Feeder Quantity/Size Question

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by loud

With baby snakes, would it be okay to feed bi/tri-weekly? I keep hearing to feed every 5-7 days but at the breeder's they were indeed eating just twice a week. Also, what counts as a big meal in that case? If I'll be switching over to rats, should I first go to fuzzies or directly to pups/large fuzzies if I'm feeding bi-weekly?

I've definitely heard a lot of different information regarding what size and how frequently to feed jungles; really appreciate the help you're giving me!

Yes you can feed babies bi-tri weekly depending on the size of the meal... that's what I've been doing.

Everyone will have their own definition of what a big meal is...but they are generally the same. To me, a big meal is something that is 1.5 to 4 times the size of the thickest part of the body.

Anything smaller and I consider it a normal or small meal.


The reason you keep hearing 1 meal every 5-7 days is because it's just a guideline you can follow. Carpet pythons don't need to eat on fixed schedule. They are opportunistic feeders that eat whenever food is available. That could be a small gecko today, a bearded dragon tomorrow, and a wallaby 2 months later.

[loud]

Alright, sounds good! So if I start feeding large rat fuzzies (which will likely be at least 2x-3x its size), and feed bi-weekly, I should be on the right track? I actually do want to feed twice a week if it'll be okay, because I'd like to be able to handle the snake more frequently.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by loud

Alright, sounds good! So if I start feeding large rat fuzzies (which will likely be at least 2x-3x its size), and feed bi-weekly, I should be on the right track? I actually do want to feed twice a week if it'll be okay, because I'd like to be able to handle the snake more frequently.

How can you feed twice a week and handle it more? Wouldn't feeding it twice a week leave little room for handling?

[loud]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

How can you feed twice a week and handle it more? Wouldn't feeding it twice a week leave little room for handling?

Haha, no I'm just an idiot. Slept after 4 am and my brain hasn't started up yet.

I meant once every 2 weeks (bi-weekly) So just one average to large sized fuzzy every two weeks would be good?

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

cruddown boas should not eat meals that are much bigger than their thickest part. They have sensitive digestive systems compared to other snakes. Vin Russo feeds his baby boas once every 2 weeks and not at all during winter.

I'm think you are a little confused......

Common Boas are an absolute machine when it comes to prey size. They will literally digest anything they swallow.

Bcc on the other hand are a little more finnicky...

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

I'm think you are a little confused......

Common Boas are an absolute machine when it comes to prey size. They will literally digest anything they swallow.

Bcc on the other hand are a little more finnicky...

Just reiterating what I've been told by Vin Russo and Gus Rentfro.

Yes they will digest the food but I'm not worried about regurgitation. I'm worried about them becoming overweight.

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

Just reiterating what I've been told by Vin Russo and Gus Rentfro.

Yes they will digest the food but I'm not worried about regurgitation. I'm worried about them becoming overweight.

A sensitive digestive system would have nothing to do with becoming overweight.

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

cruddown boas should not eat meals that are much bigger than their thickest part. They have sensitive digestive systems compared to other snakes..

I know I'm not Vin but I do speak from some experience. Feeding a hatchling boa every two weeks seems a bit of a stretch, especially when the meal is only the diameter of its body.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

A sensitive digestive system would have nothing to do with becoming overweight.

I guess I used the wrong word to describe it then.

I know I'm not Vin but I do speak from some experience. Feeding a hatchling boa every two weeks seems a bit of a stretch, especially when the meal is only the diameter of its body.

Would you say feeding a hatchling boa every two weeks would induce malnutrition/stunted growth? Or would it just be a slower growth, while maintaining healthy weight?

edit: ^considering the meal is about the diameter of the thickest part of the body

[KORBIN5895]

Personally from what i have seen I think the smaller prey less often would greatly restrict growth according to the currently accepted standards in our industry.

I personally feel that the currently accepted growth rate is a bit aggressive. I have healthy, active and well toned female boa that is three years old. I wouldn't dream of breeding her but I know many "breeders" get their females breeding around three years old yet they claim they aren't power feeding. From what I read it isn't uncommon for wild bci females to be five years old before breeding.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by Donnie

Ratpups over here are the smallest rats you can get, newborns.

