Unusual Growth?!?!?

[End Times]

Hey all,

I'm still fairly new to snakes, owning only 3 balls at this point but like to think that I've done my research and am fairly knowledgable for a noob. Well, I have a question regarding growth in ball pythons as I have one that just seems to be growing like a weed being fed radioactive fertilizer! lol.

I weighed and measured him shortly after acquiring him, so on July 11 of this past summer he was 37 inches long and hovering just under 900 grams.

A little over a month later, he measured in at 38 inches and 925 grams. This was encouraging to me as the poor snake had been fed one live mouse every two weeks by the previous owner (obvioulsy not enough), and so at this point it looked as if my switching him over to F/T rats and feeding more frequently was starting to pay off for the snake.

Well, today I measured and weighed him again and he's sitting at 40 inches and 1300 grams! He's gained 3 inches in length and over 400 grams in weight in a little less than three months! Isn't that amazing? I used the same scale and tape to weigh and measure, so know it's not a mistake. I decided to check his weight today as it had been awhile since it was last done, and because I noticed he was looking pleasantly girthy, and BAM! 1300 grams from under 900 in such a short amount of time! I was shocked!

He's currently in the "blue" which makes this his third shed cycle since being with me, so the third shed in less than three months.

Is this amount of growth typical? That's like 1 inch per month and about 125 grams per month. I know he was obviously being underfed by his original owner, but the snake was nowhere near being emaciated or anything. I've been feeding a medium f/t rat weekly since acquiring him, and just recently cut back to feeding once every ten days.

So, is this amount of growth and weight gain unusual? I'm not yet experienced enough to know, thus why I'm asking, but to me, that seems like one heck of a growth spurt!

[JimmyDavid]

There's a school of thought among herpers that thinks a snake's size doesn't really stunt, instead can be dorment. If a snake has been fed too little to grow, it's genetic potencial remains intact and will spark as soon as the snake goes back to a nice feeding regime.

[End Times]

Really........? How very interesting.... I've never heard that.

[Edmond Y]

I bought a female ball at July 2. by that time she is about 13 inches and now she is little less than 2 feet. One mouse every week can make this much different.
Edmond

[End Times]

Yes, apparently so! I had no idea balls grew so quick when fed well. I mean, I've seen pics of yearlings and stuff that really aren't all that big... Makes me start to question things when it comes to smaller snakes now...

[kronic2005]

I got my ball at the sept 11th show, he was born on aug 9th, so he was a month old, i measured him at about 17 inches the day i got him(17 inches is big for a month old ball python isnt it?). I just measured him yesterday and hes almost 19 inches, thats 2 inches in just under a month. Hes growing like weeds.

[Edmond Y]

Hey End Time, you should start looking for some girl for your bad boys.
edmond

[Kathy Shaw]

I have possible het carmel sisters that have a huge difference in size. They have been kept in the same envirinments and offered food at the same times. They are 3 yrs old now and one of them (named Pigglet) is Just over 1600g her sister Is just barley 400g. Pigglet eats anything I put in her cage any time I put it in. Truf on the other hand, until about a month ago would only eat live fuzzy mice put in and left over night. She got so she would eat 5 or six at a time if I put a whole nest in. She will not eat anything prekilled and for 2.5 years she would freak out if I put something that could realy crawl around on its own.

Some snakes are small because they are under fed....some are small because they wont eat. Some small snakes are very healthy.

[End Times]

Hey End Time, you should start looking for some girl for your bad boys.
edmond

lol. Yes, I should! I'm on the lookout for girls now, just not quite ready yet. My rack will at long last be done by this coming weekend (got some heat tape coming in from the U.S.A.). I didn't want to have any more tubs on heating pads, so decided no more snakes until the rack was done, but now that it will be done soon, I can start looking!

[Edmond Y]

I have just finish my rack today and this project ongoing for over 3 months. I got back plain and has to work a little bit and stop for several days. I stain the plywood and put it under the sun and all the plywood bend like hell and has to do it all over again. stain seal and vanish took a such long time. Heat tape work great and I just use a IKEA dimmer along with a Zoomed reptie themosate. Now I am able to keep 12 ball. got seven coming soon. good normal female is not easy to come by.
Good luck
Edmond