Update on Xena

[Tsubaki]

Thanks Dave, i wish she would park herself under that LED each time quite a sight. She often prefers the darker side though

[KSTAR]

So beautiful but we need new pics please! Lol

[bigsnakegirl785]

Just as a quick question, since you said she normally eats 4.4 lb rabbits, and a 9 lb rabbit is a large meal, at what size do 10 lb (4.5 kg) rabbits become necessary? Or are rabbits that big not necessary as a staple? Most of my father's rabbits average 6-8 lbs as adults, so I was wondering if I'd have to find another source for food for River when she gets bigger (unless her current small size means she'll end up a small adult).

Also gorgeous girl, Xena. ^.^ She's my favorite of 3 giants I've seen of your's (not sure if you have others).

[Tsubaki]

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

Just as a quick question, since you said she normally eats 4.4 lb rabbits, and a 9 lb rabbit is a large meal, at what size do 10 lb (4.5 kg) rabbits become necessary? Or are rabbits that big not necessary as a staple? Most of my father's rabbits average 6-8 lbs as adults, so I was wondering if I'd have to find another source for food for River when she gets bigger (unless her current small size means she'll end up a small adult).

Also gorgeous girl, Xena. ^.^ She's my favorite of 3 giants I've seen of your's (not sure if you have others).

They will eventually become 'necessary', even if she stays a smaller than mainland size. Xena is now 3,5 years old, pretty sure at age 5 or 6 4.4lbs's are going to be fairly small meals for her. Don't get me wrong though, even if she 'only' reaches adult dwarf size. The adult dwarf females i used to have could easily eat 10lbs+ rabbits, i am not sure if you ever held an adult female dwarf, they are nowhere near small. Dwarf only applies to them when you hold one next to a mainland, they are in no other way considered to be 'small'. Anyway, for my last pythons i had a lot problems finding any rabbit over 9lbs, and t.b.h i would have to be a little lucky to even find those. This is the single reason i would sometimes feed 2 prey in stead of one, if there simply aren't any bigger rabbits available at times you work with what you got.. 2 large rabbits is also an XXL, and thank god retics usually don't mind eating two.

And yes, i currently only own 3 giants, might get more might not depends on what i run into. Most likely not as many as i had before though, 7 adult retics was a bit much. (That and the boa's.. burmese pythons.. occidentalis's.. etc)

[Tsubaki]

Originally Posted by KSTAR

So beautiful but we need new pics please! Lol

I will try to take some asap

[bigsnakegirl785]

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

They will eventually become 'necessary', even if she stays a smaller than mainland size. Xena is now 3,5 years old, pretty sure at age 5 or 6 4.4lbs's are going to be fairly small meals for her. Don't get me wrong though, even if she 'only' reaches adult dwarf size. The adult dwarf females i used to have could easily eat 10lbs+ rabbits, i am not sure if you ever held an adult female dwarf, they are nowhere near small. Dwarf only applies to them when you hold one next to a mainland, they are in no other way considered to be 'small'. Anyway, for my last pythons i had a lot problems finding any rabbit over 9lbs, and t.b.h i would have to be a little lucky to even find those. This is the single reason i would sometimes feed 2 prey in stead of one, if there simply aren't any bigger rabbits available at times you work with what you got.. 2 large rabbits is also an XXL, and thank god retics usually don't mind eating two.

And yes, i currently only own 3 giants, might get more might not depends on what i run into. Most likely not as many as i had before though, 7 adult retics was a bit much. (That and the boa's.. burmese pythons.. occidentalis's.. etc)

Interesting, I was also asking because I know someone with a ~16'-17' purple who currently feeds her one 5-10 lb rabbit once a week (and she's got a decent bit of girth on her), and I've seen many people say retics over 15' are rare (regardless of sex). She started out feeding her 1-2 large rats weekly, or something like that. So thought maybe I was overguesstimating what I'd need for River.

[Tsubaki]

Once a week? That is very often imho. I fed my adults (5+ years) Once a month tops, some i fed even less really depended on the individual. I'll write out my 'feeding schedule' for you, might be easier to explain as my head is usually all over the place trying to explain something otherwise haha (not helping that i'm in the graveyard shifts and writing this stuff at 4am). Anyway, my motive about feeding bigger and less often... Constantly being digesting, constantly having 'reset' their stomach contents, constantly active bowels.. Also having to thermo-regulate specifically for that purpose, so not getting much opportunity to thermo-regulate for other purposes as their intestines are usually at work... It just doesn't seem healthy to me. I look at what the giants in the wild do, they gorge, thermo-regulate/digest, and then take a while before they feed again (unless there is easy prey available, they're still opportunists ofc) I know everyone has their own way, their own schedule.. I'm sure there are other perfectly fine methods out there. I'll just stick to the one i've tested for a long time, and got to experience it working.

