Feeding by weight instead of appropriate sized meals. More in depth feeding schedule.

[ReticMan123]

So of i feed 1:3 every 2 weeks then a medium rat (150 grams) would be good.


Then when onto large rats and jumbo 1/4 every 2 week
(1000 grams
Snake gets a 250 g
Large rat very 2 weeks



Then rabbits is 1/5 very 2 weeks. Once she reaches about 7 ft or has been on rabbits for at least 6 months then ill feed 1/7 every 2 weeks. For example a 10 pound boa would get about a 3 pound rabbit a month. Or 1.5 every 2 weeks.


I

Theben finally after the boa is around 4 years old and over 8 to 9 ft for a female it's 10
Percent every 2 weeks. What do you all thnk about that detailed schedule? I have done a lot of research bout it. Would his be good. Not over or under feeding? I just like the know the math and not just judge by size. I'm interested to see of anyone else feeds specifically by weight like this. From what I have read and been experienced wot large snakes in the past this seems to leave toy with health well
Grown and good weight snake


Thnks for reading,

Mike

[SKYlord]

Well I have a friend on her that has a female boa around 15 pounds and he only feeds her a 3¾ pound rabbit and she doesn't even start to hunt for 5-6 weeks. I think the 3 three pound rabbit once a months is way too much for a ten pound boa.

[Ddub]

Mike could you post pics of what the snakes look like after the meals specified? I don't weigh my feeders so it'd be interesting to see what typo of lump that's leaving.

[SKYlord]

Originally Posted by Ddub

Mike could you post pics of what the snakes look like after the meals specified? I don't weigh my feeders so it'd be interesting to see what typo of lump that's leaving.

I'm pretty sure it is all speculation and not actually in practice as of now.

[lady_bug87]

Originally Posted by Ddub

Mike could you post pics of what the snakes look like after the meals specified? I don't weigh my feeders so it'd be interesting to see what typo of lump that's leaving.

Seriously buy scale it will change your life.

As for the rest of it, it sounds good. My boa has some digestive issues and so I'm feeding her 10% every 10 days to see if it helps

[Aaron_S]

I like your detailed feeding regime.

I currently feed the same way with all my snakes. I use a 10 - 15% (give or take a percent per meal) per meal, fed every 5 - 7 days depending on sex and age. (Males during breeding season are fed every 14 on average)

For yours, if it's a true red tail, and it looks like it may be, then I'd go with smaller meals. They tend to have a more sensitive stomach from my experience and will regurge more frequently than their BCI counterpart. I'd go with 10% even as a baby but fed every 7 days.

[EL Ziggy]

Is there an appropriate prey weight to snake weight ratio/formula to follow? I have snakes that weigh 30g and 90g each. They're just juveniles and I just feed them appropriately sized mice. The hoppers/weanlings they eat are usually 7-12g.

[SSSSnakes]

Only in captivity do we try to put them on a schedule with what we consider the appropriate size. In the wild they eat what ever size the come across as often as they find it and want it. We baby our reptile in captivity. They are opportunistic eaters in the wild, as far as how often they eat and the size of prey they eat. Sometimes my snakes get larger meals and other times smaller meals. They may get fed once a week or every two weeks, or every few days. My snakes are healthy and never over weight.

[EL Ziggy]

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

Only in captivity do we try to put them on a schedule with what we consider the appropriate size. In the wild they eat what ever size the come across as often as they find it and want it. We baby our reptile in captivity. They are opportunistic eaters in the wild, as far as how often they eat and the size of prey they eat. Sometimes my snakes get larger meals and other times smaller meals. They may get fed once a week or every two weeks, or every few days. My snakes are healthy and never over weight.

I'm new to keeping snakes but I would tend to agree with this. They eat what they can, when they can, in the wild so why would it be different in captivity?

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

Only in captivity do we try to put them on a schedule with what we consider the appropriate size. In the wild they eat what ever size the come across as often as they find it and want it. We baby our reptile in captivity. They are opportunistic eaters in the wild, as far as how often they eat and the size of prey they eat. Sometimes my snakes get larger meals and other times smaller meals. They may get fed once a week or every two weeks, or every few days. My snakes are healthy and never over weight.

