Did I overfeed my BP?

[Jtupnsmoke]

My 340g male BP is in the process of eating his first rat. I had been feeding him 1 adult mouse, but after reading up on here, one adult mouse seemed like underfeeding. So in keeping with the "food no bigger than the largest part of the snake" rule, I fed him a small rat tonight. He has it about half way down atm, but it just seems so big. The rat is smaller than his fattest part, but watching him try and get it in his mouth just seems like it is too big. I just want to make sure I'm not harming him by going from the adult mouse to small rat. Thanks as always.

[fishdip]

My 340g male BP is in the process of eating his first rat. I had been feeding him 1 adult mouse, but after reading up on here, one adult mouse seemed like underfeeding. So in keeping with the "food no bigger than the largest part of the snake" rule, I fed him a small rat tonight. He has it about half way down atm, but it just seems so big. The rat is smaller than his fattest part, but watching him try and get it in his mouth just seems like it is too big. I just want to make sure I'm not harming him by going from the adult mouse to small rat. Thanks as always.

Every time I feed my snake I think the same thing. How is he going to eat this meal then I turn around for 2 min and its gone.

[200xth]

My 340g male BP is in the process of eating his first rat. I had been feeding him 1 adult mouse, but after reading up on here, one adult mouse seemed like underfeeding. So in keeping with the "food no bigger than the largest part of the snake" rule, I fed him a small rat tonight. He has it about half way down atm, but it just seems so big. The rat is smaller than his fattest part, but watching him try and get it in his mouth just seems like it is too big. I just want to make sure I'm not harming him by going from the adult mouse to small rat. Thanks as always.

If the rat is definitely smaller than the widest part of your snake it will fit. It's one of the most amazing things about snakes in general. With nothing but a mouth backed by a tube of muscles they can swallow things much larger than their head and neck in one piece.

If you aren't sure in the future, you can always weigh the food a few times to help you get used to what he can eat. 10% to 15% is a basic guideline. You do that a few times knowing it'll work, it'll help you start being able to eyeball things more confidently.

[Jtupnsmoke]

He got it down. It was definitely smaller than his largest part. It was a very strange feeding. As soon as I put it in front of his hide, he came out and started striking at it, but either he has horrible aim or was trying to get my hand. I feed using needle nose pliers holding the tail, and he still was getting close to my hand. So I dropped it on the floor where he eventually started eating it. One other question, do you think he'll be on small rats long enough to justify an online order of rats? Pet Co and pet smart are crazy expensive and not the best quality.

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[Tarzan152]

I went through the same "panic" once when I got home from the pet store and realized the store gave me a bigger f/t rat than I asked for. I reluctantly fed it to my BP because it was time for him to eat. He ate that thing like a champ.

[Saber402]

It's usually a "Did I just give him something too big" moment the first time you move up in prey size. It's amazing how they can get something that big down.

[kylearmbar]

They usually stay on small rats a long time, medium rata are quite alot bigger, several breeders never even go bigger than small rats. I personally do, my biggest girl I feed a medium every other week.while on smalls you can still do once weekly though.

[coldbloodaddict]

He got it down. It was definitely smaller than his largest part. It was a very strange feeding. As soon as I put it in front of his hide, he came out and started striking at it, but either he has horrible aim or was trying to get my hand. I feed using needle nose pliers holding the tail, and he still was getting close to my hand. So I dropped it on the floor where he eventually started eating it. One other question, do you think he'll be on small rats long enough to justify an online order of rats? Pet Co and pet smart are crazy expensive and not the best quality.

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he was striking your hand because your hands heat signature was over powering the rodents heat sig.

You should get a long hemostat for feeding.


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[Raven01]

If your BP is getting it down without injury ( and I expect most would give up before injury even though they aren't the brightest snakes) and not looking obese (not to be confused with the gonna drop a deuce sausage butt) I wouldn't worry about it too much.
For disconcerting swallowing skills my BP's can't hold a candle to my juvie Carpet though. maybe it is just because she is much longer and slender compared to a standard BP physique. But, watching her pack away a mouse almost as large as her mid-body diameter often has me wondering if maybe I shouldn't down size her prey . And, she always manages to take it without any trouble, injury or so far even getting fat.