What's up with all the underfed snakes

[daniel1983]

So your basis for determining if a snake is underfed is its weight and age? I assume from your opinion that you are focused on how fast you can 'grow' a snake.

My opinion is different.

My basis for determining if a snake is underfed is based on appearance from my experience with reptiles. Who cares how old a snake is if it does not have the appearance of an 'underfed' animal? If the animal looks like it is well fed....then fine with me.

Just sounds like a simple difference in opinion to me....but if weight and age are so important, why not factor in length for every snake? Judge 'underfedness' on an average weight per unit of length per age.

[Skiploder]

Is 200 grams at 6 months old underfed? or am I just over-feeding all of mine because they eat every 5-7 days and get to 400 + grams in 6 months

Gotta love the catch phrase "well started" lol
As always..Caveat emptor...

I have no way of knowing if your snakes are overfed.

In the same token, YOU have no way if knowing a 200 gram snake at 6 months is underfed.

Well started means a lot more than how much weight your animal has put on in the first 6 months of it's life.

Caveat emptor indeed.

[Skiploder]

why not factor in length for every snake? Judge 'underfedness' on an average weight per unit of length per age.

Kind of like a snake BMI index? I like it.

Alas, for some that takes all the fun out of calling everyone else's snakes underfed, doesn't it?

[snakesRkewl]

I hit a nerve I guess

[daniel1983]

I hit a nerve I guess

I don't really think so.

Like I said, you statements are more opinion....not based on any fact at all. Some have a problem with that.

In captivity, snakes of a particular age vary greatly in weight and length. That is fact. They do so in the wild too. Weight per age or growth rate is dependant on various environmental factors and genetics.

Some breeder feed smaller meals with the intent of properly supporting the animals until sale. Some breeders feed more than necessary to support the animal to grow it faster. Some people feed in a random manner.

That is just the way it is.....it is the people that don't feed enough to support the snake that I have problems with....

so if someone is selling snakes that look emaciated........then I could see complaining about snakes being underfed. But with just a weight and age....I wouldn't worry about it.

[Skiploder]

I hit a nerve I guess

No.

Some animals plateau - you feed them and feed them and they maintain and then one day the weight starts climbing - whether it be at 6 months or 8 months or whatever.

Others don't. They gain and they gain and they gain until they are older and then they tend to level off.

Others grow in different ways. Nothing is black and white and there is no definitive consensus on what a healthy six month old snake should reasonably weigh.

You didn't hit a nerve, you made a statement imparted a black on white view on a situation that has many variables. While making that statement, you took a swipe (inadvertent?) at some people who have a pretty good idea how to raise a healthy snake.

[snakesRkewl]

I don't really think so.

Like I said, you statements are more opinion....not based on any fact at all. Some have a problem with that.

In captivity, snakes of a particular age vary greatly in weight and length. That is fact. They do so in the wild too. Weight per age or growth rate is dependant on various environmental factors and genetics.

Some breeder feed smaller meals with the intent of properly supporting the animals until sale. Some breeders feed more than necessary to support the animal to grow it faster. Some people feed in a random manner.

That is just the way it is.....it is the people that don't feed enough to support the snake that I have problems with....

so if someone is selling snakes that look emaciated........then I could see complaining about snakes being underfed. But with just a weight and age....I wouldn't worry about it.

Well said.
I asked to get others opinions not to force mine on others.

[snakesRkewl]

You didn't hit a nerve, you made a statement imparted a black on white view on a situation that has many variables. While making that statement, you took a swipe (inadvertent?) at some people who have a pretty good idea how to raise a healthy snake.

I should have worded the questions differently, and left out a few words.
Putting the word large breeder in was/is implying something possibly scandalous, which wasn't the intent.

I admire many of the larger breeders work, like many others in the position of small time hobbyist, so no, it was not my intent to call out the large breeders, even though reading back on it it obviously came out that way.
For that I apologize.

[Tim Mead]

I should have worded the questions differently, and left out a few words.
Putting the word large breeder in was/is implying something possibly scandalous, which wasn't the intent.

I admire many of the larger breeders work, like many others in the position of small time hobbyist, so no, it was not my intent to call out the large breeders, even though reading back on it it obviously came out that way.
For that I apologize.

When one "PRODUCES" snakes and has 20-40 years of keeping snakes one has alot more knowledge and won't ask this type question..A snake is nothing like a puppy and grows its entire lifetime..If it were not for the "large" breeders there wouldn't be what one has today... Again one must walk in ones shoes before one can judge one..

Scenario, a small time hobbyist with experience has a ball python collection in a spare bedroom..2011 they produce 100 babies and sell a few here and there but the market is saturated and sluggish..The following year they still have 65 babies plus their adults in this spare bedroom..How much growth does this hobbyist want to occurr ? A healthy ball python can go extended periods of time with NO ill effects..Growth is in fact retarded but once food supply becomes abundant growth is then resumed..Snakes are such wonderful and fasinating creatures..