Quick question for BRB breeders/experienced keepers

[Kevin C]

Hello. I was wondering if any BRB breeders or experienced keepers that regularly weigh their neonates could tell me what their snakes have weighed in at around 7-8 months? My 2017 BRB neonates are doing great. They are about 7 1/2 months old now and I weighed them most recently last week. One was 115 grams and one 120 grams. They have been fed an appropriately- sized f/t thawed mouse (initially large fuzzies and now hoppers) an average of every 7 days.

I'm just curious if this is an average weight for this age? Any input from those who have kept BRBs longer than I have is appreciated. I document everything but haven't kept this species long enough to know what is considered an average weight at specific ages.

I'll share some pics once I figure out how to resize my images. LOL.

Thanks!
Kevin

[Jim Smith]

That's fairly large for that age. One on my females are 81 grams at seven months, That said, it's possible my female was on the small side.

[bigsnakegirl785]

My first BRB (male) was about 80 grams at that age as well. My hypo female came to me at 10 months old I think, and she was a bit larger at 124 grams. The male was eating hopper mice every 7-10 days at that age, and I had the female on small adult mice every 7-10 days.

Your feeding regimen sounds good, though you seem to be feeding slightly smaller meals than I would have (at their current size hoppers should be fine, but they'll be moving up very soon). They're growing quite well, though, so I think they're doing fine.

[Kevin C]

Thank you both for the replies. I appreciate it. I've been a couple days early with some feedings which may explain the slightly heavier weight. I also didn't allow her previous meal to fully digest before weighing. I'll make sure I don't do that going forward now that I know she is a little heavier than expected.

Yep, some of meals have been a little on the small side as I am finishing off a bag of frozen fuzzies. They vary quite a bit in size; I fed the smaller fuzzies initially and now am feeding the larger, near hopper size or two of the smaller fuzzy size. I do have an order for a new bag of hoppers. If I recall, 7-10% of body weight per feeding is about right? I didn't weigh the mice previously and fed a size that matched her largest girth or close to it. But, I'll probably start weighing to ensure I have the right %.

Thanks again,
Kevin

[bigsnakegirl785]

Originally Posted by Kevin C

Thank you both for the replies. I appreciate it. I've been a couple days early with some feedings which may explain the slightly heavier weight. I also didn't allow her previous meal to fully digest before weighing. I'll make sure I don't do that going forward now that I know she is a little heavier than expected.

Yep, some of meals have been a little on the small side as I am finishing off a bag of frozen fuzzies. They vary quite a bit in size; I fed the smaller fuzzies initially and now am feeding the larger, near hopper size or two of the smaller fuzzy size. I do have an order for a new bag of hoppers. If I recall, 7-10% of body weight per feeding is about right? I didn't weigh the mice previously and fed a size that matched her largest girth or close to it. But, I'll probably start weighing to ensure I have the right %.

Thanks again,
Kevin

I don't generally weight my feeders, but the meals I fed my BRBs were generally in the 6-8% if I took the snake's weight and the feeder size. 10% is about my max, yes. I just feed meals that are about the girth that leave little to no difference in girth once swallowed, and that's the percentage it sits at in my experience.

[Kevin C]

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

I don't generally weight my feeders, but the meals I fed my BRBs were generally in the 6-8% if I took the snake's weight and the feeder size. 10% is about my max, yes. I just feed meals that are about the girth that leave little to no difference in girth once swallowed, and that's the percentage it sits at in my experience.

Thanks, bigsnakegirl