More general questions about my baby girl!

[LRRoberts0122]

I'm sorry if I'm being totally noobish. Believe it or not, I've been researching for about a year (on Snakes in general), but there are some things I still don't really know.

I got my girl last Wednesday, early in the morning. It is now Saturday (morning). Is it okay to feed her later today? Do you think she's had enough time to settle into her enclosure?

Or should I wait a week, until Wednesday?

What do you guys think is best? :)

[Mikoh4792]

I attempt to feed any snake the first day they arrive and so far all have taken without problems.

[EL Ziggy]

I think it's fine to give your girl a try. Do you know when she ate last? I got a new bull snake yesterday. I normally wait 3 days before feeding new arrivals but I offered him a rat pinky and he took it down pretty quickly.

[LRRoberts0122]

No, I don't. The breeder's website advised a week, but I wanted to get her on a weekend schedule, instead of feeding her in the middle of the week. (I have more time to attend to her, and make sure there are no problems, etc. on the weekends.)

I was hoping to feed her tomorrow, which will be her fourth day with me.

She's a bit more active at night, watching me, coming out of her hide, being a bit active, but I can't look at her else she gets scared, lol. So I try my best not to so she can feel comfortable. :)

But yeah, I'd like to feed her tomorrow. She's a year old, and yet she's so tiny I'll have to feed her pinkies. Do you guys think two is okay? I've sent two emails to the breeder with no response. :( What should I do?

[Tsubaki]

At a year old she should be able to take bigger prey than a pinkie, if you get a prey animal which is 1,5 times as thick as the thickest part of her body.. is it still going to be a pinkie?

[LRRoberts0122]

Yeah, it is. :( (I think?)

She was underfed, I think. She's a yearling, about the size of a baby in thickness, but is just longer. So I fed her two pinkies, and I think next Saturday, I may try to feed her 4 pinkies. I just want to upgrade her slowly, so she doesn't regurgitate.

I have a third one thawed, do you think she may be able to handle one or two more? Here's a picture of her. Sorry I don't have any better ones. She's pretty shy, and I didn't want to stress her out.

I've got *two pinkies left ~ do you think it would be okay to give that to her as well?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t31.0-8/10604538_783796285004658_7249603766975811236_o.jpg

[LRRoberts0122]

That was before she ate, by the way.

[LRRoberts0122]

Alright, well I gave her a third pinkie. So she's a yearling, had 3 pinkies. Does anyone have any advice for me?

I think she may be able to eat a fuzzy (I think at least), I will look at them next time. :)

What would you guys recommend? Should I feed her a fourth? Or let what she's had settle and give her more next time?

[EL Ziggy]

Congrats on the successful feed. It's always nice when new arrivals eat for the first time. Three pinks might be a good first meal. Going forward if your snake can eat 3 or 4 pinkys then she can almost certainly handle larger prey. I generally feed my snakes 10-15% of their body weight per feeding. I also believe your snake would benefit from more developed and nutritious prey. Best wishes.

[LRRoberts0122]

Thank you. Do you think two fuzzies would be a good feed next time? I don't have anything to weigh her with currently.

And I'm new to all this. I knew about the 1.5x rule, and I tried to follow that, and I think pinkies have been a little small. She got three. Any recommendations, based off the pic? ^^;

Or does anyone know how I could go about finding out?

Thank you for all the help and support. :)

Update: She seems less scared of me now that I've fed her and is roaming around a bit, despite me looking at her occasionally. :)

[EL Ziggy]

I cant see much of her body in the picture but you'll get a feel for her appetite. I say take small steps when it comes to feeding. After taking 2-3 pinkys I offer one fuzzy. After taking 2 fuzzys comfortably I offer one hopper and so forth. Glad to see she's starting to settle in. I believe you'll give her a really good home.

[LRRoberts0122]

Yeah, she's a sweet heart and I want the best for her.

She doesn't strike at anything, not me when I took her out of her deli box (even though she was scared out of her mind), or even the mice. Next time I will probably feed her with my hands, because she's so gentle, lol!

But thank you for telling me your process, I will try fuzzies next week! :D I'm just scared, because I'm under the impression they will keep eating even if they've had enough because they're opportunistic feeders. I don't want to overfeed her. But she seems good after three, has a fat little belly, which I'll give her some time to digest and then I'll try to hold her! :) Very excited. ^^

[EL Ziggy]

You're right they can have ravenous appetites and you have to be careful not to overfeed them. I'm glad you got a gentle spirited serpent. 3 of my 4 have been sweet from the start. My newest addition has nipped me twice in three days. I didn't handle him the day he didn't bite me :). I love his attitude though and he always calms right down after being held for a minute or two. You should share more pics after she digests her meal in a few days.

[LRRoberts0122]

Yeah I'm gonna' try to snap some pics of her during our first handling session if I can. Last time she was really flighty, so it'll depend on how well she's behaving but I'm glad she's a sweety. It's my first snake, not so sure I would've handled the nipping to well, though I know it wouldn't have hurt as small as her. :)

But anyhow, she's digesting so things will be quiet for the next two days. Excited to play with her soon! :)