Exploring instead of eating

[Lizardlicks]

You sure they aren't just mislabeling? I had to buy a rat small for my 1000g girl from Petco a couple weeks ago because hubby forgot to get it at the locally run reptile place and they were closed by the time I got off of work, and the rats Petco was selling as "mediums" were definitely what everyone else sells as smalls. It was sevens bucks too, double what I usually paid I was so mad

I'd weigh the rats you're trying to feed just to double check, and get an updated weight n your girl to boot. You want to shoot for prey size that's about 10-15% of her weight.

[oculus_ignigena]

You sure they aren't just mislabeling? I had to buy a rat small for my 1000g girl from Petco a couple weeks ago because hubby forgot to get it at the locally run reptile place and they were closed by the time I got off of work, and the rats Petco was selling as "mediums" were definitely what everyone else sells as smalls. It was sevens bucks too, double what I usually paid I was so mad

I'd weigh the rats you're trying to feed just to double check, and get an updated weight n your girl to boot. You want to shoot for prey size that's about 10-15% of her weight.

They're not mislabeled, thanks

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[Lizardlicks]

Then those rats are waaaay to big for a 350-ish gram snake.

[cristacake]

You sure they aren't just mislabeling? I had to buy a rat small for my 1000g girl from Petco a couple weeks ago because hubby forgot to get it at the locally run reptile place and they were closed by the time I got off of work, and the rats Petco was selling as "mediums" were definitely what everyone else sells as smalls. It was sevens bucks too, double what I usually paid I was so mad

I'd weigh the rats you're trying to feed just to double check, and get an updated weight n your girl to boot. You want to shoot for prey size that's about 10-15% of her weight.

I will second this. I've noticed Arctic Mice sometimes stocks virtually interchangeable feeders that are listed at different sizes. Weighing the food is just a good practice too, I'm trying to remember to do this myself but sometimes I get excited to feed and forget about that step

[bks2100]

I figured by "small rats" you meant that they were mislabeled rat pups, not rat smalls. If your girl is really only 350-ish g you should be feeding either large pups or small weans. Something in the 35-45 g range. An actual rat small is in the 50 - 90 g range and much too big for a baby that size.

I have a girl that when I got her she was 350-400 and I fed her what the reptile store near me calls "small rats". They're right at that line between a big weaned and small small. At 350g 15% of that is 52.5, so right at the lower end of the range for smalls. I wouldn't order a pack of small rats and feed her the first one I'd grab, but a small small is perfect fine.

You sure they aren't just mislabeling? I had to buy a rat small for my 1000g girl from Petco a couple weeks ago because hubby forgot to get it at the locally run reptile place and they were closed by the time I got off of work, and the rats Petco was selling as "mediums" were definitely what everyone else sells as smalls. It was sevens bucks too, double what I usually paid I was so mad

I'd weigh the rats you're trying to feed just to double check, and get an updated weight n your girl to boot. You want to shoot for prey size that's about 10-15% of her weight.

If you don't like petco's prices you shouldn't go to petsmart. Last time there I saw 2 small rats for 13 or 14 bucks and a medium rat for the same price. I couldn't see the rats and I didn't check if there were weights or anything, but I doubt the medium package was much bigger than what most people consider a small.

I will second this. I've noticed Arctic Mice sometimes stocks virtually interchangeable feeders that are listed at different sizes. Weighing the food is just a good practice too, I'm trying to remember to do this myself but sometimes I get excited to feed and forget about that step

I try to weigh most of the rats I feed, but not for making sure they're the right size or to record snake's meals. I'll note if I gave them a double meal, smaller than normal or bigger than normal meal and the weight if I remember, but it's really more for me to get a feel for how big the rats are. I can mostly tell now just looking at the reptile store how much the rat will weigh and if it's enough or not and I judge everything by my guesstimate. I always err on the side of being smaller rather than the biggest they can get but I've fed a few meals that are closer to 20% than 10% but I usually just give them an extra day or two to digest before next meal or I make sure to give them a slightly smaller meal next time.

[Lizardlicks]

I usually order bulk from Big Cheese and when the girls were smaller I'd weigh and separate out all their rats into gallon sized ziplocks portioned by 5 g incriments (25-30, 31-40, etc) I ordered their pack of weans and got some chunkers in there that came in at 55 g. but most were in the 35-50 range. Right now the girls sitting at around 1100g and taking a small rat between 70-90 g every 7-10 days but I'm much better at eyeballing it now, so I don't weight them out exactly unless, like you said, I get one that looks bigger or smaller than usual.

[cristacake]

If you don't like petco's prices you shouldn't go to petsmart. Last time there I saw 2 small rats for 13 or 14 bucks and a medium rat for the same price. I couldn't see the rats and I didn't check if there were weights or anything, but I doubt the medium package was much bigger than what most people consider a small.

What kind of sucker would pay $13 for a box of two smalls? Oh wait, what's this in my receipt drawer...



Oops haha

[Lizardlicks]

Oooooouchie, MY wallet felt that! XD

[cristacake]

Oooooouchie, MY wallet felt that! XD

I know, the only way I could justify it is that I occasionally eat a pizza that costs me $20 and it definitely doesn't hold me over for ~6 weeks like this will for Donuts haha. Whatever helps me sleep at night

[oculus_ignigena]

When I first got her she was already hungry so I got what I could get and went by the body thickness rule. The "small rats" were about 45g each. She not only downed it without a problem she also wanted more like 5 days later. From then on I've been getting them from Reptilia. They're closer to 55-65g - standard small-sized regular old white rat. She also took those without hesitation until about 3 feedings ago. I'm honestly not super concerned just yet. Just thought maybe someone's seen this specific behavior before. I think the size was a bit big for her before but she seemed to like it and a just right for her now but she seems to want something else

Probably I'm feeding her too much as was previously suggested

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