Hi everyone! It has been a while since I posted, luckily no major issues have come up recently. I have noticed a slight behavioral change in Shesha recently. He is an approximately 6 month old pastel ball python and has been on a feeding schedule of one F/T rat weekly. I have been using the 10/15% body weight rule for the size of rat I offer him, although I have seen recently that there is some debate as to whether this is truly a good guideline to follow. My understanding is that it is an appropriate method for juveniles but not for adults, but I would appreciate any correction or suggestions if that is not the case. Either way, Shesha is my first ball python so I am not sure what would be considered healthy growth but he seems to be showing a very steady upward trend. When I got him at about 1 month old he was 92 grams and now weights 268 grams at his last weigh in. He eats like a champ and hasn't refused a meal since he got on a regular schedule after arriving at home. For the first 4 months or so he would eat his rat, retreat into his hot hide and stay coiled there for 48 hours like clockwork. Lately he has been increasingly active. I will notice him resting with his head extended from his hide as little as an hour after swallowing his meal. I have always been under the impression that when they are positioned like this it is because they are waiting for a potential meal to walk by, so it seems odd that he would return to this position immediately after eating. He has also been spending less time hiding following feeding days. This week he was out and coiled in his branch only 24 hours after eating.
So this all has me wondering whether these might be signs that he needs a larger prey item, or possibly a shortened feeding schedule like every 5 days instead of every 7. I have read that some people feed every 5 days, can anyone clarify what the reasoning is behind a 5 vs 7 day schedule? He doesn't look underweight, he has a nicely rounded body and is active. I feel like often the cues these guys give us are subtle and can be missed if one isn't paying close attention, I just want to make sure I don't miss anything. I adore this little guy and want to be sure that he is as comfortable and well cared for as possible. So does it sounds like something needs to be changed or is it possible that he is just growing up and changing his habits? Also, what would be signs of underfeeding? He is not overly thin, but is there any other warning sign I should be aware of? I put together a growth chart that I could attach tomorrow when I return to work if that would be helpful, unfortunately I don't seem to have a copy on my home computer. The main thing the chart shows is that all of his weigh ins closely follow an average line so no sudden weight gains or periods with a lack of gain, it seems as though his weight has been increasing at a very constant rate.
For size comparison, here he is on my hand when he came home
And a recent pic with my son.
Growth and feeding schedule?
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