Whats the most you feed your snake?

Brad_J · #1 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 05:43 AM

Today my some-what of a picky eater ball python Pharaoh ate six mice. For some odd reason he doesn't eat rats very often so I try to compensate. I noticed after the sixth mouse, he was looking up at me as if he was ready for more. I hope I don't have to keep feeding him like this, it could get pretty expensive and time consuming.
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RevMojo · #2 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 05:56 AM

when I first saw the title of this post, I had a wiseacre answer in mind, like never more than 2 small neighborhood kids at a time...

6 mice is too many, I'm pretty sure. I think I was told never more than 3 prey items at a time. If your snake is eating 6 mice, it's time to move up to larger prey...try small rats.

How often do you feed your snake?

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Bry · #3 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 06:01 AM

Well, that's good you got him to eat. But 6 mice is way too much. You shouldn't feed more than 3 prey items at a time. I know he isn't eating rats, but you could try 3 similarly-sized rats and gradually increase the size of the rats. If it doesn't work right away, try scenting the rats w/ mice and go from there.

Bry
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phaedrus · #4 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 06:08 AM

What would you guys think of mixing? Like maybe 2 mice and 1 rat of similar size since it's preference is mice. Then increase from there?
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Ed_r · #5 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 06:10 AM

I agree with you guys....but.... BPs can be such feeding nuts you pretty much have to give them what they want. Some WC BPs will turn down prey cuz it's the wrong color. My BPs rutinely take smaller prey even though they are capable of much larger.I agree larger prey should be tried.
It wasnt stated if these mice were live or frozen thawed? if they are frozen thawed you can get the BP started on a mouse and just as it's finishing the mouse start letting the head of a larger prey item in her mouth . It's natural swallow instincts should allow it to continue to swallow the prey. Then the snake gets used to larger prey.
Course if your feeding live that a whole nother story then.
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ss26969 · #6 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 06:17 AM

from the words of the movie slap shot " to much to soon "
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Ed_r · #7 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 06:22 AM

Another thing we don't know is how big the snake is? if it's a 4.5' full size adult ..6 mice are a snack to it. Now if the snake is a youngin then yeah 6 mice is way too much but be glad you got a healthy eater. My BP's give me fits with feeding... so what do i do? Get another one. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] What can I say Im a glutten for punnishment. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]
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Dr.Oviparous · #8 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 08:01 AM

is it just a size of the prey issue, or could it cause damage or irritation to their throats from the effort of swallowing to many times in a row? anybody know? -Juggalo

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"Well, it didn't look like a one horse town, but try finding a decent hair jelly!" -Eulisses E McGill

RevMojo · #9 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 08:23 AM

I dont know, but I'd like to...anyone?

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jimmyg · #10 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 06:05 PM

I called my EX and asked her about the swallowing issues but she got mad and hung up the phone on me

sorry i thought for sure she could help
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morti · #11 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 06:40 PM

Ok... 1 Larger prey item is better than multiple smaller ones for several reasons... Not the least of which is that the digestive process of snakes is designed to digest a meal fully before it starts on the next one. Some of the food is digested properly, and some of it just has to sit there and get all rancid. That could cause bad digestive problems either imediately or over time.
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wino · #12 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 07:00 PM

I have a very similiar "problem" with my BP.

First he is approx 1 year old this or next month (not sure of the exact date of birth)...
He is 3 feet long and well proportioned.

He will ONLY eat white mice.

I have never fed him SIX though. I have one time gone to 4, but normally he will eat 3 about every 8 days.
He doesnt seem to grow any more, almost as if this amount of food is just maintaining his size -- not sure, maybe thats another post...

But he will refuse rats of any size shape or color. He will even refuse mice that arent white. Only ONCE, when he was a hatchling, did he eat anything else, and that was a hamster pink.

he will likewise refuse DEAD mice. He will eat "stunned" mice, that makes me nervous but I have tried EVERYTHING, please believe me.

ALL of our other snakes eat frozen or freshly killed mice or rats with no problems.

Anyway -- I tried to switch my BP to rats sometime ago -- but he refuses.
I tried darn near starving him at one point -- he skipped 3 meals, and nothing.
I tried a mouse, and once he was in feeding mode, slipping him a rat, and nothing.
I tried rat pinks, rat pups, WHITE rats, dead rats and yes, even live rats.
Nothing.
I went as far as offering him the prey in his tank.
Nothing.

And now, in the last month or so, he seems to either be refusing his "normal" meals, or not eating as much...
In the last month he has eaten only 3 mice total.
One last week.
And 2 two weeks prior.

The only other time feeding him was like this was about 6 months ago, in the fall.
He totally refused food for about six weeks at that time.

He seems healthy, happy, and is VERY tame. Almost TOO tame.
He is VERY pretty, like I said well proportioned, and has what some call a "high gold" pattern to him.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Although -- I almost give up on trying to change him, I think I will offer him from 1 to 3 mice and let the little bugger be happy, unless someone has some GOOD advice.

Thanks!!!
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Brad_J · #13 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 08:41 PM

Thanks for all the advice. My BP is 4' long. I give him fresh killed mice. The funny thing is, he used to eat only rats [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] I'll try the mouse senting trick. I hope it works. Also, he eats every week.
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Reticu-Lady · #14 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 09:03 PM

One word of caution, I scented a rat with a mouse once, the snake bit me, not the rat. Make sure to either wash your hands after scenting (since you are scenting yourself as well) or use tongs. Yes, I am a slow learner, but once I learn something it's there for good! lol And those little baby burms can really hang on, too [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
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#15 (**permalink**) 05-31-2002, 09:04 PM

Like Morti has said here. The reasons are more than just a swallowing thing to not feed so many prey items at one feeding to your snake. I also reccomend no more than 3 prey items [ and I only do such for the snakes that seem to have a ravenous appetite also with feeding full girth prey even] You need to not overdo the digestive tract of your snake and what you are doing will do that IMO. Also.. If you are feeding the snake every week like that...You are REALLY overdoing it ! try the mouse scenting thing like Bry suggested. Ball pythons can be very finicky eaters and you just have to find something that not only works in order for the snake to feed but also does not jeopardize the snake's health too which could cause other health issues for your snake.

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>from Ed_r... if it's a 4.5' full size adult ..6 mice are a snack to it. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

YES Ed.. It may be a snack so to say BUT it is not a very healthy thing to do for the snake by feeding that many prey items and could cause health issues for the snake down the road also.
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