Alright now, I agree that forcing the snake to eat more by putting another mouse in its mouth as it eats another is wrong, but I am going to be selfish and ask a question about my situation. So I have a baby male ball python, and it has eaten two hopper mice within ten days, (I am going the every 5 day route). Do you think it is alright for me to offer him a full grown mouse? He is roughly 16 inches and it is quite a pain to get hopper mice. Should I try feeding him a full grown mouse and see what happens? I am more afraid that the mouse may hurt him than anything.

Also, does increased feeding effect the size of the snake? I don't mean weight, as I will not be breeding my normal and have nothing to breed him with, but I mean length/thickness. I am hoping he can grow 4 feet instead of the 3 I am expecting, just because I would rather him be bigger, but I won't "power feed" him to try to attain that size. But do you think it is wrong to try and feed him a full grown mouse every 5 days or so? He is roughly a month old.

Any answer is appreciated, as I will be feeding him Thursday, which gives me time to get another hopper, but I don't have any now. When he eats a hopper I don't see much of a bulge, which is why I want to try a fully grown mouse...