Food too big *pics*?

[Zoe]

Here is a pic of my em after her first meal with me - a ft rat fuzzy. Is the food item too big? She is a yearling, and the fuzzy looked about the size of the snake, but looks at the bulge it makes. Should I step back down to rat pinks?

http://www.indiepool.com/privateftp/archermultimedia/zoestevens/new/etbfood.jpg

Thanks!
Zoe

[XxRachxX]

sorry i dont know the answer! but i just wanted to say... shes lovely!! :)
do you not have before and after pictures? maybe it would help?

[Invictus]

Looks like a healthy, well-fed snake to me. That's the kind of bulge it should be leaving.

[reverendsterlin]

snake can obviously get them down, stick with them

[Scales Zoo]

I don't have any ETB's myself, but from talking to friends who keep them, they will feed their adults big food if they keep it down (I am not sure if the same goes for juvies)

ETB's are notorious for regurgitating their food.

If it digests well, I, myself, would continue feeding the same size until the snake grows (which they do well with big food items).

Will the snake eat multiple food items one after the other?

Ryan

[Beardonicus]

When in doubt with arboreals, smaller is best. If the prey item is too large, the snake will often regurgitate it, maybe not until a few days later.....and once regurgitation sets in, its basically a point of no return. Emeralds can get EMS (emerald regurgitation syndrome) and it is almost impossible to beat. Be VERY careful with what you feed your arboreals!

[Zoe]

Ryan - I haven't tried, so I don't know if she'll eat more than one rat.

Beard - Well, it's been 5 days since I fed her and she's kept it down. I lowered her temps a bit when I noticed the lump it made in her. I think I'll go to somewhere between pinky and fuzzy. If she'll keep big prey down I dont want to go to tiny pinks, but I don't want to risk her upchucking.

Is an odd-week feeding schedule okay? Every second saturday?

Thanks!
Zoe

[Rob McRobbie]

Zoe,

When feeding emeralds it's best that little to no lump is visible after feeding.. I would say that although he/she is holding down the prey, rat fuzzies (or pinks for that matter) are too large a meal.... I have a pair from the same litter and they are currently eating small mouse hoppers... They are also putting on good size and almost finished their color change.


Rob

[Nett]

Originally posted by Invictus
Looks like a healthy, well-fed snake to me. That's the kind of bulge it should be leaving.


I have to totally disagree with u there.......ETBs should be given smaller food items .....which leave lil or no bulge.....They have a hard time digesting bigger prey items due to thier metabolism being slower than most ...... :)

[Zoe]

Okay, thanks for all your help! I'll go to new-born rats, that should be okay, right?

And I lowered her temps, they don't go above 81 now, to help her digest.

Zoe

[Invictus]

Hmmm... I forgot about ETB regurge problems. I don't own one, so I probably should've just kept my trap shut, but it's good to know anyway. :)

[BoidKeeper]

Less is more with ETBs. My adult male would eat 1 adult mouse every 3 weeks, no more, no less. He gained weight consistantly too. Too big too often will cause these guys to puke and that as I know you know already is very bad.
Great pic,
Trevor

[zappaguy]

zoe...if i were you i would go with appropriate size mice and not rat pinkies.rat pinks like all pinks have very little substance to them and are mostly water. with a small mouse you are getting a good calcium buildup and proper nutrients...in a nutshell a better food source.

[Zoe]

zappa - yeah, she prefers rats though.

Zoe