I dislike this line of thinking and here's why.

In the wild they are opportunistic because they don't know when they'll eat next so they must eat when they can, whatever they can.

In captivity we have the option to give them a proper diet as best we can. They don't need to worry about their next meal as it will always come so we need to actually be more proactive in ensuring our snakes are fed properly.

The reason I feed my snakes the way I do is partly because I breed them. I find that my meal size seems to be a good fit from all the data I've collected from my collection.

The data I found is that the smaller meal size kept them less lethargic throughout the week, less time spent lazing on the hot side as well as they retained the most from these meals. They expelled less and gained the most weight from each meal (I weighed them before a meal. Again after the poop)

So in essence I've noticed an overall healthier animal.

I know big meals CAN be fed just like we CAN eat crappy fast food or really large meals at one sitting but we don't feel well after and it doesn't make it healthy just because we CAN do it.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I'm new to keeping snakes but I would tend to agree with this. They eat what they can, when they can, in the wild so why would it be different in captivity?

Because the same reason we don't allow parasites, adverse conditions or predators in their captive environment.

It doesn't NEED to be exact.

[EL Ziggy]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Because the same reason we don't allow parasites, adverse conditions or predators in their captive environment.

It doesn't NEED to be exact.

Aaron- I understand that we're able to give them healthy food to eat, fresh water to drink, and comfortable living conditions free of predators. They're still wild animals however and I believe we shouldn't rigidly regulate all their conditions (i.e. feeding every 7 days on Thursdays and always the same meals or meal sizes). I don't ever want to overfeed or underfeed my animals. I just want to allow them to experience as much of their natural behavior and environment as possible while still giving them the advantages of captivity.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Aaron- I understand that we're able to give them healthy food to eat, fresh water to drink, and comfortable living conditions free of predators. They're still wild animals however and I believe we shouldn't rigidly regulate all their conditions (i.e. feeding every 7 days on Thursdays and always the same meals or meal sizes). I don't ever want to overfeed or underfeed my animals. I just want to allow them to experience as much of their natural behavior and environment as possible while still giving them the advantages of captivity.

First of all you need to look up the definitions of the words "domestic" and "domestication" before you can call them "wild".

They do not behave as our more common domestic creatures but it doesn't make them "wild".

Secondly, I know what you're getting that but where do we draw that line of "experience natural behaviour" and "advantages of captivity"? I would say it's different for each keeper as I personally believe there's nothing "natural" we can give them. They won't act like it at all because they have no reason to and are adapted to their conditions for the most part.

Third, as I've stated just because they can do something doesn't mean it's in their best interest. It's putting our own selfish morals ahead of the animals well being because we feel "good" about ourselves if we let them "experience nature" in some ways.

I know this is a hyperbolic example but if you want to really experience them in a natural set up. Set up a room, have various species, a "sun" and different heat and cool spots. Even set it up to mimic rain and don't forget to introduce predators! To really see them behave naturally.

[SSSSnakes]

In the last 30 years of keeping snakes, I've had healthy long lived snakes. As I have said before, there are many ways of doing something with the same results. My way or your way is not always wrong or right, as long as the results are the same. Healthy snakes.

This is why many people are afraid to post their opinions, because if it does not agree with the popular opinion it can start an argument. To many people have the attitude, that if it is not the way they do it, it is wrong.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

In the last 30 years of keeping snakes, I've had healthy long lived snakes. As I have said before, there are many ways of doing something with the same results. My way or your way is not always wrong or right, as long as the results are the same. Healthy snakes.

This is why many people are afraid to post their opinions, because if it does not agree with the popular opinion it can start an argument. To many people have the attitude, that if it is not the way they do it, it is wrong.

Where's the argument? I simply said I don't like the reasoning behind your decision nor did I say it was wrong. Point out the exact words 'you're wrong' in my post. You're being silly because someone showed another view with information and facts.

I backed my statements up with data with my own collection (which isn't small) over a period of a few years. This is MY data and I've passed this information on to my customers as well as close friends. Some of which belong to this forum and if they wish will attest to my methods working among various species.

I simply made my case so that anyone reading doesn't have to ask why and they have the information already present from me.