Stunted Growth?

[spix14]

I was just curious, is it true that a snake's growth can be stunted if not fed enough when young? My carpet is only 4 feet long-we got him from a friend of mine who had him since he was a baby, I think about 3 years ago. We were with him (the friend) when he was purchased, and he was small enough to eat pinkies. We adopted him from them about 6 months ago, and have been feeding him normally ever since (and he has grown) but I'm worried that they permanently stunted his growth from not feeding him the way they should have. Will he make up for the growth, or do I have a permanent midget on my hands?

Not that I'll love him any less, of course.

[APBTOwner]

I was just curious, is it true that a snake's growth can be stunted if not fed enough when young? My carpet is only 4 feet long-we got him from a friend of mine who had him since he was a baby, I think about 3 years ago. We were with him (the friend) when he was purchased, and he was small enough to eat pinkies. We adopted him from them about 6 months ago, and have been feeding him normally ever since (and he has grown) but I'm worried that they permanently stunted his growth from not feeding him the way they should have. Will he make up for the growth, or do I have a permanent midget on my hands?

Not that I'll love him any less, of course.

Stunted snakes are real no doubt about it. I have seen a main land Retic male 4 years old and a whooping 5.5-6 feet.

I have seen 8 foot 6 year old female Burmese.

With "dwarf" Retics and Burms on the market hot and heavy, stunting normal snakes and selling them as adult dwarfs for more money has become popular.

[8b8ll]

I was just curious, is it true that a snake's growth can be stunted if not fed enough when young? My carpet is only 4 feet long-we got him from a friend of mine who had him since he was a baby, I think about 3 years ago. We were with him (the friend) when he was purchased, and he was small enough to eat pinkies. We adopted him from them about 6 months ago, and have been feeding him normally ever since (and he has grown) but I'm worried that they permanently stunted his growth from not feeding him the way they should have. Will he make up for the growth, or do I have a permanent midget on my hands?

Not that I'll love him any less, of course.

Very true.

I believe IMO snakes can get stunted.

In the wild they would not sit and starve in a tank because a petshop owner is trying to keep food costs down.


Mike

[qiksilver]

I have an 18 inch 2.5 year old Bci, so yeah stunting happens, previous owner I guess didn't feed them much.

[bait4snake]

I have three ball pythons that are four years old and not even 800 grams yet. I also have another 4 yr old that was a pig from a hatchling and she's well over 2000 grams now.

If they don't eat a lot when they're young, they'll be smaller adults. However, if as babies you BULK them, they'll be gigantic adults. Proven fact, not just by this home breeder, but by field scientists. Feed them the most as babies for big-uns.

[pslsnakes]

I have three ball pythons that are four years old and not even 800 grams yet. I also have another 4 yr old that was a pig from a hatchling and she's well over 2000 grams now.

If they don't eat a lot when they're young, they'll be smaller adults. However, if as babies you BULK them, they'll be gigantic adults. Proven fact, not just by this home breeder, but by field scientists. Feed them the most as babies for big-uns.

That's very true.

I got a ch female last year and it was a 2006 hatch. She wasn't even 250g and was over a year old. Can't say because it wasn't fed...When I first got her, she was about 70g, and he ate every 5 days, for the whole time I had her. I asked multiple breeders if they have ever heard of that or had snakes that were like that and they said not that they ever heard.

I wish I still had that snake. Would of loved to be the first one to breed a "dwarf" ball python.

[Charlie Smith]

I was just curious, is it true that a snake's growth can be stunted if not fed enough when young? My carpet is only 4 feet long-we got him from a friend of mine who had him since he was a baby, I think about 3 years ago. We were with him (the friend) when he was purchased, and he was small enough to eat pinkies. We adopted him from them about 6 months ago, and have been feeding him normally ever since (and he has grown) but I'm worried that they permanently stunted his growth from not feeding him the way they should have. Will he make up for the growth, or do I have a permanent midget on my hands?

Not that I'll love him any less, of course.

I've heard of stunted snake growth happening during the first year of not being able to feed all that much. The article is on my other computer at the moment.

If you like I can direct you to 3 sites that list Jungles at the 4-6ft mark. I've heard more at the 6ft are though.

I hope some or any of this helps.

In regards to Jungles their size is actually 4-6 feet so if you have a male the size is ok. Usually if they've been mixed with something else either Jungle/Coastal or Diamond then they could get bigger up to 7-8 feet plus. It 'seems' to be ok/right for a male. My 2cents.

[joemophase]

not only feeding it .you need a larger tank or it will only get so big.

[SatanicIntention]

not only feeding it .you need a larger tank or it will only get so big.

Wow.. just wow.. Where do these myths come from??!

Snakes will grow to their genetically specified length, but that length can be influenced by a few different things such as food availability, environment(temperatures- too low= slow metabolism), stress level, etc. Cage size has nothing to do with it.

[joemophase]

myth or fact. this person has a dr. in Herpetology .what do you have? http://www.anapsid.org/resources/tanksize.html

http://www.anapsid.org/mainherpetology.html