Teasing a BP with food..kinda - Page 3

**lady_bug87** · 11-18-11, 02:08 PM

ive had 2... its awful lol

alessia55 · 11-18-11, 02:27 PM

The only time I've had a snake escape from me was when I first got Kaybe when he was a baby 2 years ago. I didn't have lid locks or anything like that, so I put two bricks and some books on top of the lid to hold it down. One morning I went looking for him and I couldn't find him. I took the lid off, and shuffled through all his bedding. He was gone!

So I put the lid back on and.... yup, there he was. Sitting ON TOP of the lid! He had pushed the lid open despite the bricks and books and was sitting there all smug and happy about his accomplishment. Not to mention that I'd completely missed him when I took the lid off! Needless to say, I got locks for the lid that same day. Now he lives in a "snake proof" cage that locks completely.

jaleely · 11-18-11, 02:37 PM

AaronS I beg to differ!

His metabolism has been working great since we got him. While he was "fasting" he shed twice, and pooped 5 times *lol*
When he finally decided he wanted to eat...he wanted to EAT. And all we had were medium rats. I still think 3 rats in a week is not too much at all for a 4 and a quarter foot long bratty ball!

Jay · 11-18-11, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaleely

I still think 3 rats in a week is not too much at all for a 4 and a quarter foot long bratty ball!

Based on what?
3 feedings in 7 days is absurd.

**lady_bug87** · 11-18-11, 08:31 PM

I agree.

3 meals in a week for an animal who was force-fed or fasting is absurd think about snakes in the wild. they eat when they find food. If you keep offering him food he may just keep eating because he was starved before.

over feeding is an irresponsible practice it can lead to digestive issues and obesity which could dramatically influence your snake's quality of life. Snake metabolisms are a lot different then mammalian metabolisms they need more time to process and digest especially since BPs are generally fairly inactive as far as snakes go.

one appropriately sized meal 10-14 days should be sufficient (meaning a med to large rat) if you want to feed more often you can also try a smaller meal every 7 days

**lady_bug87** · 11-18-11, 08:32 PM

and length has NOTHING to do with the amount they should or shouldn't eat

**Aaron_S** · 11-18-11, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaleely

AaronS I beg to differ!

His metabolism has been working great since we got him. While he was "fasting" he shed twice, and pooped 5 times *lol*
When he finally decided he wanted to eat...he wanted to EAT. And all we had were medium rats. I still think 3 rats in a week is not too much at all for a 4 and a quarter foot long bratty ball!

All snakes are vigorous feeders when they are hungry, doesn't mean we should keep feeding them.

I suppose you don't know what you're actually talking about though since you say he hadn't eaten since July but pooped 5 times. A snake can't poop without anything in it's system. So was it urates or poop? There's a big difference.

I don't get how shedding has anything to do metabolism either. I simply stated that you shocked his system. Your snake hasn't had to metabolise anything since July and you decide to stuff it to the brim. How is that NOT a shock?

**Aaron_S** · 11-18-11, 08:36 PM

Just to be helpful.

I feed my males roughly 7 - 10 days depending on their size. My larger albino male will only get a meal about every other feeding as he doesn't need anymore food. For females they are fed a single rat every 7 - 10 days that weighs in the range of 80 to 100 grams.

Also, your "male" is over 4 foot? Where did you get him sexed? It may be a she.

shaunyboy · 11-18-11, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

I love how instead of removing the snake from a situation where it could get hurt or eat another of her birds she instead goes to get the video camera and makes a film about it instead

i thought that was class as well rob

when i first started watching i did a double take thinking,that can't be a gtp in a cage,with a small bird flying round

had to laugh,as its one of the stranger things i've seen on here

cheers shaun

shaunyboy · 11-18-11, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaleely

AaronS I beg to differ!

His metabolism has been working great since we got him. While he was "fasting" he shed twice, and pooped 5 times *lol*
When he finally decided he wanted to eat...he wanted to EAT. And all we had were medium rats. I still think 3 rats in a week is not too much at all for a 4 and a quarter foot long bratty ball!

