just thought i'd share

[pandorasBox]

my 2 month old bci is growing like crazy. it just finished shedding tonight and when i measured the shed it was 28" is this the rate i can expect for the next 2 years if so i'll be a very happy bloak. the snake was born early april and i believe was 18", 10" in a month thats unreal! it's eating rat pups right now with no problems 1 every 7 days. very curious and active. i will be posting pics of my snakes very soon as soon as i get a digi.

[Zoe]

Are you basing the length of your snake on the length of the shed? Or just the rate?

Zoe

[pandorasBox]

i am basing the length on the most recent shed to the length of the first shed this is my boas second shed since birth. i feel some kind of slandering coming on here. bring it i can take it. lol is this not the normal means of measuring a snakes length. i thought i had read this was how most people measure love to hear any other ways though.

[Zoe]

How do you foresee slander, based on what I wrote? I was simply asking if you were basing your snake's length on his shed... because sheds are quite a bit longer than the actual snake.

[Zoe]

If you want to get an accurate measurment, you can either put the snake's tail in a corner of a wall, and gradually push his body up against the wall. Put a pen or something where his nose goes and measure. You might get bit tho.

You can also download the snake measuring program. I don't have the URL on hand but got to yahoo.com and type in snake measurer, and you should get a link to the program. works pretty well.

[pandorasBox]

sorry slander was a bit to harsh of a word to use, my deepest apologies. i thought i would hear something like i was over feeding or it couldn't be possible it just shocked me to see 10" in a month i have never kept a snake from pretty much birth before this one. so all this rapid growth is new to me.

[pandorasBox]

thanks for the ideas but i haven't been bit yet and would like it to stay that way.

[LdyDrgn]

A shed can stretch a couple of inches to many inches longer than the snakes actual length. Even comparing the sheds is inaccurate.

Download this program (it is the one mentioned earlier in this thread). It is a much more accurate way to measure snakes. Hope you got a digi cam! Snake Measuring Program (http://www.serpwidgets.com/cornsnakes/Apps/apps.html)

[NewLineReptile]

[QUOTE] i thought i would hear something like i was over feeding


I don't think you would hear that with feeding it 1 rat pup every 7 day's ?

I also use to do it by the shed's it will give you a rough idea but the program that Zoe was talking about is very good

[Emily-Fisher]

The wall technique works pretty well but stresses the snake a LOT. I use a long, cloth measuring tape. I wait until the snake is very calm, then I hold it against the snake's tail and work the measuring tape up his body. If the snake is in a wierd position, then you simply bend the tape to copy his curves. I hope that you understand...

[marisa]

I find the wall thing works easier than any other. In a fairly open area, the snake will generally follow along the wall on its own. If you know how long the wall is, that makes it even easier.

Marisa

[pandorasBox]

so besides my measuring technique it would seem that what i am doing is alright for this little guy or should i be trying for more frequent feedings say every 5 instead of 7, or every 7 but instead of 1 pup give 2.

[LdyDrgn]

Every 7 days is fine until he is 3' or about a year old. One prey item the same size as his girth at the thickest point is what he should be eating. :)