Question about feeding and rat size... is too big too bad?

[Trey Yeoman]

I am watching my Elizabeth eat right now... and she is going at it with vigor, and does not seem to be having any problems... but the things is: my mother bought me a rat thinking she was being helpful and bought a large rat... when I normally give her medium.. now the size difference, at least to my eyes, is nothing... and the rat's thickest point is pretty much as thick as Elizabeth's thickest point... I just feel like the rat is HUGE and my question is: if the food item is large... maybe not too large as to suggest a problem with digestion, but large as in it is a challenge and will "fill" her up, for lack of a better word, is this bad... will she not be as hungry and I can wait a few more days to feed her next week? Will she shed faster? Or just poop more... or... yea

[Trey Yeoman]

I am watching my Elizabeth eat right now... and she is going at it with vigor, and does not seem to be having any problems... but the things is: my mother bought me a rat thinking she was being helpful and bought a large rat... when I normally give her medium.. now the size difference, at least to my eyes, is nothing... and the rat's thickest point is pretty much as thick as Elizabeth's thickest point... I just feel like the rat is HUGE and my question is: if the food item is large... maybe not too large as to suggest a problem with digestion, but large as in it is a challenge and will "fill" her up, for lack of a better word, is this bad... will she not be as hungry and I can wait a few more days to feed her next week? Will she shed faster? Or just poop more... or... yea

As I am watching her... I feel like she isn't going o be able to get the biggest part of the rat in her mouth... but I remember the first time I watched her eat I felt the same way and she had her mouth stretch huge... so.. I guess ill wait till she is done? See if she... throws up?

[ballpythonluvr]

She should be just fine. If you feel the rat the was to big, just give her a few extra days to digest.

[JLC]

She'll be fine. She wouldn't have started eating it if it was going to be so big she couldn't get it down. Just try not to make her nervous by watching too closely, or she may give up and spit it back out.

Once she's done eating...I'd leave her alone for an extra day or so to digest the larger meal...and I'd probably skip the next week's feeding since it's very likely she'll still feel satisfied from having had such a large meal.

[Trey Yeoman]

She'll be fine. She wouldn't have started eating it if it was going to be so big she couldn't get it down. Just try not to make her nervous by watching too closely, or she may give up and spit it back out.

Once she's done eating...I'd leave her alone for an extra day or so to digest the larger meal...and I'd probably skip the next week's feeding since it's very likely she'll still feel satisfied from having had such a large meal.

What happens if I don't skip the meal? Will it make her sick? Or... cause her to force grow...? And she got it down and everything Her tummy is huge though... like... I was like.. jesus... thats huge...

[JLC]

What happens if I don't skip the meal? Will it make her sick? Or... cause her to force grow...? And she got it down and everything Her tummy is huge though... like... I was like.. jesus... thats huge...

No, if she chooses to eat, she'd be fine. However, it's very likely that she'll refuse her next meal because she won't be hungry. If her belly is as distended as you describe, then she may refuse more than one meal before she's ready to eat again.

[lewicki87]

i would try and offer her the rat. try a couple times. if she eats then rite on and if not its all good, just try again next week or whenever you feed next. youll be surprised how big of a meal she can take.