Size of ball python help

[Kscalise314]

Hi. I am a first time ball python owner. I purchased my python off Craigslist. I was told that the python is female I've named her Wadjet & was told she is 3 yrs old. I just received in the mail today my scale to weigh her. She weighs 594 grams & roughly 3 ft long. She has bulked up a bit since I purchased her 3 weeks ago. I was told by the previous owner to feed her once a week & I was given 2 med size frozen mice by the seller. She had previously been being feed 1 mouse a week. She was thin & in a bad shed at the time I got her. I decided to feed her both of the mice I was given at her first feeding instead of only one. After the first feeding I have decided to increase the size of her food & am now feeding her 1 med size rat once a week. I am worried that her size has possibly been stunted. Her neck & head are rather small. I've measured her thickest part & she is roughly 5 inches round at that part of her body. I am just wondering if maybe she is not as old as I was told or maybe even really a he rather than a she because of her size. I would appreciate any thoughts on if it's possible for her size to increase seeing that she is 3 yrs of age. I just want her to be as healthy as possible. Although I haven't had her quite a month yet we have bonded nicely & I love her & what her to live a long life. Any tips to a newbie like me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Best way for us to tell if your animal appears healthy is to post a pic of your animal and your setup. At three years of age her weight is very low. Medium rats are a little large for that weight but if she is at three feet and can keep them down it is fine. The good news is her growth is not stunted. If she is otherwise healthy and her environment is good she will do fine. I would predict quite a bit of growth especially weight wise over the next couple months.

Make sure you take a look at this care sheet.

[Kscalise314]

I'm having difficulty trying to upload the photos, files are coming up as to large. In regards to the size of the med rat it is the same size as the widest part of her body & doesn't even really show a slight bump after she has eaten it. Although I was a little scared when I feed her that first rat cause her head is so small lol but she surprising handled getting it down rather well.

[the_rotten1]

My 3 year old female is 3 times that size (around 1750g), so she was definitely under fed. Even a baby ball python can eat a small adult mouse. Rats are just a better prey item for them, imo. You never have to feed more than one at a time.

The good news is that she should be fine as long as you continue to feed her well. I've taken in a few underweight snakes myself and they plumped right up with an appropriately sized rat every week.

[Eric Alan]

Help with posting pictures: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Post-Pictures.

[Kscalise314]

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[Kscalise314]

I know, it's not the greatest enclosure but will have to do until my husband builds her one.

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[JodanOrNoDan]

She looks fine. Keep feeding her and she should grow like a weed. Those gauges in the tank are kaka. They can be very inaccurate. Take a look at some of the thread on the ways to measure temp and humidity.

[Kscalise314]

Yeah I know they aren't great but maybe better than nothing at all...I want to get the digital ones & the temp gun...she does look a lot better from the time I got her. So I believe we are heading in the right direction with her feedings, temps etc.. she seems stronger & more active. I also noticed yesterday her belly is turning a lil pink so I'm hoping I can get the humidity right cause I have my fingers crossed for a one piece shed lol

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[Kscalise314]

Also any advice on increasing the humidity for her shed? I've plastic wrapped the top of the tank, put water dish partly over the heating pad & mist a few times a day. By the current gauge that's in there now it stays around 55% humidity but I know I should increase it during shed.

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