JCP cage size/growth rate/feeding schedule

[reptilemama]

I'm planning some new cages, and I wanted to double check sizes before I finalized my plans. I've got a female JCP that will be going in one, and I'm planning on a 2'DX3'WX2'H cage. Sound big enough? Or should I make it 4 feet long? Another question- she's about three years old, and still not as big as I expected her to be. I got her in April of '02, and I beleive she was a late '01 baby. She was a good eater most of the time, but did have spells where she's go off food for a couple weeks. In the summer of '03, I sold her to a friend (trying to please the ex, didn't work) who said she still was picky at times, but fed pretty well. He gave her back to me recently, and said he'd been feeding her one fuzzy rat every two weeks. She's still only 3, maybe 3 1/2 feet long, and not much bigger around than my thumb- maybe the size of a quarter. Is she small for her age? I've started feeding her every week, but I'm worried that I'm feeding her too much. Is it possible she's just a small JCP? I was under the impression that normal size was around 6 feet, but I've also read that they can be 3 or 4. So do I have a normal JCP, or a runt?

[LdyDrgn]

One fuzzy rat every two weeks for yearling is not even NEAR enough food. We have a couple that are less than a year old that are getting 2 fuzzy rats every 7 days. Morelia have a higher metabolism and are garbage disposals! She sounds extremely small for her age.... Continue to feed her every week, since you already started, go ahead and offer her 2 prey items that are slightly larger than her girth or 1 prey item that is twice her girth. The normal girth rule does not apply to these snakes, LOL They are PIGS! And this isn't powerfeeding, so don't worry.

The cage size sounds pretty good

[reptilemama]

I think he'd been feeding her weekly up until recently. I'll keep up with the weekly feedings. I tried two fuzzies yesterday, and she eagerly took both, so I'll continue to give her two if she'll take them. Thanks!