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sn8kluvr · #1 (**permalink**) 12-26-2004, 02:59 AM

Here are some new feeding pictures of Penny my male Bp. He is about 6 months old and eating medium rats, pre killed of course. He was coming out of his feeding tub after, he was starving. I also love the pattern on this guy, he is one of a kind.

I hadd been keeping a record of feedins untill about two weeks ago when we had to move and miss placed it. I am worried that I am power feeding. I was feeding every 4-5 days when feeding mice. Now I amd feeeding every 5-6 days while feeding rats. Is that ok? I had talked to the breeder I got him from and he said that if you keep them warm, also giving them an optional area to cool, like on the higher end of the spectrum like 92 warm and 75 cool. Then they will eat reallly well. That is what I have done. My bp loves his warm side and lamp. He is always there. I offer three hides, in the pic there is only two, I added one. So there are numerous places to hide. Point is, he is always ready to eat. Normal?

haroldo359 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-26-2004, 04:27 AM

i would not feed a ball python more often than every 7 days. they have a slow metabolism.

how long is the snake? how big is the rat?

CC · #3 (**permalink**) 12-26-2004, 04:34 AM

A medium size rat(from the rats that I have seen) is way to big for a 6 month old BP. Maybe its just where I get mine from, but that just doesn't sound right. Feeding not more than once a week should do for now. As it gets older you will need to spread the meals out further

CC · #4 (**permalink**) 12-26-2004, 04:47 AM

The rat you fed in the pic looks to be appropriate size. Just don't think it is a medium rat. Also I see the box from petco, and I'm guessing that is what the rat came in. I don't know if you froze it and just left it in the box but just in case you didn't....I suggest that you buy the rat sooner so you have time to freeze it and kill any parasites. Your buying it anyway, it wont hurt anything to get it early.

sn8kluvr · #5 (**permalink**) 12-26-2004, 09:09 AM

Thanks for the advice. The rat is small, just medium for here in my town. A small from rodentpro. And yes it was from Petco. I will try and get one a day early and freeze and see how it goes. Also do you see how he is coming out of the tub at me. I made him wait 5 days just because I felt that I was power feeding him. I can't even touch him if I wait a week! He starts getting pissy after about 5 or six days. Also his metabolism seems to be faster then the other BP I have owened. He thins out pretty quickly, and usually poops every other feeding.

reptilemama · #6 (**permalink**) 12-26-2004, 03:37 PM

He gets hungry that soon because he's used to the schedule you've got him on. If you slow him down to once a week, he'll get used to it. He'll be healthier in the long run if you don't feed him more than once every 7 days.

sn8kluvr · #7 (**permalink**) 12-27-2004, 12:06 AM

Cool, I am waiting this week. And going to freeze the rat first.

Bigdogg · #8 (**permalink**) 12-26-2006, 08:39 PM

Well seem to be doing fine and as long as your ball python digest the rat fine you can feed him a day or 2 after the lump is gone. Some call it power feeding but males really don't matter. The only reason people don't like to power feed females is because it shortens there breeding life. But I feed my ball pythons at least once a week depending on the meal i give them they eat right after they digest. The one python similar to the ball python in a way that has a slow digestive system is the blood python. It takes a week or longer to digest a nice sized meal. But you are doing a great job and he should grow quickly

nickdog+85 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 03:08 AM

Hey everyone, I have a few questions. I have a 6 year old boa and it isn't big well my friend that I got it from said it is 6 years old him mom had it for that long and she feed it 2 live mice once a month. samson ( his name) is about 2 to 3 feet long and I was woundering if it is good to start feeding him 2 mice once everyone two weeks? Is there anyway I can change his feeding to dead mice?

Slithers · #10 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickdog+85

Hey everyone, I have a few questions. I have a 6 year old boa and it isn't big well my friend that I got it from said it is 6 years old him mom had it for that long and she feed it 2 live mice once a month. samson ( his name) is about 2 to 3 feet long and I was woundering if it is good to start feeding him 2 mice once everyone two weeks? Is there anyway I can change his feeding to dead mice?

I wont call you a troll.
Ill just tell you to start your own thread.

Nice feeding pics. I think 7 days is better. that looks like a small rat. I am not sure if freezing a rat for 24 hours will kill the parasites...better check it out. nice lookin ball python.

reptilemama · #11 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickdog+85

Hey everyone, I have a few questions. I have a 6 year old boa and it isn't big well my friend that I got it from said it is 6 years old him mom had it for that long and she feed it 2 live mice once a month. samson ( his name) is about 2 to 3 feet long and I was woundering if it is good to start feeding him 2 mice once everyone two weeks? Is there anyway I can change his feeding to dead mice?

The original post here is two years old, so as Slithers said, starting your own thread may get you more responses. In short, yes, most boas will easily switch to frozen/thawed, and I would try a small to medium sized rat instead of mice. Rats have more nutrition than mice. I would think every two weeks would be a good schedule, although feel free to correct me. If this poor guy is really 6 years old, then he may never reach the same size a well-fed boa would, but it's tough to say for sure.

Slithers · #12 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 04:57 AM

sheesh...bigdogg what on earth are you doing? LOL digging up the past?

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