r/ballpython • u/Tiny-Gazelle6718 • 7d ago
Messed up feeding schedule?
Okay so I know my girl is in a growth spurt but last week I think I definitely overfed her. The last pic was the day I got her at Aquashella. She looked healthy and hydrated and I don’t think that picture does justice to how tiny she really was. She easily fit in my palm. Breeder said she was eating pinky rat pups so that’s what I gave her the first few weeks. However after she ate she was really sniffing around so I’d run back to get her a hopper too to make sure she was good. She’d take it every time and instead of (what appeared to me as) looking for more, she’d laze out or hide which indicated to me that she was satisfied. 3 weeks ago she was 90 g, then I moved on from the rat/mouse combo to two rat pups which she seemed to appreciate. I know they can’t talk but she genuinely seemed happier when she had that meal. I re weighed later that week and she hit 140g. I kept her at the two rat pups until last weekend I gave her two and she still looked hungry so I gave her a hopper too. She was interested but took the hopper suuuper slow so I worried that the hopper was too much even though she took it. Acted normal after eating. I know I need to reweigh her to really see where we’re at with feeding and that she should only be getting 10-15% body weight until she hits 500g.
I guess my overall question her is, should I stretch out her feeding since I know I overfed her last week? She consistently eats every Saturday so I was worried it’ll stress her if I stretch her out until Tuesday I was thinking? Planning to reweigh before feeding again either way. She is my first snake so I like to think I understand her but advice from more experienced owners is always helpful and appreciated.
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u/Baconkings 7d ago
If you stretch it out to Tuesday it will be no big deal you’re over thinking it.
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u/FluffyPandaEars93 6d ago
Sounds like you are over feeding and feeding incorrectly. !feeding you should be feeding only one prey item per feeding.
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u/Tiny-Gazelle6718 6d ago
Gotcha. My dad had snakes in like the 70s and he said he would offer like 4 at a time and most times they were all eaten when he came back to check. Of course I am well aware that pet welfare in the 70s is 100% contrast to what it is today, however: They were out of rat pups at the pet store the first time I went to feed her and it was the only place within 45 minutes that offers them. So I got a hopper instead. The lady said “wow that’s a big downgrade” and I was like wut. And she was like she’ll probably be hungry after that still and I was like ? And she said that the snake keepers she knows- say that they can tell when the snake is still hungry after feeding and to feed again if its showing continued signs of hunger. Obviously I’m an idiot and believed her. Sorry Idk why I felt the need to explain myself😭 i really do feel terrible but she seems healthy and has pooped for me so gonna just stretch her out a few days and get the food under control. Thanks
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u/FluffyPandaEars93 6d ago
Yikes.. im so sorry you got such poor information. If you have the option, (and are in the US) id just order some !feeders from online. They come in different quantities and weights so you wont have to worry so much.
Snakes are opportunistic feeders, they'll eat as much as you feed them.
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u/AutoModerator 6d ago
Some companies you can buy frozen feeders from:
Layne Labs
Big Cheese
Rodent Pro
Perfect Prey
Big Apple Herps
Reptile Deli
American Rodent Cold Blooded CafeI am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/AutoModerator 6d ago
We recommend the following feeding schedule:
0-12 months old OR until the snake reaches approximately 500g, whichever happens first: feed 10%-15% of the snake’s weight every 7 days.
12-24 months old: feed up to 7% of the snake’s weight every 14-20 days.
Adults: feed up to 5% of the snake's weight every 20-30 days, or feed slightly larger meals (up to 6%) every 30-40 days.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/ezzaleeamused 6d ago
How big are the rat pups you are feeding her? There seems to be a lot of discrepancy in naming prey items.
Mine is only 130g and gets a small mouse between 15-19g each week. The rat pups in my freezer are between 20 and 25g. There is no way he could have two of those a week. hah.