Feeding sizes...

[BURMS]

Hi all, I have a quick question, I've heard a lot of contoversy on the answer to this question and I just want to figure out what's best for my snake.

The question is: is it better to feed smaller meals more often or larger meals with more time allowed between each meal??

Thanks!

[dannybgoode]

I believe we have pretty much answered this question before but for completeness generally a larger meal less often unless there are specific reasons to feed smaller more often.

Digestion is actually a hugely stressful event for a snake and their organs change considerably during it.

That said in the wild they'll eat differing sizes at varying frequency and I am moving toward replicating this for my snakes. In the wild they possibly eat far less frequently than we feed in capativty. There is anecdotal evidence of big Retics eating one huge meal then not eating for up to a year.

There is still a minimum and maximum prey size I'll use so for example I would not feed a mouse fuzz to my boa or carpet as it is likely the process of digestion will use more energy that the meal contains and not would I feed my boa any more frequently than about 18 days or longer than 6 weeks (although that will be extended when she's older).

[EL Ziggy]

I think it's mostly a matter of personal preference as long as you're not feeding too large of a prey item. I like to mix up my feeder sizes and feeding frequencies. If I give the snakes a small meal they eat sooner. If they get a larger meal they have to wait a little longer to eat again.

[GyGbeetle]

I think this question is subjective to the species. I have a woma that will eat smaller meals more frequently in the wild. they have very fast metabolisms, and it is better for their overall health in captivity to eat more frequently, and smaller meals, than larger meals less frequently. My retics will eat comparative size meals more frequently than my boas will eat, because again, faster metabolisms and their general nutritional health requirements.

Although there is a general consensus that eating larger meals less frequently is preferable to most species, this is not a blanket response to all species. some can actually have metabolic issues when fed less frequently, or larger meals. While others, if fed more frequently, even with small meals, will have digestive issues. Knowing the species you were gaining information for would be helpful in answering this question.

[afsgr88]

I believe the OP has a 7 year old burmese python.