Things that make you go HMMMM....

[Mike Cavanaugh]

I recently got a rescue through craigs list. They were asking 100 bucks for it, but when I offered to take it for free, and love it, they agreed.

Got the snake, and it is a beautiful reduced girl. 2 layers of old stuck shed... and eye caps. But other then that, she was fine.

This is what I don't get tho.... while it does not look fat, it certainly does not look thin either. They claimed that they had it for more then 3 years.... BUT she is only 531 grams!!!!!!!!!!!

They had it in the wrong kind of tank so the humidity was way off... and they were using too small of a UTH... so the temps were no doubt totally out of whack.

But how can a 4 year old female ball python only weigh 531 grams and not look underweight???? Are they lying about how long they have had her? why would they do that??? I just don't understand...

[starmom]

Maybe they said that to try to get someone to take it and think that she is breeding age???

[cinderbird]

Im actually asking someone on CL about a supposed female they have for "adoption" with all the "necessary equipment" (ie 20gal L, UTH,etc...but no where does there mention a thermostat...) and im waiting for a response to see "what they want" for her.

they probably were underfeeding her, or she was refusing based on how your post sounds with the incorrect husbandry. its sad that people let them get this bad but at least she sounds like she'll have a great home with you.

[jknudson]

I suppose it depends on what kinds of meals it was being fed. It sounds like it was on a maintenance diet that made the snake remain at 531 grams.

I assume that if the snake was growing, but meal size or amount didn't go up, the growth could cease, and maintain at the current weight. My guess is, when back on proper meals that girl should really take off in growth.

[naba2002]

yes its possible wat you do is give it one mouse a month and that will keep them from gainin weight and not let them lose any either, i no of at least 2pet stores that do that because no one wants to buy a 4ft snake everyone wants babies. its sad reallie

[SatanicIntention]

One of my big girls I have now is a rescue I got in 06. She was 3 or so years old back then and less than 800g(two mice once a month). From May 06 to December 06, she gained over 1500g on a proper diet(2-4 mice a week) and in a proper environment. She's now gravid for the second year in a row(7 eggs!) and is around 2400g.

[Argentra]

Yep... he was just a little guy, but my rescued pastel male was around 3 months old when I saved him and only 44g! That was in January, and at the start of June he weighed in at 260g!

Ignorant people often either go with something they heard in general (like only feeding a python once a month) or from a pet store employee who also knew nothing. And since the snake stays 'healthy', they don't think anything is wrong with what they're doing.

I hope that girl starts filling out now that she's in the proper care!

[m0esgirl]

i thought anything more than once every 6 or 7 days was powerfeeding? i didnt intend to powerfeed any of my snakes, but surprisingly, one of my girls (the only reliable eater) ate one large pink on monday, and two on tuesday! no hesitation either, one time she struck so fast that the f/t pink's tail came off and was still in the tongs. *sigh* i wish all my babies were like that haha good job on the rescue though, i keep looking to see if there are any around here that need rescuing (we live on base in bfe, cali)


sorry for the book haha my responses are always long. i think im just excited to be able to talk to other bp owners that know as much as everyone on here!!

[frankykeno]

Mike, that does seem a very low weight for a female of that age but life long underfeeding could, I suppose, result in that. We took in a snake for adoption a few years back that was confirmed at 18 months old and a female. She was at that time the same size as a female of about 6 months of age. Not skinny, just very undersized in both length and weight. She'd been chronically underfed (they followed VERY poor pet store advice) so was just basically maintained without enough nutrients to grow much on.

We gradually upped her total prey volume and she went into the most amazing growth spurts you've ever seen. She's actually just laid her first clutch for us and is a lovely adult now and well within normal length and weight ranges for a female of her age.

It wouldn't hurt though to do a fecal on this rescue of yours. Poor care that resulted in her growing so little might also be affected if she's carrying a parasite load so probably best to rule that out from the get go.