step up from jumbo rats?

Aayrick · 11-09-16, 04:12 PM

I'm currently feeding my largest snake, Stryker, jumbo rats since that's the largest I can find locally. He can easily eat two in a single feeding, though usually I've been keeping him to one a week. Vet said that's fine, Stryker's last weigh in showed him at about 23 pounds and I was told he's a healthy weight and size.

I'm curious what the recommended next step up would be. I was thinking he might be ready for rabbits, but I heard something about them being too lean and could actually starve the snake.

Only local place I can find for frozen rats at the moment is the chain stores, petco and petsmart. I'm planning on ordering online, but I have to make a large order due to shipping costs being ridiculous, so I want to make sure I'm getting the proper food.

Thanks in advance.

**Andy_G** · 11-09-16, 04:39 PM

What kind of snake is Stryker to require larger than jumbo rats?

Edit: just came across your other thread and saw that he is a boa constrictor. At that weight I wouldn't be surprised that he is a she. I also want to say that jumbo rats is plenty large enough and there's really no reason to feed boas any larger than a large or jumbo.

**EL Ziggy** · 11-09-16, 04:59 PM

As for rabbits being lean that just means they're lower in fat but they're fine nutritionally.

Aayrick · 11-09-16, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_G

What kind of snake is Stryker to require larger than jumbo rats?

Edit: just came across your other thread and saw that he is a boa constrictor. At that weight I wouldn't be surprised that he is a she. I also want to say that jumbo rats is plenty large enough and there's really no reason to feed boas any larger than a large or jumbo.

Vet checked the gender right after I got him and said Stryker is male.

Aayrick · 11-09-16, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EL Ziggy

As for rabbits being lean that just means they're lower in fat but they're fine nutritionally.

Ok, cool. Thanks for the input. Might see about giving him one as a treat, switch things up a bit from the rats.

bigsnakegirl785 · 11-09-16, 06:38 PM

I personally wouldn't feed my boas anything larger than a large rat. Rabbits are just fine and anyone who says rabbits would starve a snake are confused....I used to feed my 6.5' boy a diet of 4-8 oz rabbits only and he quickly got chubby, now I feed him a mix of regular large rats and x-small rabbits and he's doing a lot better on that. Also, 23 lbs is extremely heavy for a boa, depending on how long it is.

Feeding an adult boa once a week is overfeeding, I would put him on an appropriately-sized rat or rabbit every 4-6 weeks.

akane · 11-10-16, 03:39 AM

I have guinea pigs in my freezer. Much higher fat than rabbit. Compared to duck or pork by people who eat them. Not without there own downsides.

bigsnakegirl785 · 11-10-16, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akane

I have guinea pigs in my freezer. Much higher fat than rabbit. Compared to duck or pork by people who eat them. Not without there own downsides.

I wouldn't offer Guinea pigs to a boa, at 46% fat content you risk liver failure.

High fat content is what you want to avoid, which is why rabbits are a better food source vs. a jumbo or bigger rat.

akane · 11-11-16, 03:56 AM

Not that high of fat. Granted it's hard to find the percentage for regular adult pet guinea pigs which are going to be your fattest animals from rich diet and confinement but meat cuy are quoted only slightly higher than fryer rabbits and lower in calories. They are suggested as a low fat replacement to beef and pork. Of course age is going to play a factor just like it does for other rodents and rabbits and the percentages after frying the things in oil are not accurate for whole feeding. The bigger, older rabbit and cavy (catch all term for guinea pig and meat cuy) that I put down have a lot more fat. I don't try to skin the 2 1/2-3lb former breeder boars because it's very frustrating fighting the flesh from the fat collection and I'll have hand cramps for days but what snake is going to eat a 3lb blocky boar cavy? I usually process them around .5-1.5lbs for regular guinea pigs but I'm working on meat cuy which get up to 8lbs for critters other than reptiles and selling for human consumption. Then they will be 2lbs within weeks and still very lean because of age and fast growth. In regular guinea pig and rabbits I have butchered the older rabbits will have clear fat packed around their internal organs while you can often find the fat on a guinea pig as shoulder pads and down the spine with a darker tint. Younger animals and those kept in larger pens/colonies instead of small cages will be much leaner without fat pads. Haven't skinned or raised rats yet so I have no comparison.

Aayrick · 11-11-16, 01:47 PM

Thanks for all the input on this.

bigsnakegirl785 · 11-11-16, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akane

Not that high of fat. Granted it's hard to find the percentage for regular adult pet guinea pigs which are going to be your fattest animals from rich diet and confinement but meat cuy are quoted only slightly higher than fryer rabbits and lower in calories. They are suggested as a low fat replacement to beef and pork. Of course age is going to play a factor just like it does for other rodents and rabbits and the percentages after frying the things in oil are not accurate for whole feeding. The bigger, older rabbit and cavy (catch all term for guinea pig and meat cuy) that I put down have a lot more fat. I don't try to skin the 2 1/2-3lb former breeder boars because it's very frustrating fighting the flesh from the fat collection and I'll have hand cramps for days but what snake is going to eat a 3lb blocky boar cavy? I usually process them around .5-1.5lbs for regular guinea pigs but I'm working on meat cuy which get up to 8lbs for critters other than reptiles and selling for human consumption. Then they will be 2lbs within weeks and still very lean because of age and fast growth. In regular guinea pig and rabbits I have butchered the older rabbits will have clear fat packed around their internal organs while you can often find the fat on a guinea pig as shoulder pads and down the spine with a darker tint. Younger animals and those kept in larger pens/colonies instead of small cages will be much leaner without fat pads. Haven't skinned or raised rats yet so I have no comparison.

Most keepers are going to be getting their GPs from online sources like Rodent Pro or Layne Labs, and I doubt they're the sort you're speaking of.

The 46.1% fat content was comprised from a study done by Ellen S. Dierenfeld, PhD, Heather L. Alcorn, BS, and Krista L. Jacobsen. They got their prey items from feeder suppliers. I'm pretty sure that amount of fat accurately reflects what you're going to be putting into your animal feeding Guinea pigs.