My retic is too fat...

[waf]

Hello everybody! I would appreciate your opinions...

I have a super tiger 2 years old, female, who is about 2.8 mts lengh and weights 24.25 pounds..... the vet said that she is too fat for her lengh and edge.

I used to feed her 10% out of her weight once a week... (only adult rats)

He recomended me to reduce up to 5% of her weight same fecuency.



Thanks........

[Tsubaki]

Feed less often, a 2 year old retic does not need weekly feeds. More like bi-weekly, however a still growing young retic at 2 years of age already fat? could you post a picture?

[dave himself]

Pics of the snake would help mate

[jpsteele80]

Pic's would be sweet

[Starbuck]

pics.... with a reference object too! can of soda or something similar.

[Sublimeballs]

I can tell you at that age, length, and weight your retic is overweight. My newest retic is a 4.5 year old pure jampea dwarf male he's pretty much exactly the same length as yours but 14.75lbs. He's in great shape aswell, and is of age to have already thickend up a bit. My female pure jamp is a little over 2.5 years old at about 10 feet long and around 10lbs. She hasn't thickend up yet, its just now noticeable she getting thicker. Retic typically grow rapidly in length for the first 3-4 years and start growing in girth around 3 or so.


I'd go with what the vet advised you do and feed smaller meals once a week. Can't remember the name of the thread but there was some info on smller meals often vs larger less often. I think it was a blackhead python breeding thread.


Also what size cage is your tic in? Some exercise may be in order.

[waf]

I apologize for the pics quality.... but at least, you will have the idea.

The vet told me not to change the frequency by now, in order not to modify her metabolism which now is working in a weekly basis. Once she gets around 5 years, frequency will be changed -he said-

Ok.... now, do you think she is fat??


PYTHON 3.jpg

PYTHON 2.jpg

PYTHON 1.jpg

[Tsubaki]

I think you need to look for a different vet, because that makes no sense,... i change (slow) my feeding rate every 6 months for a growing animal.. Feeding less frequent is better than feeding small meals very often, her digestion system will get no rest at all. She seems to be very large for her age, i would feed her less often. Or you might end up with a fat snake, that has a tiny head.

[jpsteele80]

Yeah for her length she looks a little chunky, I'd say 1 rabbit every 2 weeks, and I'd make those a little smaller till she thins out a bit

[waf]

hey I forgot to mention: My retic has a sister (same litter) which is owned by a friend, we bought them the same day, but he feed his, every 15 days, guys, but she is like 20 inches shorter and poorly gets 10 pounds.... (no pics taken).

is there any schedule to help with the numbers (size vs weight)?

[jpsteele80]

Everyone has there own feeding schedules, You just need to find out what works for you and your snake

[Starbuck]

i would definitely feed less frequently. I dont keep retics, but i feed my colubrid snakes once every 10-14 days. Additionally, if you are having to feed multiple prey items, that is an indicator that you need to switch to something larger. Several large rats weighing a total of 2lb will have more fat than a 2lb rabbit. You may find that she acts hungrier sooner with a leaner meal.

The 'not disrupting her feeding schedule' is not applicable to a snake. It makes very good sense to a cow or a dog, but reptiles are very different. you could probably walk away for a month right now and your snake would be no worse for wear (please dont actually do this. just trying to prove a point).