Evolving Feeding Schedule

[Eric Alan]

My two oldest girls just passed the 400g mark and will be graduating from big weaned rats to small rats as soon as my frozen delivery arrives this week. Man, they grow like weeds! Since I've had them, they've been on the recommended every four days feeding schedule for young BPs and loving every minute of it.

At what point in their growth do you back them down to weekly feedings?

Thank you for your insight in advance!

Eric

[The Serpent Merchant]

For me it depends on the snake, but most seem to be in the 400-600 gram range. I voted 500 grams since it's in the middle of my range.

[Eric Alan]

For me it depends on the snake, but most seem to be in the 400-600 gram range. I voted 500 grams since it's in the middle of my range.

What indicators do you look for that tell you to back off?

Eric

[The Serpent Merchant]

What indicators do you look for that tell you to back off?

Eric

Well there are a few things:

1. When the snake gets big enough that I can feed 1 larger rodent every 8 days. ( I feed every 4 days for young snakes and every 8 for older snakes for simplicities sake)

2. When the snake starts refusing meals on a 4 day schedule.

3. How the snake reacts to larger rodents. Basically I go from feeding multiple rat pups to small rats. I've had a few snakes that just didn't go for the small rats so they stayed on the 4 day rat pup feeding schedule longer than some of my other BP's.

[BHReptiles]

When I switch to small rats, they go on a weekly feeding plan. Most of my snakes switch to smalls in the 500-600g range.

[Eric Alan]

Dead set to prove these forums right, my oldest girl just refused her first meal outside of a shed. It has been a month since her last shed, so I guess she could be entering a cycle, but her only other refusal was during her first shed with me (first shed ever with any of my girls) when she was opaque. Side note: I've since stopped feeding while they're opaque until they've actually shed. At 434g empty right now, it looks like she'll be my first to go on weekly feedings.

I think I'll pick Sundays for my weeklys - it'll work best with my work schedule.

Eric