Thoughts on Size

[ckuhn003]

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Just wanted to get some opinions on my little guys appearance. He hasn't eaten in a month (well documented struggle with transition to rat pups) so was curious if he looks overly skinny. His weight (260g) hasn't seemed to drop since he was consistently eating mice.

Thanks for looking!






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[Godzilla78]

He looks thin, I would be trying to get him to eat and find out why he is not.

[cchardwick]

Personally I don't like the way his back bone sticks up, he looks very much underweight. 260 grams is real light to be going on a month long fast. I would try feeding live rat pups or live medium mice. If you can get him to eat live I would feed him twice a week until he fills out.

What kind of enclosure is he in? I would try a grey ARS tub with coconut husk substrate (like Prococo) and a hotspot of 90F. You can get one level of an ARS 7010 hybrid for $99 and it comes with a heat strip, all you would need is a thermostat. Some say a 70 series tub is too big for a snake that small but I've raised up hatchlings in ARS-70 tubs and they do great, they can live their whole lives in a tub that size from hatchling to adult. I clear out a small spot over the hotspot so there's no substrate, gives them plenty of room to crawl out of the hotspot in the back. And with the grey tub you won't need a hide or decorations or anything, and the tubs come with a built in water dish holder, all you would need are a few Dixie cups.

I had problems getting my ball pythons to eat until I went to grey ARS tubs, coconut husk substrate and live food. Now almost all of them eat almost all the time (except when they are in the middle of the breeding season). A ball python at 260 grams should snap up food like mad every time it's offered food if conditions are right.

http://arscaging.com/ars7010_hybrid.html

[Momokahn]

Myself I would scrap the struggles with the rat pups, he's a bit thin. I would go back to the mice and get some meat on his bones. I would go with live mice to kick his feeding instinct back in. I have one ball python I have had to hit the reset button with twice in two years with live mice.

[ckuhn003]

Appreciate everyone's responses. I thought he was looking rather thin but wanted a second opinion. He's been a consistent eater since I got him. He's eaten every single week on f/t mice and has only started rejected when I introduced rat pups. So for the suggestions of feeding live and/or switching to a tub, I don't foresee an issue of him not eating if I switch back to f/t mice. I was just hesitant on doing this from all the feedback on this site which tried to reinforce the need to get him on rats and to keep trying until he eats. I spoke to the Garrick (who I trust) and he said if males eat mice their entire life and that big males can do fine on 2 jumbo mice per feeding.

For the record, he's currently in a pvc enclosure where the temps and humidity have been good.

I was going to try one more time w/ rat pups (since I at least struck at one last week) but if you think it's more urgent to get him back on mice ASAP I can go that route. This is my 1st BP so I'm all ears on suggestions.

[Craiga 01453]

Yeah, I would go back to F/T mice and get him filled out a bit. He could use a few meals.

You can try again with rats once he's filled out. The problem with switching back to mice usually only comes if the snake has been eating rats, then gets a mouse. Sometimes they will only eat mice after switching back.

I agree with Garrick too, no huge deal if he's a mouser. It's just cheaper and more convenient to switch to rats. But he can certainly live out a happy, healthy life on mice.

[ckuhn003]

Yeah, I would go back to F/T mice and get him filled out a bit. He could use a few meals.

You can try again with rats once he's filled out. The problem with switching back to mice usually only comes if the snake has been eating rats, then gets a mouse. Sometimes they will only eat mice after switching back.

I agree with Garrick too, no huge deal if he's a mouser. It's just cheaper and more convenient to switch to rats. But he can certainly live out a happy, healthy life on mice.

Thanks Craig...always appreciate your insight! I'm not so sure if he eats another rat that he won't regurgitate it again like his 1st one.

If I continue on mice, I'll have to make sure the size is correct; meaning it might be two mice that I need to use. If that's the case, how soon after the 1st mouse do you offer the 2nd? I've been using the Artic brand at Petsmart which seems to be on the smaller size' even when the bag reads large mouse. I'm assuming if I order online my chance of getting more appropriate sizes are greater.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Might be a little on the light side but I wouldn't worry too much about it.
You have to remember most keepers have fat snakes due to overfeeding..... Its human nature.

As long as there is no big weight loss I would hold out a week or two and then try another f/t rat and see how it goes.

[rufretic]

I don’t think he looks that thin either. Getting them to switch can be a struggle and one month is not long for a bp. I would continue to offer weekly but try senting the rat with a mouse. If your feeding f/t, defrost the rat in a small bag of water with a mouse in it as well. Or if you try live just put the rat in some used mouse bedding for a couple hours before feeding. I’ve got all my mousers to switch over using this method. Then I make the switch to f/t. If he starts to loose weight then just give him a mouse to keep him healthy and then continue to try sented rats again. Good luck.

[ckuhn003]

I don’t think he looks that thin either. Getting them to switch can be a struggle and one month is not long for a bp. I would continue to offer weekly but try senting the rat with a mouse. If your feeding f/t, defrost the rat in a small bag of water with a mouse in it as well. Or if you try live just put the rat in some used mouse bedding for a couple hours before feeding. I’ve got all my mousers to switch over using this method. Then I make the switch to f/t. If he starts to loose weight then just give him a mouse to keep him healthy and then continue to try sented rats again. Good luck.

I've tried scenting with a mouse during the thawing process and he seemed interested enough to strike and consistently tracked the mouse when I presented it to him. I'll be honest, I'm still a little gun shy that he might regurgitate it if takes it. I truly believe the shock of a new prey caused the 1st one. Should I be worried about this?