When to graduate from hoppers?

[Cheesenugget]

My little (stubborn feeder) guy ate since I followed the 6 qt tub advice posted by Deborah. He ate well, once a week, a live hopper, since 2 weeks ago. He lost some weight for refusing his meals and starved for about 2 weeks prior. He is slowly gaining that weight back.

I weight him yesterday on a food scale bought at Target. It says he weight about 75 grams. Is this right?

I read on here that hoppers are only for the first 4 meals. Then he should be on fuzzy rats. His head is so tiny that I worry if he can even swallow anything bigger than a hopper. And another post mentioned you go by the 10-15% weight mark. That still means he should stay eating hoppers because rat fuzzies weight a little more, I think. But then I hear rats are better because more protein. Should I even switch to rat pinkies?

Should I stay with hoppers for 2 more weeks then check his weight again? Switch to rat pups?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

At 75 grams a weanling mouse to small adult mouse is perfect, remember there is no should be switch to rats, while it will be more convenient in the future (1 prey vs multiples), it is not absolutely necessary to do so and can be tricky and take time which can be a problem at that size.

Because switching can take time (not animal will switch overnight) it requires good body weight since the principal is often to use tough love.

I would probably feed him two more meals before attempting, then once you try to switch get the smallest fuzzy you find and leave it overnight (obviously there is no danger of doing so), if uneaten do not offer anything else and try again a week later, if at that time your BP still refuse offer mouse the next day, and repeat the process.

As your BP will get bigger you will be able to give more times between having to feed if he still refuses.

[chakup]

Should be able to find small fuzzies that are small enough for him.

[MrBeeBow]

dont worry about how small his head is, feed him a meal thats as round as the widest part of his body, i have a 600 gram male eating medium rats no problem.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

dont worry about how small his head is, feed him a meal thats as round as the widest part of his body, i have a 600 gram male eating medium rats no problem.

Considering a male does not need anything bigger than a small rat you are not doing it any service you need to understand metabolism and needs of the species and sex.

[MrBeeBow]

Considering a male does not need anything bigger than a small rat you are not doing it any service you need to understand metabolism and needs of the species and sex.

at the advice from the place i got him he eats every 14 days, i trust their advise.

[c0r3yr0s3]

at the advice from the place i got him he eats every 14 days, i trust their advise.

If you don't mind me asking, who the heck gave you that info?

[MrBeeBow]

If you don't mind me asking, who the heck gave you that info?

A store that specializes in reptiles

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[c0r3yr0s3]

A store that specializes in reptiles

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Well if your snake is happy and healthy then go with it but I feed mine once a week and they are always out searching for food like clockwork

[MrBeeBow]

Considering a male does not need anything bigger than a small rat you are not doing it any service you need to understand metabolism and needs of the species and sex.

if a med rat is to much what should he be eating?