is full even though she is due to eat. Would she eat? I don't know but I know its better to wait for her to shed and empty herself then feed then possibly risk anything of that nature. That is all I really mean by the whole when not to feed and power feeding thing.

[KatStoverReptiles]

At what point does a hatchling become a juvenile and need to start being fed every 7 days, rather than more frequently?

I switched from 5 to 7 days at around 600-800 grams. I noticed my snakes weren't out looking for food or even refused on the 5th day and then took it the next feeding (so on the 10th day). That's when I switched.

I feed smaller meals more frequently rather than larger meals less frequently. I still offer to my adults every 7 days. But nothing larger than a 80-100 gram rat. Even to my biggest girls.

[The Serpent Merchant]

This is another reason why monitoring how often your snake poops is also very important. I can tell when my girl still has food in her or is needing to seriously drop a load. So I do agree that it is possible for a snake to kill itself by being offered too much. but that is more knowing when to hold a feed rather than power feeding just IMO. Like my girl eats in shed but right now she hasn't pooped in almost 2 weeks and is full even though she is due to eat. Would she eat? I don't know but I know its better to wait for her to shed and empty herself then feed then possibly risk anything of that nature. That is all I really mean by the whole when not to feed and power feeding thing.

I was talking about when a big snake tries to eat a deer or something and ends up splitting down te middle. Some snakes eyes are much. Much bigger than their stomach.

[VEXER19]

I was talking about when a big snake tries to eat a deer or something and ends up splitting down te middle. Some snakes eyes are much. Much bigger than their stomach.

Oh sorry but if you want a response as specific as that then you may wanna be a little more specific. Especially on a site that is 95% ball pythons that eat mice and rats. Just saying.

[The Serpent Merchant]

yeah, that was my bad, you also have a good point though. Sorry if that came across as negative/aggressive, certainly wasn't my intent but now that I reread it... lol

[VEXER19]

yeah, that was my bad, you also have a good point though. Sorry if that came across as negative/aggressive, certainly wasn't my intent but now that I reread it... lol

All good bro.

[Simple Man]

So then explain why snakes will try to eat things so large that they end up dying. Sure most snakes will turn down food if it is offered too often. But some will and in those cases I would consider this power feeding. I have a snake that eats small meals more frequently. That isn't power feeding but if large meals are fed too frequently then the results are the same as if you forced the snake to eat the rat.

I was talking about when a big snake tries to eat a deer or something and ends up splitting down te middle. Some snakes eyes are much. Much bigger than their stomach.

In my opinion you can't compare a wild animal with a captive one. There are so many unknown variables in wild animals that they are not relevent to this discussion.

I also don't believe there is anything wrong with having a different opinion. If you kept the posts relevent to the topic of captive ball python feeding schedules I think it would be more helpful. At least my opinion is just based on my personal experience with my own ball pythons.

Kind Regards,

B