^^^^^
this

rat pups have no fur,the same as a mouse pinky

over here it goes...

rat pup (no hair,still feeding off the mother rat,newborn)

rat fluffs/fuzzies (have fur/hair)

small rat weiners

large rat weiner

small rat

medium rat

large rat

jumbo rat


to the op
good looking wee Jungle you have there mate

most Carpets will cruise around their tanks after dark

Carpet Pythons are an easy to keep hardy species,so please try not to worry too much

i would try yours with some rat pups (rats that have yet to get hair)

if he refuses to take rats,try scenting them with mice...

heat a mouse and a rat pup up (i use a hair dryer)then ,burst the mouse and smear mouse blood and guts all over the rat,then give the rat another quick heat and offer to the snake

you could also brain the rat after scenting,puncture the rats skull with the point of a pair of scissors,until you see grey liquid coming out the puncture holes,then give the head another quick heat and offer to the snake

i would not handle the snake and only go near it to change it's water,until its feeding regular,say 4 or 5 feeds in a row

then once it's an established feeder,you can start to handle it to get it used to you and learn your not a threat

a lot of Carpet hatchlings can be defensive biters,usually once they get a bit of size about them,and work out your not going to eat them,they calm down

cheers shaun

[Mikoh4792]

Ah well I guess that's why. Over here we call those rat pinks. Rat pups are 20-29 gram rats just pass the weanling stage.

[CosmicOwl]

I've been debating the best way to feed my small rat and corn snakes. I'm torn between feeding them one pinky every 4-5 days or 2 every 7-8. I'm not quite sure which is the healthiest way to feed them.

[loud]

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

^^^^^
this

rat pups have no fur,the same as a mouse pinky

over here it goes...

rat pup (no hair,still feeding off the mother rat,newborn)

rat fluffs/fuzzies (have fur/hair)

small rat weiners

large rat weiner

small rat

medium rat

large rat

jumbo rat


to the op
good looking wee Jungle you have there mate

most Carpets will cruise around their tanks after dark

Carpet Pythons are an easy to keep hardy species,so please try not to worry too much

i would try yours with some rat pups (rats that have yet to get hair)

if he refuses to take rats,try scenting them with mice...

heat a mouse and a rat pup up (i use a hair dryer)then ,burst the mouse and smear mouse blood and guts all over the rat,then give the rat another quick heat and offer to the snake

you could also brain the rat after scenting,puncture the rats skull with the point of a pair of scissors,until you see grey liquid coming out the puncture holes,then give the head another quick heat and offer to the snake

i would not handle the snake and only go near it to change it's water,until its feeding regular,say 4 or 5 feeds in a row

then once it's an established feeder,you can start to handle it to get it used to you and learn your not a threat

a lot of Carpet hatchlings can be defensive biters,usually once they get a bit of size about them,and work out your not going to eat them,they calm down

cheers shaun

Thanks shaun! Appreciate all the great info. I'll be making a trip to the supply store in a few days - so I should be getting rat pinkies/pups rather than the fuzzies? Rat pinkies would probably count as an average sized meal (as opposed to a large one), so I should continue to feed every 5-7 days, correct? If not please let me know, thanks

Scenting and braining the rat sounds like messy business, hopefully it doesn't come to that!! But luckily I am not too squeamish so I'll definitely keep that in mind and try it if necessary.

He really is a lovely little guy, very nice to look at and I have indeed noticed increased activity at night. I'll see about putting together a larger enclosure (complete with several hides and lots of vegetation/climbs) soon, I think he might like the extra space. Nothing too big but something roomier will be nice! He is a little spastic but surprisingly not as nippy as I expected him to be. The breeder sold me a good one!

Originally Posted by CosmicOwl

I've been debating the best way to feed my small rat and corn snakes. I'm torn between feeding them one pinky every 4-5 days or 2 every 7-8. I'm not quite sure which is the healthiest way to feed them.

Would also be interested in the pros and cons of feeding every every 4-5 days vs. every 7-8 days vs. larger meals every 2-3 weeks. After he is reliably and regularly eating rat pinkies/pups, can I or should I transition to rat fuzzies and feed every 2 weeks instead?

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by CosmicOwl

I've been debating the best way to feed my small rat and corn snakes. I'm torn between feeding them one pinky every 4-5 days or 2 every 7-8. I'm not quite sure which is the healthiest way to feed them.

Do one each way.

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by loud

Scenting and braining the rat sounds like messy business, hopefully it doesn't come to that!! But luckily I am not too squeamish so I'll definitely keep that in mind and try it if necessary.

That is Shaun's non-squeamish way of doing it, if that doesn't work they you will get to hear of his frankinmouse method