B.P Healthy weight

[Maki]

Well I have had my Python for over a week in that time he has shed, and eaten twice (what a relief) after reading the my snake wont eat threads on these forums I was so worried about him not feeduing and he woofed it down, anyway the shop where I got him only fed one fuzzie a week. I stepped it up to two, is this enough for now, he measures 20" long and weighs 150 grams after reading about weights on here, I am thinking he is under weight? His skin seems loose, I dont know his age as the assistant in the shop said not very old we have only had them in for two weeks.
Regards Maki

[jglass38]

Got pictures? It would be more helpful. Odds are he is underweight. A lot of pet shops feed as little as possible to save money and increase their profits. Have you had him checked by a vet?

[Maki]

Yes heres a pic and no I did not get him checked by a vet yet.

[new2BP]

looks nice and plump to me

[jglass38]

Looks fine to me too. I dont see the loose skin.

[Maki]

Thanks, I shall get him checked over though its just his skin seems loose compared to my snow corn and ratsnake.

Regards Maki

[jglass38]

He could have been dehydrated as well. Keep doing what youre doing and get him checked at some point for your own sanity. Good luck!

[JLC]

He looks pretty good to me, too. A little cutie! So long as you take good care of him, he should quickly and easily recover from whatever neglect he suffered in his "pet store" days.


My BP is healthy as a horse, so to speak...but compared to my gopher snake, her skin might appear "loose" as well. They tend to have thicker, heavier skin and/or scales compared to colubrids and it bunches up more in the "corners" where they are bent and curled. At least, that's how it appears to me, whether that is a scientifically correct assumption about "thicker skin" I dunno...just trying to describe the phenomenon.

Still...a vet check for a new snake, especially a pet store snake, is a very good idea!

[Maki]

but compared to my gopher snake, her skin might appear "loose" as well. They tend to have thicker, heavier skin and/or scales compared to colubrids and it bunches up more in the "corners" where they are bent and curled. At least, that's how it appears to me, whether that is a scientifically correct assumption about "thicker skin" I dunno...just trying to describe the phenomenon.

Thanks that sounds plausible, this may be what it is.
Regards Maki

[frankykeno]

He's look quite nice actually. I checked our records on our male who was 145 when we got him from 8Ball. He was on fuzzy rats then, usually one per week, occasionally two. Fuzzy rats are between 8 and 13 days old. He went to rat pups about 6 weeks later when he'd gained some more size and girth. Small pups though of about 14 - 18 days of age, not the bigger pups that are close to weaning age. Now that he's 510 grams he easily takes a nice plump just weaned rat each week.

Hope that helped. Every snake is different though so just pick a prey size that is the same or preferrably slightly smaller than his biggest girth and he should do just fine. Lots of access to fresh water and good healthy prey items will help him do the best. A vet visit and a fecal float is always a good thing when you get a young snake from a pet store as they are pretty much of unknown background.