Some feeding confusion

[tttaylorrr]

1) Is it better to use prey size or prey weight to determine what to feed your snake?

prey size is usually determined by weight as well as the stage the prey is at in their life. a specific prey size usually has a weight range that accompanies it, i.e. a rat pup is between 20-29g.

2) If size, do you compare the length of the rat or the girth of the rat to your snake's girth?

judging visually is very much prone to user error and not a great way to go about determining feeder size. idk anyone who goes by a visual guess to determine proper feeder size.

I have been using girth of snake to girth of rat to feed Lucy so I gave her large rats, but the feeding chart that gets passed around here says a female shouldn't need anything larger than a medium. I worry that may be why she threw up in December.

you need to weigh your snake to properly follow that feeding guide. you cannot rely on yourself, as a novice, to determine what size is appropriate, and i wouldn't be surprised if your error caused a regurge. even i still get hung up on eyeballing a weaned rat and a small rat.

get a scale and you will never have to worry about prey size again.