Which feeding method do you prefer/use?

[CeraDigital]

Since I've recently been accused of being 'wrong' about my feeding method of feeding smaller more frequent meals, by a supposed "friend", I'd like to hear which method you prefer or use with your snakes, and why?

I use smaller more frequent meals for my animals, as its less stressful on them, as well as the prey items are easier to digest because they are smaller. There is also more tissue per square inch on multiple prey items comparative to one larger prey item, which means they very possibly get more nutrients from their prey item.

Which method has been most successful with you, and which method do you prefer most? Why?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Since I've recently been accused of being 'wrong' about my feeding method of feeding smaller more frequent meals, by a supposed "friend", I'd like to hear which method you prefer or use with your snakes, and why?

I use smaller more frequent meals for my animals, as its less stressful on them, as well as the prey items are easier to digest because they are smaller. There is also more tissue per square inch on multiple prey items comparative to one larger prey item, which means they very possibly get more nutrients from their prey item.

Which method has been most successful with you, and which method do you prefer most? Why?

I feed smaller prey once a week.

The biggest prey that I will ever feed my BP is a small rat.

[rabernet]

What's your definition of more frequent? How often. I didn't vote, as I'm not clear on the length of time you call frequent.


I feed smaller meals once a week.

[CeraDigital]

My definition of more frequent is every 5 to 7 days, where as less frequent is a larger meal every 10 days to two weeks.

[SnakeySnakeSnake]

If you feed a small meal every 7 days, you are describing what a majority of people here do....

Also from what Ive read, a lot of people feed only a small rat to their biggest BP's... this is what I do.

I don't think you will get many to argue that a large meal every 10-14 days is better than a small meal once a week...

I feed live, so its nice to know that my 3000+ gram females are far less likely to get injured by a rat they outweigh 60 to 1 even if they dont grab just right.

[CeraDigital]

Yeah, its the same method I use for my giants. Many giant breeders I've talked to also use this method. I've seen outstanding results with it.

[ballpnoob]

Fluffy prefers larger, more frequent meals!

[Nate]

fluffy

My bigger ones will take one small rat.

My picky ones that are also bigger will take 2 or more large mice.

My smaller ones take one mouse.

[_BoidFinatic_]

I voted for the second choice (feed larger meals and less often).

I tend to stick to a routine that includes feeding large meals to my snakes. I like to feed "large" meals and less often rather than small meals and more often. This way, my snakes get more meat and less fur/feather. In addition, I save money, especially considering the giants that I have to feed. What is more fascinating to me than the process of how a snake obtains a meal, is how it swallows a meal which may not seem of realistic size.

I don't powerfeed my snakes in any way if that thought crosses your mind, because I space out these feedings realistically. I believe that powerfeeding is a routine where one feeds large meals and does so frequently. I think that in the wild, snakes do not eat as often as we feed them and I would rather give them weeks at a time before a next feeding. If, for instance, I chose to feed a 3000g BP a 600g rat every 21 days, then that would be no different than feeding that same snake a 200g rat every 7 days, other than the frequency. The snake intakes the same mass from the one meal as with three, only I believe that the latter isn't as natural. I doubt that BPs, or any snake for that matter, would snatch up a meal every week.

Some might say that even though a snake may be able to handle a "large" meal, they shouldn't be given the chance to, and that is where I disagree. I believe that snakes expend more energy to catch meals weekly than to catch and swallow a larger meal every month or so.

I personally have been able to witness numerous snakes swallow 10-70% of their body mass from one food item. I am not saying that it is easy on the snake to swallow a meal which is 60% of its mass, but I see that as being less stressful than more frequent "kills" and deglutation.

A big part of employing the feeding routine that I do is that I brought up my snakes on large meals. Consequently, they have been "trained" to eat big meals from youth. I would consider a snake "spoiled" if it were fed small meals for its entire life, and I am not saying that that snake is not healthy or content, but it would not be a preferrable specimen to me.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

a 3000g BP a 600g rat every 21 days, then that would be no different than feeding that same snake a 200g rat every 7 days, other than the frequency.

Do you ever experience fasting among your BP because it seems to me that even the small prey you are refering to is way bigger then what most people feed on a weekly basis?

I for example would not feed anything larger then a 60 grams rat once a week to any BP, even adults.