New adult female feeding strikes on me - how to judge hunger/weight?

[VorpalZard]

No, it's not hotly debated at all. A separate feeding enclosure is pointless and adds stress. This is pretty much universally accepted among experience keepers. You say that the bites are clearly a feeding response. Did the snake constrict you as it was biting? This is usually part of a feeding response. The snake is in a new home and needs time to acclimate. At 1200 grams I would say it is an underweight 6 year old female. This is a weight I consider borderline small/ medium rat weekly. If she takes the mediums without a struggle, I would continue that.

Yes, she tried to constrict every time she bit. She takes a medium no problem, but for now the preponderance of advice I've gotten has said to stick to small rats and feed weekly or every 5 days.

[cletus]

Yes, she tried to constrict every time she bit. She takes a medium no problem, but for now the preponderance of advice I've gotten has said to stick to small rats and feed weekly or every 5 days.

I'd just give her an appropriate sized rat weekly and feed in the enclosure. If that's a medium based on her weight and size, feed her mediums. She will get there once she is on a normal feeding schedule with proper husbandry. You should see some of the animals posted here that are rescued in horrible shape. Once they are properly fed and watered they bounce back quite nicely. Resist the urge to overfeed just to get her to the weight she should be.