Quote Originally Posted by Mykuhl View Post
Is there any scientific data that tells us the recommended quantity and frequency that is required to optimally raise ball pythons throughout their various stages of development? I for one would love to have this as a resource if there is. If so, do you have any links to this information Skiploder?
Never seen it for ball pythons Mykuhl. Seen it for other species and it's well beneath the 10 to 15% ratio.

Quote Originally Posted by Eric Alan View Post
Fair enough.

As thinking pertains to this particular subject, thinking about the basis for the percentage-based feeding recommemdation is good. Thinking that it broadly applies to much more than a tool that can be used to purchase/select appropriately sized meals for a young ball python? Not so much. As you said - too many variables.
Eric, I've seen a lot of over feeding related health issues in many species of snakes. Some snakes do not metabolize high levels of fat very well and form lipomas or liposarcomas in a fairly predictable pattern if overfed.

Considering that ball pythons - especially males - climb and feed on birds, we could probably hypothesize that the average tupperware-housed male ball python fed 15% of his body mass weekly in rodents is tracking quite a bit above what he was designed to take in considering the lack of activity.