How fast do BP's grow?

[Tcass100]

I have had my BP for about a month, the week I brought him home he shed, he eats regularly and eats two hoppers at a time every 4 - 7 days. Hes looking like hes about to start shedding again( getting very wrinkly,silver eyes), I wondered if its normal for them to shed so soon? hes 20in long and weighs 141g, hes a very outgoing snake, hes only balled up 2 times since we got him and the only time he bit me was the first day we brought him home and i attributed that to the stress. anyway also wondered as they grow do they gain more "aliens" or do they keep the marking they have only they get bigger?

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

It depends how much and how often and what you feed them. I got some females last year that have gained a TON just being fed rats instead of mice (as their former owners, and us at first, did).

I think they keep the same markings and just get bigger.

[Spaniard]

All snakes grow at different rates depending on their individual genetics. The pattern of every snake is like a fingerprint, they are unique to the animal; color hues may change but the pattern will always be the same.

Whether you feed rats or mice makes no difference. Its just much easier to feed 1 rat then 3-4 mice; not to mention some snakes are finicky when it comes to eating multiple prey items.

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

I have just noticed that once we switched to rats, even our eight year old has grown extremely quickly after having stayed the same for several years previously. Perhaps it's not that it is a rat, but that even one rat is more volume than a few mice

[Spaniard]

There are many members here that have rat and mice eaters growing just the same. Rats may have more mass but if you are feeding 10% of the snakes body weight with mice or rats it doesn't matter. With that said its much easier to feed rats and I wish my one mouse feeder would switch to rats.

If your snake started growing a lot after switching it could also be that you were not feeding large enough mice prior or enough of them.

[JeffJ]

There are many members here that have rat and mice eaters growing just the same. Rats may have more mass but if you are feeding 10% of the snakes body weight with mice or rats it doesn't matter. With that said its much easier to feed rats and I wish my one mouse feeder would switch to rats.

If your snake started growing a lot after switching it could also be that you were not feeding large enough mice prior or enough of them.

i agree as i did not see ant growth spurts when switching from mice to rats. Both my boas are still on mice right now and growing like crazy. ball python is on rats switched from mice last January and he is still growing at a regular pace.

[TheOtherLeadingBrand]

There are many members here that have rat and mice eaters growing just the same. Rats may have more mass but if you are feeding 10% of the snakes body weight with mice or rats it doesn't matter. With that said its much easier to feed rats and I wish my one mouse feeder would switch to rats.

If your snake started growing a lot after switching it could also be that you were not feeding large enough mice prior or enough of them.

I totally agree...

[Shin86]

i think your snake is just growing bud....dont sweat it

[paulaura]

I have 08 animals that weigh up to 900g, and then some between 400-500g.

Just depends on the snake.

[k2l3d4]

I have had my BP for about a month, the week I brought him home he shed, he eats regularly and eats two hoppers at a time every 4 - 7 days. Hes looking like hes about to start shedding again( getting very wrinkly,silver eyes), I wondered if its normal for them to shed so soon? hes 20in long and weighs 141g, hes a very outgoing snake, hes only balled up 2 times since we got him and the only time he bit me was the first day we brought him home and i attributed that to the stress. anyway also wondered as they grow do they gain more "aliens" or do they keep the marking they have only they get bigger?

Wow... my little guy is little... I have a baby that is 19.5 inches long, but only weighs in at 109 grams.