This is the baseline i use for Retics (Not advised to use for other species). Every feeding is based on prey size 1,5 thicker than width of snake. I do not offer food in shed, i start looking at gender at about a year old, as i tend to slow down feeding males a little sooner if they're growing well.
0-6 months: 1 meal every 5-7 days. (Depending on growth)
6-12 months: 1 meal every 7-8 days. (Depending on growth)
12-24 months: 1 meal every 10 - 14 days (Depending on growth, gender)
24-36 months: 1 meal every 14 - 21 days. (Depending on growth, gender, body tone)
36-48 months: At least 21 days in between (Depending on growth, gender, body tone)
At 48- Adulthood. Very slowly start to slow down their feedings, some were fed once a month (tops), had one male that only got food once every 3 months and that worked great for him. If they started acting hungry, i would check if it had been at least a month. if it had they would get food, if not they had to wait.

No fat snakes, no lazy snakes, lean muscular bodies. Just the way i like them. The months really are a guideline, absolutely not in set in stone for me. for example: i put Xena on the 1 meal every 14/21 days even though she is past 3 years old, as she was fed so little by the breeder. When she catches up a bit i'll slow her down to where i think she should be. Zuko is on +/- 14 days in between currently, growing like a maniac so that's fine.

[Klaire]

I'm loving the iridescence on her. beautiful

[Tsubaki]

Thanks Klaire

[PatrickT]

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

Xena moved back into her terrarium, now with a rockwall background! So i took a few pictures, just phone pictures that don't do her much justice i'm afraid... She seems to be showing the dwarf blood i suspect she has, being 3 years old and still only 10 foot. Haven't put in the decorations yet, as most of them are still airing out from a deep clean. I took pictures of the rest too, i'll upload them later.

She looks stunning!

[Tsubaki]

Thanks Patrick

[bigsnakegirl785]

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

Once a week? That is very often imho. I fed my adults (5+ years) Once a month tops, some i fed even less really depended on the individual. I'll write out my 'feeding schedule' for you, might be easier to explain as my head is usually all over the place trying to explain something otherwise haha (not helping that i'm in the graveyard shifts and writing this stuff at 4am). Anyway, my motive about feeding bigger and less often... Constantly being digesting, constantly having 'reset' their stomach contents, constantly active bowels.. Also having to thermo-regulate specifically for that purpose, so not getting much opportunity to thermo-regulate for other purposes as their intestines are usually at work... It just doesn't seem healthy to me. I look at what the giants in the wild do, they gorge, thermo-regulate/digest, and then take a while before they feed again (unless there is easy prey available, they're still opportunists ofc) I know everyone has their own way, their own schedule.. I'm sure there are other perfectly fine methods out there. I'll just stick to the one i've tested for a long time, and got to experience it working.

This is the baseline i use for Retics (Not advised to use for other species). Every feeding is based on prey size 1,5 thicker than width of snake. I do not offer food in shed, i start looking at gender at about a year old, as i tend to slow down feeding males a little sooner if they're growing well.
0-6 months: 1 meal every 5-7 days. (Depending on growth)
6-12 months: 1 meal every 7-8 days. (Depending on growth)
12-24 months: 1 meal every 10 - 14 days (Depending on growth, gender)
24-36 months: 1 meal every 14 - 21 days. (Depending on growth, gender, body tone)
36-48 months: At least 21 days in between (Depending on growth, gender, body tone)
At 48- Adulthood. Very slowly start to slow down their feedings, some were fed once a month (tops), had one male that only got food once every 3 months and that worked great for him. If they started acting hungry, i would check if it had been at least a month. if it had they would get food, if not they had to wait.

No fat snakes, no lazy snakes, lean muscular bodies. Just the way i like them. The months really are a guideline, absolutely not in set in stone for me. for example: i put Xena on the 1 meal every 14/21 days even though she is past 3 years old, as she was fed so little by the breeder. When she catches up a bit i'll slow her down to where i think she should be. Zuko is on +/- 14 days in between currently, growing like a maniac so that's fine.

I figured as much, I was planning on feeding River monthly as an adult anyways. I'm not sure why they feed their's weekly, but they've been changing the snake's diet a bit lately so maybe they'll start spacing it out? Idk.

And thanks for the feeding schedule, really sets my mind at ease.

[Tsubaki]

Glad you found any use of it, and yea for the animals sake i hope they tune down the feeding frequency.