Quote Originally Posted by TanyaL View Post
Here are my questions…
1. Does she sound thin? I’ve been feeding her large adult mice (25 – 30g) every 7 days. She won’t take them before 7 days and won’t take two at once. She is a 7-day, one serving feeder. Her feeding response is great!
She sounds a tad thin, nothing to worry about though.

2. Just yesterday, I offered her a small rat because the mice just didn’t seem like they were bit enough as far as her girth goes. The rat was 52 grams (YIKES) but was the same as her girth. Based on the suggested 10 – 15% of her body weight, is a small rat too much, maybe a tad smaller? She didn’t take it and that’s my problem! Could it have been because she is used to white mice and not black and white rats? Was it too big? What do you think? And, what can/should I do? It’s been 8 days since her last feeding if I’m not mistaken. I know shame on me! I should keep better track but I’ve got so much going on lately!
I would try rat pups to switch her over. 20-30g.. What you can do is feed her a mouse and as soon as its almost gone (feet sticking out) stick a rat pup in there and she will take it too. You can also do that with mice if you want her to take more than 1 at a meal. Just don't over do it. The second mice/rat should be dead of course.

3. If a snake does not take the prey when offered, why should you wait until the next scheduled feeding before offering again?
Its about stress.. Ball pythons stress out easily. But if she does take it on the second attempt I don't see it as a bad thing. I find when I try too soon the snake starts to panic and tries to flee.. I wait 12-14 days after a refusal.
4. I’ve seen many pictures of younger BPs that have the ridge on their backs. Foster has it too. At what age/size would you expect them to round out? Or, should you not see a ridge at all? She is filled out on her sides, it’s just the ridge on her back that you can see.
Don't worry about it. She is eating well for you just keep feeding.

5. As far as her pattern/markingsgoes…she does not have the alien eyes like most normal bps do. She has a few spots but none of them are side by side. I think in one area one black spot is above the other but even then she does not have a lot of ‘eyes’. The majority of her brown spots are clear. Does this make her a reduced, somewhat reduced or as normal as they come? Also, most of her brown spots connect from one side to the other. Does that mean anything?
I think her pattern would be considered banded probably not genetic.