feeding.. on demand?

[ADEE]

wow its so great to hear more people feeding this way!!!

thank you

[Ginevive]

It was pretty cool for me too, to see that I am not the only one doing this. Jas's post made it click: there is more than one way to skin a cat (or feed a snake.) I really want to re-iterate. I am not bragging by any means.. but I do not have snakes that go off-feed. Granted, there are and could be many reasons why snakes do go off feed. But I am just saying what works with my brood. By feeding rather sporadically, in an unpredictable pattern, my snakes always eat when fed. A few of them actually "leap" out of their tubs when I go to drop their rat in.. Ginger being the most likely to do this. A light tap on the head with an empty water bottle, sets her back if it is not feeding that I am doing, but handling or tub maintenance.

[Austin Smith]

One thing you have to keep in mind is that these arn't wild snakes so you can't feed them like wild snakes. Wild snakes arn't stuck in a box so they are less prone to obesity. They may eat three rats in one night but then go half a year without eating again. Also, snakes in the wild don't live half as long as captive BPs on average, if that. Its mostly due to predation, but I bet irregular meals contribute.

I think it is a bad idea to feed any snake until it refuses a meal. This may work for one snake, but how can someone say your snake won't gorge itself to the point of regurgitation or even death?

The majority of breeders suggest feeding every 7-10 days on a regular basis because this has been shown to promote longevity and health in the long run. If you start feeding your snake randomly there is a good chance it may start fasting.

I read a good post on why its good to feed BPs regularly, but I can't remember what it said. It was something about the motabolism and such. Try to get some info before you start experiementing with unorthodox feeding regimens.

-Austin

[Brimstone111888]

I personally don't feed that way, but obviously Jas is doing something right.

[JASBALLS]

One thing you have to keep in mind is that these arn't wild snakes so you can't feed them like wild snakes. Wild snakes arn't stuck in a box so they are less prone to obesity. They may eat three rats in one night but then go half a year without eating again. Also, snakes in the wild don't live half as long as captive BPs on average, if that. Its mostly due to predation, but I bet irregular meals contribute.

I think it is a bad idea to feed any snake until it refuses a meal. This may work for one snake, but how can someone say your snake won't gorge itself to the point of regurgitation or even death?

The majority of breeders suggest feeding every 7-10 days on a regular basis because this has been shown to promote longevity and health in the long run. If you start feeding your snake randomly there is a good chance it may start fasting.

I read a good post on why its good to feed BPs regularly, but I can't remember what it said. It was something about the motabolism and such. Try to get some info before you start experiementing with unorthodox feeding regimens.

-Austin

Who is experimenting? Me!! How else can I learn about these animals? Other Breeders?? They know what they know HOW?? Experimenting!! Go read another book and be brain washed bro!! I'll keep on trying to figure these animals out for Myself...

[Spaniard]

Also, snakes in the wild don't live half as long as captive BPs on average, if that. Its mostly due to predation, but I bet irregular meals contribute.

I can't say I agree with you on this bit. Snakes in the wild actually suffer from very little natural predators. They're considered a nuisance by locals and are exported by the thousands for the pet industry worldwide and food industry in China.

[Austin Smith]

You're probably right about snakes have few natural predators. However I think that may only apply for adults. Logic tells me that babys would have a whole host of predators looking to munch them up. I could be wrong though. I'll need to do some research to know for sure. The bottomline is I don't think its such a great idea to feed randomly. Do what you what you think is best though and please share the results.

-Austin

[Entropy]

Mine get fed every Friday. My younger snakes get fed every 5 days and the young 'cruisers' get fed when they start cruising.

[Ginevive]

I don't exactly feed until the snake stops eating. It's kind of like this. I feed the snake one appropriately-sized rat. In a few days, I see how things are going; if the snake is in shed, I don't feed. This is another issue I have that I stick to: not feeding while the snake is in shed. Why? It is my preference. I just don't like bothering a snake that's in blue and waiting the start of its shed. Do I say that it is proven to be the best way to handle a snake in shed? Nope. It works for me and mine, though.. and I don't get food refusals almost to a tee in my snakes, seriously. Again, I am not bragging. I am saying that, since my snakes consistently are in great condition, eat, shed, breed and poop/urate, I am doing right in my book. Even my breeding males take food with gusto..
So said snake sheds. I offer a prey item right after the shed.. bam! Snake bags rat. If we're talking hatchlings, I'll feed every 5 days or so, but if I skip a day, or feed in 4 days (never more often than that) it is no huge issue. If there were a concrete rule as to how long it took each snake to digest and poop-out a rat, I would by all means feed in a strict regimen. Since there is no such rule, I feed in a window of..
Every 4-6 days for "babies" snakes under 500-odd grams
Every 6-7 days for "growers" 500-1000 grams
Every 7-10 days for adults 1000 grams and over.
It is just my way of doing things based on observing my snakes, not based on concrete numbers and rules.
Oh, though, I don't feed prey items until the snake stops eating. I'll feed one appropriately sized prey item in one feeding. Or two smaller ones if need be due to availability.

[FIREball]

A little off topic, but today was feeding day and I was down to my last snake to feed when my cell phone rang. My wife had called and just started talking and wouldnt stop. I look up and my albino female could smell a rat next door (32 qt tub with RB divider) so I caught her sneaking into one of my normals sides who was already constricting her rat pup. Luckily I got her before she got too close and put her back in her side and she was more than happy to get her helping.