feeding a baby

[k2mag360]

I just got a new baby female brb. Shes about 1-1 1/2 ft long. Today was the first day feeding her and i fed her a large pinkie.
It left a little lump but no much. I was just wondering if i should be feeding her more then one.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Baby Brazilian Rainbows are BORN eating mice fuzzies or RAT pinkies.

[Linds]

In addition to what Jeff said, don't double up on a prey item, just go up in size (ie- 2 rat pinks=1 rat pup).

[mark129er]

Why should you not double up?? Is it due to excessive digestion for less nutrition due to bone and hair? Just curious.

[Linds]

Its better to feed one appropriately sized meal than a bunch of smaller ones, so if you have an option its best to take the size up. Two prey items isn't bad, some large snakes that feed on rats may need two jumbos because even the largest rats are not large enough, however it isn't a problem for the smaller items since you can easily upgrade sizes. Just makes sense, if your snake is taking two of one size to make the move up to one larger sized prey item ;)

[mark129er]

thanks linds, I ask cause last this week I got my girl onto pk rat pups, I fed her one and she was still hunting around the cage so I gave her another one. She didn't even know they were dead, she constricted then for afew minutes. So next week I should try a weanling or a small rat?

[Linds]

If she was still hungry after one pink, I would definitely go up a size ;)

[albinoman]

i preferd to start my babies rainbows with pinky Rats, that way you do no have a juvenile eating mice, sometime they won't accept rats if you start with pinky or fuzzies mice

[Jeff_Favelle]

Rainbows are NEVER a problem to switch from mice to rats. Not a problem at all. I've done it to over 500 of them.

[Burm41]

yea if theres just a small lump feed it on a bigger size, not getting 2 of the same thing that made a small lump just go up.

[Linds]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
Rainbows are NEVER a problem to switch from mice to rats. Not a problem at all. I've done it to over 500 of them.

I've never switched even half as many, but I have to agree as well. Rainbows are pigs. They are probably the easiest snakes to feed :flick:

[Jeff_Favelle]

They are probably the easiest snakes to feed

1000x funner/easier than a Ball eh Linds? Too bad we don't have any BRB morphs so that everyone can see how great BRB's are!!

[Linds]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
1000x funner/easier than a Ball eh Linds? Too bad we don't have any BRB morphs so that everyone can see how great BRB's are!!

Hahahaha for sure! Rainbows are always hungry... have one male ball here that hasn't eaten in 12 months and counting... :rolleyes: They are so underrated and underappreciated. They are so easy to care for, look amazing, have wicked temperaments... don't know why they don't seem to catch on?

[Syst3m]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
Rainbows are NEVER a problem to switch from mice to rats. Not a problem at all. I've done it to over 500 of them.

Isn't that the truth.
My pet store offers retired breeder mice that are about the size of a small rat. In a pinch I'd feed my brazilians them when they were out of the rats. The girls took the rats just as agressivly as the mice.

[Yness]

how long should the lump be there
My brb takes down adult mice no sweat but the lump is there for a day after?

[Jeff_Favelle]

Only a day? I have some that the lump is there for a week. It would be pretty hard for an ectothermic animal to digest a meal that size in less than 2 days.

[albinoman]

Well looks like I'm the only one that had problem with switching from mice to rats, I have bred a lot of rainbows also and atleast %4 have problem eating rats after feed just with mice