Feeding your ball python

[AK907]

Do I need to put you two in time out?

A scale helps, especially when you're new to keeping snakes. Underfeeding is a major issue in this hobby. Do you have to have scale to successfully keep a ball python? No. Do I rely on mine 100% and weigh every meal? Nope, but it helps sometimes and those new to keeping them might not know exactly how big of a meal is best and a scale helps teach them. People also like to keep track of their snake's growth.

[sho220]

Do I need to put you two in time out?

A scale helps, especially when you're new to keeping snakes. Underfeeding is a major issue in this hobby. Do you have to have scale to successfully keep a ball python? No. Do I rely on mine 100% and weigh every meal? Nope, but it helps sometimes and those new to keeping them might not know exactly how big of a meal is best and a scale helps teach them. People also like to keep track of their snake's growth.

I'll bet the majority of underfeeding issues are due to "Bob" at Petco telling the new snake customer "just give 'em a mouse every couple of weeks and it will be fine. They're snakes, they can go months without eating..."

That or laziness or cheapness...

[Sunnyvale420]

I'll bet the majority of underfeeding issues are due to "Bob" at Petco telling the new snake customer "just give 'em a mouse every couple of weeks and it will be fine. They're snakes, they can go months without eating..."

That or laziness or cheapness...

Laziness and cheapness is what you have shown in this thread

[sho220]

Laziness and cheapness is what you have shown in this thread

How so?

[Sunnyvale420]

How so?

I dont mean to bust any balls it's just that unless you're a breeder of hundreds of snakes, how hard is it to place a feeder on a $20-$70 scale? You're already writing down fed SR (which is already the least amount of effort for identifying a small rat btw). A small rat ranges from what 40-80 grams? That's a pretty big variance. It's nothing to worry about but if you are closely monitoring the snake after an illness, Wanna keep neat paperwork to see growth rate, compare to your other snakes... I only have 2 ball pythons but i know i can feed both a small rat every 7 days but one snake could be getting a 40g and the other 80g for their meals. Then you have people starting a thread asking 'why is mr wiggles so much bigger than ms curls?'. You accuse slim of giving confusing information while youre doing exactly that. Not everyone can just eyeball an appropriate feeder, so the 10-15% rule is pretty fail safe and great for new owners to follow.

[sho220]

I dont mean to bust any balls it's just that unless you're a breeder of hundreds of snakes, how hard is it to place a feeder on a $20-$70 scale? You're already writing down fed SR (which is already the least amount of effort for identifying a small rat btw).

RP = Rat Pup
WR = Weaned Rat
SR = Small Rat
Why make it more difficult?

A small rat ranges from what 40-80 grams? That's a pretty big variance. It's nothing to worry about but if you are closely monitoring the snake after an illness,

And after 7 years or so I've never had to monitor a snake after an illness because I've never had a sick snake. Guess I'm just lucky...

I only have 2 ball pythons but i know i can feed both a small rat every 7 days but one snake could be getting a 40g and the other 80g for their meals.

I only have 17 snakes and I know every one of them very well, so I don't need to weigh their food...I figure out who's eating that night and pick out an appropriate sized rat.

Then you have people starting a thread asking 'why is mr wiggles so much bigger than ms curls?'.

I would point them to the caresheet posted on this site that says:

"What size and how often to feed is always up for debate. Many keepers hold to the standard of feeding a rodent that is as big around at its widest point (the hips) as the snake is at its widest girth."

Pretty simple and reliable...

You accuse slim of giving confusing information while youre doing exactly that. Not everyone can just eyeball an appropriate feeder, so the 10-15% rule is pretty fail safe and great for new owners to follow.

The OP has ONE (1) snake...he doesn't need a scale...if someone can't follow the guideline above that was taken from the caresheet posted here they're an idiot...

Don't follow the crowd just to follow the crowd...if you call me out, you should probably be able to back it up...no offense and I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but people spew....um...stuff here on a daily basis...it's not rocket science despite how hard some people try to make it....

[Sunnyvale420]

RP = Rat Pup
WR = Weaned Rat
SR = Small Rat
Why make it more difficult?



And after 7 years or so I've never had to monitor a snake after an illness because I've never had a sick snake. Guess I'm just lucky...



I only have 17 snakes and I know every one of them very well, so I don't need to weigh their food...I figure out who's eating that night and pick out an appropriate sized rat.




I would point them to the caresheet posted on this site that says:

"What size and how often to feed is always up for debate. Many keepers hold to the standard of feeding a rodent that is as big around at its widest point (the hips) as the snake is at its widest girth."

Pretty simple and reliable...



The OP has ONE (1) snake...he doesn't need a scale...if someone can't follow the guideline above that was taken from the caresheet posted here they're an idiot...

Don't follow the crowd just to follow the crowd...if you call me out, you should probably be able to back it up...no offense and I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but people spew....um...stuff here on a daily basis...it's not rocket science despite how hard some people try to make it....

Congrats on your collection. I've never had an illness in a reptile either but i acheive this by doing due dilligence as an owner. I don't have a rheostat controlling my pets-thats guessing temperatures. So i dont guess my weights. Your legend of rats is what i use to write down...for the first month of owning a snake. After that I just wanted better paperwork and like to know whats going on, maybe thats me. Considering how much nicer snakes cost, how much feeders cost (my local stores are $4.70 each on sale)- why cheap out and not just pick up a $20 scale from sprawl mart or wherever. I dont have a 70 lb 70$ scale for big snakes but if owned any i would definately buy one, even if i only had 1 big snake...

[Trackstrong83]

A scale helps, especially when you're new to keeping snakes. Underfeeding is a major issue in this hobby. Do you have to have scale to successfully keep a ball python? No. Do I rely on mine 100% and weigh every meal? Nope, but it helps sometimes and those new to keeping them might not know exactly how big of a meal is best and a scale helps teach them. People also like to keep track of their snake's growth.

X2.
To the OP, a scale is not an absolute neccesity right away, but it helps later down the road.