BP Schedule Issues (feeding, shedding)

[kthoms104]

I've got a 7 month male lesser BP. I've had him for about 4 of those months.
He had a somewhat hard time getting acquainted with frozen feedings, and in the four months that I've had him I've successfully fed him about 7-ish times, feeding weekly. He took his first three or four meals easily, but went on a feeding strike for a while after that. I've just recently gotten him to take consistent meals, which has been going well for about a month.

However, I haven't seen much growth from him, and he hasn't shed since he's been with me. I figured that this was due to his inconsistent feedings, but since he's been taking food regularly, I'm beginning to become concerned about him.
He's about an inch wide, and I've been feeding him small adult mice. Should I move him up to large adult mice? I've been holding off on this because it seems extremely large compared to his head (although I know that they can eat food much larger than what it seems, I'm still pretty unsure).



About what size mice do you think I should feed him?
Also, I've been considering feeding every 5 days rather than weekly. Would anyone recommend/disapprove this?


Also, here are his conditions...

-UTH set to 90 F
-Humidity at 60-65%

I've got a few sticks/fake plants/rocks in his tub currently, I just don't have too many because they're in the new terrarium that we're working on. I've got two hides (one w/ bark for shedding), a water dish, and the yellow thing in the back is a sponge in a dish to help create humidity. As you can see, I currently use newspaper substrate.

[MD_Pythons]

Do you have a scale? Do you know how much he weighs? I would get him weighed and follow that chart.

[Zincubus]

I've got a 7 month male lesser BP. I've had him for about 4 of those months.
He had a somewhat hard time getting acquainted with frozen feedings, and in the four months that I've had him I've successfully fed him about 7-ish times, feeding weekly. He took his first three or four meals easily, but went on a feeding strike for a while after that. I've just recently gotten him to take consistent meals, which has been going well for about a month.

However, I haven't seen much growth from him, and he hasn't shed since he's been with me. I figured that this was due to his inconsistent feedings, but since he's been taking food regularly, I'm beginning to become concerned about him.
He's about an inch wide, and I've been feeding him small adult mice. Should I move him up to large adult mice? I've been holding off on this because it seems extremely large compared to his head (although I know that they can eat food much larger than what it seems, I'm still pretty unsure).



About what size mice do you think I should feed him?
Also, I've been considering feeding every 5 days rather than weekly. Would anyone recommend/disapprove this?


Also, here are his conditions...

-UTH set to 90 F
-Humidity at 60-65%

I've got a few sticks/fake plants/rocks in his tub currently, I just don't have too many because they're in the new terrarium that we're working on. I've got two hides (one w/ bark for shedding), a water dish, and the yellow thing in the back is a sponge in a dish to help create humidity. As you can see, I currently use newspaper substrate.

Any chance of using plain paper , white , grey or whatever ? ..

Newspaper looks so 'busy' and detracts from the look of your snake and set up ..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Craiga 01453]

Do you have a scale? Do you know how much he weighs? I would get him weighed and follow that chart.

^^^^this^^^^

[kthoms104]

I don't currently have a scale, and have been trying to find an okay one. I've been holding back from ordering one, but if it'll help with feeding him, I'll try to get one for that purpose

[MD_Pythons]

Just a simple kitchen scale will work, you don't need anything too fancy.

[kthoms104]

Any chance of using plain paper , white , grey or whatever ? ..

Newspaper looks so 'busy' and detracts from the look of your snake and set up ..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've just been using newspaper lately, it's just a lot easier. I'm moving him to a terrarium set up, where I plan on using coco fiber substrate. The whole thing will be a lot nicer looking in general lol

[cchardwick]

I wouldn't feed by the size of the head, feed by the width of the snake. I know it doesn't seem possible that a head that small can take a rodent that big but it can! I'd also switch to rats as soon as you can, maybe start with a live rat crawler first if you can find one. They are harmless and a good transition, you don't want to end up with a mouser! Here's my Super Dwarf retic chomping down a big rat, it's almost unbelievable:

[Craiga 01453]

I wouldn't feed by the size of the head, feed by the width of the snake. I know it doesn't seem possible that a head that small can take a rodent that big but it can! I'd also switch to rats as soon as you can, maybe start with a live rat crawler first if you can find one. They are harmless and a good transition, you don't want to end up with a mouser! Here's my Super Dwarf retic chomping down a big rat, it's almost unbelievable:

^^^^and this^^^^


There are 2 basic rules of thumb for feeding BPs appropriately sized prey.
1) the prey should be 10-15% of the snake's body weight
2) the prey item should be about the same girth as the snake at its widest point.

Also, a scale is important to keep records in case the snake goes on a food strike or becomes ill. Knowing weight can help to identify if something wrong and a vet visit is in order. And the more info we have for the vet the better.