i can't comment on ball pythons but with carpet pythons they stop pooping after 4 weeks of not eating

i give my diamond 4 weeks with no food before i put her into her cooling cycle,this allows her to clear her gut

she needs a clear gut so that when i drop her temps to 50f for 3 to 4 months theres no undigested prey due to lack of heat

she only gets fed 6 month of the year and after the first month of no food,she will not poop until after she's had 2 or 3 meals,thats after shes out of her cooling cycle.so theres no poop for roughly 5 to 6 months

when my diamonds go without food that long i like to start with a lot smaller than usual prey item

i feed 2 prey sizes down,once every 7 days for 2 to 3 weeks,then i feed 1 prey size down for another 2 weeks.imo only then,after 4 or 5 weeks of smaller prey items,do i feed them the prey size they should be getting

it gives me peace of mind knowing i've gradually built up their prey size and not overloaded their systems with a huge meal after not eating for months

the above is just my way of doing things,everyone has their own methods for times like these

cheers shaun

jaleely · 11-19-11, 02:16 AM

Wow. I wonder what tone you guys meant to have with your posts. AaronS was "I suppose you don't know what you're actually talking about though since you say he hadn't eaten since July but pooped 5 times." really necessary? It was rude. Also Jay0133, what factual basis do you have to say that feeding a snake 3 times in a week is absurd? I suppose if i said I was giving him huge meals, or something, maybe. You're just generalizing and saying "no snake should eat three times in a week! that's just wrong!!" Says who...you? I suppose it sounds horrible to you, but, it wasn't.

Seems like a few of you are very judgemental and act like know-it-alls. I'm pretty sure if he was in the wild he would just eat when he wanted...like he does now. As I stated I -wasn't- shoving it down his throat or hitting him in the face with it. If he didn't want it, he wouldn't eat it. Animals are pretty stupid, but despite how you see it, I wasn't going to let him eat himself to death *rolls eyes*

Also, Lady_bug...he wasn't starved before. He was mistreated, but not starved at all. Overfeeding IS an irresponsible practice. My point in explaining his length, was to give you an idea of his size...and you can clearly see in these photos and others, he is not over-fed.

As to weather his metabolism was going or not...Nothing much I can do to prove it to you otherwise, but it can't be denied that the snake pooped white poop 5 times. The first being the largest, the last being just a little bit...probably coming out just because he peed. *shrug* poop is poop and that's how many times I cleaned it up.

In retrospect, perhaps I was just happy he was eating, and wanted to give him all that he wanted, if he would take it. Rudely acting like i'm stupid and only you have the right answers and I've done something wrong to harm my snake is probably a bit too much, though, guys.
I've only owned snakes for about a year, so of course i don't know everything. Your attitudes are pretty crappy though. None of that was helpful advice at all, it was just judgmental.
Aaron S you say "I'd just like to point out that it is probably too much for him (so you don't know for sure, you're guessing). You're shocking his system at this point since his metabolism hasn't been working at all...for months. (Again, i disagreed with this by stating that his metabolism was working fine, since he was defecating, and growing along, having sheds.) I would have stuck with a single small rat. He would have been fine with that. " Yup. He may have been fine with that. But it sure didn't hurt him to have another rat.

Jeez guys, plus I said medium rats....they were closer to small really, but I really hate having to feel like I should justify anything to you.
I really just thought the photo of the bird and the snake discovering each other was funny.

And yes he is a he, and yes he is over 4 feet long. And no, I didn't "stuff him to the brim". In all reality I think it was 3 days before the second rat, and then 4 days for the last rat... plenty of time in-between for him to decide he's full.
Oh well. I know that he's happy and healthy, and If he ever shows signs otherwise I'll make sure to let you guys know before I call a vet. I wouldn't want to miss out on the helpful advice you would give.

Lankyrob · 11-19-11, 03:59 AM

Isn't "white poo" urates?

Gungirl · 11-19-11, 07:23 AM

White "poop" is not poop at all it is Urates. I agree with the guys above, you over did it. The guys offering you advice are very knowledgeable and wouldn't say things just to get the new guy going. Don't get upset or defensive They only gave advice to help you take better care of your snake. Did they offer it in a super nice way? no not really but we can only read the same mistakes that people make so many times before its hard to be nice, so we switch to blunt. I hope you can sit back and take what they are saying in.

Jay · 11-19-11, 07:36 AM

Stop being so proud, take the advice givin. I am no expert and I have never claimed to be one, the first thing I I can remember learning about snakes is their ability to go so long without eating. Ball pythons do not need to be fed 3 times a week, try doing some research on that. I'm not wasting my time doing it for you when you don't respect it.

**lady_bug87** · 11-19-11, 07:59 AM

we're allowed to disagree with you. I wasn't trying to be mean like Kat said I was being blunt. You over did it IN MY OPINION you made a mistake IN MY OPINION you should not continue to feed him at that volume IN MY OPINION

They are your animals keep them however you please, but you are not doing him any favours by overfeeding and no matter if he 'begs' or not. I'm not an expert either I make mistakes all the time but when I decide to write about it and I get people telling me its a mistake I follow their advice

If you dont want to open yourself up to criticism then you should watch what you post because when you do its license for others to read it and reply. I highly doubt I am being unfair just very brutally honest.