Nutritional Value of Feeders and Snake Growth

[Icatsme]

Someone not long back did a graph of their snake growth, which I thought was an excellent idea. I'm a visual kind of person, so a graph means more to me than just the weights I record. I started a graph that charts my snakes' monthly weight.

Anyway, I switched my rodent feeder supplier around September 2007. Looking at my weight graphs, all of my snakes have had a significantly higher rate of growth/weight gain from starting in October to present than in the six months prior to my switching my supplier. They've leveled off in December, but I'm chalking that up to a disruption in their feeding schedule due to my being out of town quite a bit for the holidays.

Common sense, of course, tells me that the more nutritious food I feed the more robust my snakes will be, however I was curious if anyone else has found that changing where they get feeders has made such a dramatic difference.

Not sure if I'm posting this in the correct forum, please move if it belongs elsewhere.

[ADEE]

Im not sure .. I have not switched suppliers too drastically. I generally get them from the same place. I have found though that keeping them for several days/week on a good diet has made a difference. they are less skinney (mice are thin by nature) and i know they are at least full of nutrients as opposed to eating crappy food at the petstore, they are kept and treated with the utmost care, fresh water, clean bedding/housing, good food, some toys, bedding, exc...

[Icatsme]

Those are good points. I only have one or two that need live feeders anymore though, the rest of them eat F/T.

I order the frozen and have it shipped to me to save some $$ rather than buy from a petstore. I should have clarified that.

[littleindiangirl]

What are the ages of the snakes? They grow very quickly, and I have noticed some of mine go through growth spurts, even though they get fed the same amount. I raise my own feeders, but you brought up some very good points. Any chance you can post the graphs and ages of the snakes? Also, maybe the weights of the feeders, and the frequency of feeding.

I'm just curious, is all.