Is there a guideline for ball python growth rate?

[CakeLike]

I know ball pythons grow differently depending on feeding but is there a generel guideline how fast a bp should grow if you feed the healthy normal amount of food for it's body size?
I got my bp 4 weeks ago. 6 weeks ago the breeder told me he weighed around 100grams . Now he weighs 127 grams.
I am bot sure if this is too fast growth but I suspect I fed him slightly too big prey (17-20grams mice) and will now feed slightly smaller ones.
Where I can I look up how much weight a ball python should gain in what amount of time and what is normal growth?

[Bleh]

27 grams gain in 6 weeks sounds OK to me.

I don't there's a definitive growth chart as their gains will depend on feeding and if they go on a fasting cycle, then you'd start to panic that your snake isn't in line with a chart.

There's a good table for prey size to snake size feeding guide, somewhere in the forum, but I don't know it's location.

Sounds like you little dude is doing his little dude things just fine.

Growing and security are his main objectives for now

[JoeNapoli]

... 6 weeks ago the breeder told me he weighed around 100grams . Now he weighs 127 grams.
I am bot sure if this is too fast growth but I suspect I fed him slightly too big prey ...

So you are worried that an increase of 27 grams over a duration of 6 weeks is too much? I've seen hatchlings double in weight in that amount of time.

Are you raising a pet? health/longevity priority? relatively inexpensive BP and/or profit not priority? maybe you have no interest at all in breeding?

or

an expensive high-end morph, profit margin main priority?



Many morphs that cost thousands of dollars today will be worth only hundreds of dollars a few years from now. Breeders that invest in those hatchlings need to get them up to breeding size ASAP if they want to realize profits, or even break even. There's a lot of power-feeding going on; it may not be publicized, but it's being done.

[dakski]

There is no rule. It depends on the animal, what you are feeding, how often you are feeding, and what you want from the animal.

You are raising a pet so you want him to be happy and healthy and live a long life.

In that case, less is more when it comes to food.

A lot of caring for reptiles is an art, not a science, please keep that in mind. Yes, temps and humidity should be correct, but some people say 87F hot side and some say 89F. Is one right or wrong? NO. As long as the animal is doing well. Some people feed smaller meals more often and others larger meals less often, etc.

If I were you, I'd be feeding appropriate sized meals every 7 days for now. I also would only weigh your BP when he's empty - having done number 2. Also, same to scale to same scale. If the breeder said 100G I wouldn't take that verbatim on your scale.

[CakeLike]

So you are worried that an increase of 27 grams over a duration of 6 weeks is too much? I've seen hatchlings double in weight in that amount of time.

Are you raising a pet? health/longevity priority? relatively inexpensive BP and/or profit not priority? maybe you have no interest at all in breeding?

or

an expensive high-end morph, profit margin main priority?



Many morphs that cost thousands of dollars today will be worth only hundreds of dollars a few years from now. Breeders that invest in those hatchlings need to get them up to breeding size ASAP if they want to realize profits, or even break even. There's a lot of power-feeding going on; it may not be publicized, but it's being done.

I know but I don't want to do that. I keep him as a pet just for fun and only care about his health not breeding requirements.

[Bogertophis]

I totally agree with dakski's post above (#4). Don't over-think this.

[CakeLike]

There is no rule. It depends on the animal, what you are feeding, how often you are feeding, and what you want from the animal.

You are raising a pet so you want him to be happy and healthy and live a long life.

In that case, less is more when it comes to food.

A lot of caring for reptiles is an art, not a science, please keep that in mind. Yes, temps and humidity should be correct, but some people say 87F hot side and some say 89F. Is one right or wrong? NO. As long as the animal is doing well. Some people feed smaller meals more often and others larger meals less often, etc.

If I were you, I'd be feeding appropriate sized meals every 7 days for now. I also would only weigh your BP when he's empty - having done number 2. Also, same to scale to same scale. If the breeder said 100G I wouldn't take that verbatim on your scale.

Yeah I think I will stay at the lower end of the feeding guidelines for now and increase if he seems like he needs it.
So if people say 10-15% of body weight I will stick to around 10 for now and see how it goes.
He seemed very hungry the last few weeks. Prowling the enclosure every night and going in and out of his hides so I felt the urge to feed more but I will ge over it.
Since he's in shed now he hasn't moved much this week.

[EL-Ziggy]

I agree with Dakski. It’s an art not a science. I’d forget all the weights and formulas and just feed your snake an appropriately sized meal once a week. If he’s 125g he can eat prey anywhere between 10-40g. Just space out your feedings a little more if you do feed a larger meal. Enjoy your new BP.

[PitOnTheProwl]

They will all grow at different weights.
I had a girl out of a clutch that put on weight like crazy while a couple of the other hold backs took forever to gain.

[CakeLike]

Ok thanks everyone!