Eating but not gaining?

**Minkness** · 02-17-15, 08:13 PM

Hey guys. My little MBK is a fantastic eater but hasn't been growing too much. I have been feeding her 2 pinkies a week of varying sizes since I got her. She was 22 grams when I got her, then she went up to 26 grams, but is now 24 grams and has been 24 grams for 3 weeks now. I always weigh before a feeding, not after, and feed on a strict 7 day schedule to make sure I don't over or under feed her. I know that it's winter and I checked her temps, everything is perfect in her enclosure. I tried upping her to a fuzzy and she tried really hard, but couldn't seem to manage it, and won't take a 3rd pinky.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this one of those things that just requires patients?

jjhill001 · 02-17-15, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minkness

Hey guys. My little MBK is a fantastic eater but hasn't been growing too much. I have been feeding her 2 pinkies a week of varying sizes since I got her. She was 22 grams when I got her, then she went up to 26 grams, but is now 24 grams and has been 24 grams for 3 weeks now. I always weigh before a feeding, not after, and feed on a strict 7 day schedule to make sure I don't over or under feed her. I know that it's winter and I checked her temps, everything is perfect in her enclosure. I tried upping her to a fuzzy and she tried really hard, but couldn't seem to manage it, and won't take a 3rd pinky.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this one of those things that just requires patients?

Reptile growth can be frustrating especially when weighing every week. Remember these have a two-three year path to breeding size and age. It's not like some geckos that grow what seems like exponentially every week. I think what you have going sounds like a good. Maybe do one pinky every 3-4 days instead of two at a time. Smaller meals means less waiting between handling and faster digestion. Plus I always noticed this with my reptiles but there seems to be some sort of natural "growing season" similar to plants. Like they'll eat and grow a bit but then summer comes and they just naturally go on a growth spurt.

Absolutely no scientific source or anything on that theory just something I noticed.

**Minkness** · 02-17-15, 08:40 PM

Ah, ok. I tried feeding her twice a week but she was very inactive and someone else warned me against 'power feeding' so I backed off on that (that was when she sized up to 26g). I was morr worried about the side effect of power feeding than lack of activity however. I think I will try to feed her twice a week a however.

Also, didn't know that it took 2-3 years to reach adult size. I read somewhere it would only be 18 months....knowing this calms me a bit though. Longer time to grow means slow gain...which I'm ok with so long as it's healthy for the animal.

**EL Ziggy** · 02-17-15, 11:16 PM

I feed young colubrids 10-15% (sometimes more, sometimes less) of their body weight every 5 days on average until they turn 1, then I feed them 1-2 appropriately sized prey items every 7-10 days. I've seen healthy and robust growth rates with this method.

jjhill001 · 02-17-15, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minkness

Ah, ok. I tried feeding her twice a week but she was very inactive and someone else warned me against 'power feeding' so I backed off on that (that was when she sized up to 26g). I was morr worried about the side effect of power feeding than lack of activity however. I think I will try to feed her twice a week a however.

Also, didn't know that it took 2-3 years to reach adult size. I read somewhere it would only be 18 months....knowing this calms me a bit though. Longer time to grow means slow gain...which I'm ok with so long as it's healthy for the animal.

Well when I say that I mean you can tell the difference between an 18 month old snake and a 2 year old snake. It's your snake, trying new things is something you can do. I think maybe just keep doing what you're doing. Trust in whatever your process is. Review it a few months down the road. Don't make knee jerk reactions. If your snake seems healthy with what you are doing then just keep on doing it. The weight gain you may think should be happening could be from hearing what weights should be from people who do power feed. Don't worry about power feeding, that is when you feed as much as a snake can possibly handle every few days. Chances are good that if you are trying to avoid power feeding you aren't.

**Minkness** · 02-18-15, 09:45 AM

I was feeding 2 pinks every 4-5 days and she seemed more active, but that was also was also before winter set in. So I can't tell if it's due to the cold or the lower feeding rate of 2 pinkies every 7 days....I admit, I felt better feeding her more often...but was then accused of power feeding by someone else for that method. I didn't even know what that was prior to my decision to feed 2 pinks every 4-5 days but when I looked it up I was a bit horrified. =/

**EL Ziggy** · 02-18-15, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minkness

I was feeding 2 pinks every 4-5 days and she seemed more active, but that was also was also before winter set in. So I can't tell if it's due to the cold or the lower feeding rate of 2 pinkies every 7 days....I admit, I felt better feeding her more often...but was then accused of power feeding by someone else for that method. I didn't even know what that was prior to my decision to feed 2 pinks every 4-5 days but when I looked it up I was a bit horrified. =/

2 pinks every 4-5 days for a young King isn't power feeding. You can vary your feeding amount and frequency anytime. If feeding a larger meal wait a little longer to feed again. If feeding a smaller meal then feed a little sooner the next time. Feeding is very subjective and we sometimes learn through trial and error. Find a regiment that works best for you and your snake. You'll learn to 'read' them better with time. I tried a few different feeding methods before I found the best one for me and my critters.

Rattlehead · 02-18-15, 11:34 AM

I think the growth is not a constant. The first months of having my milksnake I didn't see much change in her, and a couple of months ago I have visible growth. I just started how many centimeters as I just started measuring her, but at least a couple every shed period (also her skull looks wider). It must be similar to humans, where you have a sudden change sometimes.

**Minkness** · 02-18-15, 11:37 AM

Thanks Ziggy. I don't want to endanger my animals with unknown. Bad habbits but hearing your reasurance definitely helps! I think I'll pick up my original feeding schedule of twice a week. She seemed happier with that anyway...and I was happier with it as well

Thanks!

Obsidian_Dragon · 02-18-15, 01:08 PM

My garter went through a phase where he didn't seem to gain much--and he was eating every 3 days! Then suddenly BAM, I have a long shoelace. I mean he's still small--24.4 grams a few days ago--but that's more than twice the size he started as. It seems to come in fits and starts.

My MBK has really quieted down for the winter--in fact he gets testy a lot of the time when I bring him out, now! I think the room's ambient is a little chilly for him. Mostly he just wants to chill in his warm hide or his humid hide. Sometimes I catch him burrowing, but he's definitely quieter.

As to weight, I vaguely recall he usually put on a gram or two every week, but it was a different time of year when he was that small.

**Minkness** · 02-18-15, 02:40 PM

That's good to know!

D Grade · 02-19-15, 04:27 AM

Have no fear Mink, Im going through the same thing. My guy is still about 22-23" but his girth is definitely growing. Im anxious like you are for some length but it'll come in time. Keep up the good work, you're doing great!

**Minkness** · 02-19-15, 07:53 AM

Lol thanks D. Your Amani is bigger than my Calypso apparently. She's only like 14 inches long and 24 grams. I really want her to be upped to fuzzies, but I'll be buying some large pinkies today. Probably about 30 lol.

Obsidian_Dragon · 02-19-15, 03:07 PM

Buy a bunch and you'll practically guarantee a growth spurt!

**Minkness** · 02-19-15, 08:09 PM

Got the pinkies!

Gish...the size difference is crazy! I had to get an 'emergency' supply a bit ago from petsmart and they were SO tiny! I finally made it to the nice reptile shop and picked up 30 large pinkies...they are easily 75% larger than the ones from petsmart...crazy! Fed her 2 and she took them like a champ!

No wonder she wasn't gaining. ...she probably wasn't getting enough from them x.x