Double Feeding....

[tman]

Tonight I gave my 5.5 month old 2 adult mice, pre- kill ( she turns down f/t ). She took it very well, as quick as the first. The reason I tryed this is that I'm having a hard time finding smaller rats, I can almost always find average size rats. My quesion is, can I keep doing this until I'am able to find small rats or until she is ready for the larger rats? It did leave her with one heck of a buldge, but I really don't think she is satisfied with one adult mouse, she takes it way to easy.
Need Advice...Thanks!

[Tigergenesis]

It is better on their digestion to feed multiple smaller prey as opposed to a single large prey item. So you are fine.

[mlededee]

you know, i have heard opinions go both ways on this--some say it is better to feed multiple small prey items and some say it is better to feed one large prey item. so what really is the difference, and whichever is your opinion, why do you feel that way?

[UberAlice]

Well, the way I figure it is this....
In the wild, is the Ball going to have the luxury of crawling around picking out its food? Does it know that there will always be food available next week? Nah. It's more likely to pick the biggest prey it can find, and chow down before food becomes scarce. It emulates more the natural activity of the snake to feed one large prey item.
-HOWEVER-
Just because it happens in nature doesn't mean it's the best. Feeding several small prey items can ensure you don't over-feed your snake, can produce less risk of intestinal blockage, and can be digested faster. If your snake looks hungry still after feeding, you can always just pop in another pinkie to tide him/her over.

I personally feed one large item, because the stress of swallowing another item while Roo is already stuffed full with hammie/mouse/rat seems kinda superfluous. I will also occasionally shift her feeding days one or two days backwards if the last meal was particularly big, because in the wild she wouldn't have been getting feed every 7 days on the dot. I am also extremely careful about holding my snakes after they've eaten. Most people give them 2 days, while I give them 3 as a general rule. Neither of my girls are big on soaking, so after they've had a chance to digest their food I try to give them a quick warm dip in a bath to loosen any blockages up.

Like mlededee said, everyone is different, but based on what I've heard and know of animal behavior and nutrition, I prefer one larger item to several small.

[Marla]

Actually, it's not unusual for balls in the wild to slither down into a rodent burrow and eat all the residents it can, then not eat for weeks afterward. There are legitimate points on both sides of the single vs. mutiple prey controversy.

[Freakie_frog]

I guess then it all depends on how regular you want to feed and how fastyou want your kids to grow.

[normballpython2]

ok this may be a really stupid question but in the world is a hammie? i heard people say it several times and i just can't figure it out.

[Tigergenesis]

you know, i have heard opinions go both ways on this--some say it is better to feed multiple small prey items and some say it is better to feed one large prey item. so what really is the difference, and whichever is your opinion, why do you feel that way?

The reasoning is that they are able to digest them faster/easier and is less taxing on their body - I think it has something to do with less surface area? I can't recall, but I posed the question as to which is better to 5 exotic/reptile vets and they all agreed. I'll try to find out the specifics.

[mlededee]

that would be awesome if you can get specifics--it's something i've been curious about for a while. thanks Tigergenesis!

[green_man]

Marla is right, there are legitimate points on both sides of the matter. I say it is fine until you can move up.

I like one larger prey item simply because larger prey items have a more developed skeletal structure, hence provide more calcium, then the small.