I have a four foot something ball python that I have been weighing sporadically. The scale I have is probably about six inches wide, and I've been putting him (or her, more likely based on tail length but idk) in a bin much larger than the scale and then placing that on the scale. Is this going to be accurate? He was a bit overweight when I first got him (he was already an adult at this time) and so I've been working to slim him down.

On a two week feeding schedule he was still gaining quite a bit of weight, so I decreased to every three weeks. He's been on this schedule for around six months now and he looks healthier to me (the transition from body to tail is a lot less noticeable), but when I weighed him he had GAINED 200 GRAMS?? I know reptiles are technically always growing, but that seems crazy haha.

Is the way I'm weighing him effective at all? Should I just go by body physique? He also didn't eat last week, and I'm not sure why. He seems to have been getting less enthusiastic about food since I've gotten him as he doesn't strike from the tongs anymore, he doesn't really go into strike pose either. Do you think his metabolism is just very slow and I'm feeding him TOO much? Is that possible? Any insight into this is appreciated.

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