Refusing every other week

[Brion99]

Ever since I switched over to rats my Lesser has been refusing every other week. Could it be that the rats were too big (some have been whoppers, that I'm frankly surprised he got down). He has always been a great eater, and the rats he has eaten he's kept down. The prob is the feeder store I go to really doesn't do a great job in measuring. His last weight (almost a month ago....will do tomorrow after a nice poo yesterday) was 400g and he's getting small rats. Should I just make sure he gets the smallest they have or just feed him every 2 weeks?

Another question is, is it normal for him to have a bunch of small poos instead of one big one?? I scoured his cage a couple days ago and and found nothing, but when I looked yesterday there were 3-4 smaller ones all around (no way i missed em). Is this a symptom of something or normal?

Thx.

[kitedemon]

Small rats are likely quite large for him. It depends on the supplier but most call 45-85 gm 'small' and some like mine is 60-95gm typically I'd feed about 10% per feeding. Adults get less that 10% as they are not growing as quickly. hatchlings get 10% but a little closer together every 5 days or so rather than every 7, give or take.

Are you weighing the rats?

It very easily could be yours letting you know those are big meals and to give her time to digest. Either drop back down a size or longer between meals. Just remember no larger around than the snake is.

[Brion99]

Small rats are likely quite large for him. It depends on the supplier but most call 45-85 gm 'small' and some like mine is 60-95gm typically I'd feed about 10% per feeding. Adults get less that 10% as they are not growing as quickly. hatchlings get 10% but a little closer together every 5 days or so rather than every 7, give or take.

Are you weighing the rats?

It very easily could be yours letting you know those are big meals and to give her time to digest. Either drop back down a size or longer between meals. Just remember no larger around than the snake is.

Yeah, after last week when they gave me a monster i made sure to get the smallest they had and it woulda been fine, but he was prob still full from last week....gonna start weighing them when they get here to make sure (still gotta weigh him today).

Oh, and their sizes are definitely on the small size (def no 80-90g ones), and my lil Enchi girl is getting puny lil things when I ask for a hopper (usually give her 2 and she pounds 'em the second I bring em over the tub).

[loonunit]

Honestly, I would just feed every other week. Older bps often drop to an every other week schedule, and this time of year even the juveniles can lose interest in weekly meals. It's pretty normal---I would attribute it more to the season than to the change in prey.

[Brion99]

Honestly, I would just feed every other week. Older bps often drop to an every other week schedule, and this time of year even the juveniles can lose interest in weekly meals. It's pretty normal---I would attribute it more to the season than to the change in prey.

The seasonal thing is something that I was considering too since it still takes awhile to get him to eat when he does, and he used to be an eating machine until I switched about 6 weeks ago (and he attacked that first rat...never happened with mice).

[kitedemon]

Could be seasonal but at 400 gm that is quite small for sexual maturity usually that is not until at least 600gm usually closer to 800-1000 for males. You never know they are individuals I think it is just a big meal I offer the adults about 5% once a week and they (breeding season omited) usually always take it mine isn't a huge group just 11 regulars and 2 rescues at the moment (they are rehab animals and come and go when I am sure they are healthy) It is not a exact science lots of ideas few right and wrong ones.

[Brion99]

Could be seasonal but at 400 gm that is quite small for sexual maturity usually that is not until at least 600gm usually closer to 800-1000 for males. You never know they are individuals I think it is just a big meal I offer the adults about 5% once a week and they (breeding season omited) usually always take it mine isn't a huge group just 11 regulars and 2 rescues at the moment (they are rehab animals and come and go when I am sure they are healthy) It is not a exact science lots of ideas few right and wrong ones.

I'll try a smaller one next week and if he still won't eat the week after that I'll go to every 2 weeks till march or so and try again.

BTW, sounds like you're doing some good work....

[kitedemon]

I hope so it is frustrating, rehabilitate one find a good home and more arrive. The two current ones really are difficult they are returning back after being homed to a 'good' couple then the couple became singles and the partner whom cared about the snakes is unable to take them and well they have not been fed or looked after at all in many months . I guess I understand why they broke up.

[Brion99]

Ouch. I guess when an animal can't whine and scratch at your door it's easy for "some" people to just ignore it......that's so wrong. Well at least they got to you before they died (I have a roommates snake in my room that was BADLY burned from an UTH pad that didn't have a t-stat on it. Poor thing hasn't eaten w/o assisting for almost 4 months now, but we've done the vet thing and are trying all we can to keep him goin till that day he takes one on his own.