Feeding Amount Dilema

[BigByrd47119]

Hello,

My little guy weights in at 94 grams which according to the Munson plan puts him at the weanling mice.

My problem is thus. I have about 5 fuzzies left and I wonder if I should be feeding two full fuzzies or a fuzzie and a half. One fuzzie certainly doesn't leave much of a lump (at least nothing noticeable).

Tonights feeding night, so any opinions submitted will likely be put into effect rather soon.

As always thanks!
~BigByrd

[Kethryanne]

I would go with two feedings of 1 and a half and then one of two to use up your supply then switch to the next size up. But only if your snake will eat them.

[bitsy]

Just feed them one at a time until they're used up, don't bother faffing around with halves. The snake has no idea it's "supposed" to go up to a bigger size and it'll be in no danger of starvation.

[Naagas]

I agree with Bitsy.
Your snake won't starve from eating what is left one at a time.

[BigByrd47119]

Thanks for everyone's replies!

My concern isn't that Marley will starve. My issue is why feed him less than I could if it would prove to be more nutritionally satisfying for him if I give him more.

This all pretty well answers my question. Thanks everyone!
~BigByrd

[atmox]

Don't get yourself in the trouble of cutting them in half. Just use them one at a time till they're all gone. (1 a 5-7 days that is)

[atmox]

Thanks for everyone's replies!

My concern isn't that Marley will starve. My issue is why feed him less than I could if it would prove to be more nutritionally satisfying for him if I give him more.

This all pretty well answers my question. Thanks everyone!
~BigByrd

They can go a looooooooooooooong time without food, and i somewhere saw a graph that shows there isn't enough difference in nutrients between 2 different size of mice to really make a difference if u underfeed for a not too long time.

[WingedSweetheart]

The Munson Plan is just a starting point. You should not follow it exactly. You should go by what your snake needs. Go by the size of your snake and how fast it digests. If you are feeding fuzzies and it still takes 2 days or so to digest then keep feeding fuzzies.

Also the next size up from a fuzzie is a hopper. Weanlings are bigger than hoppers and closer to the size of adult mice.

So if you feel you must move your snake up a size then feed a hopper and see how that goes. I would think a weanling may be too large. But like I said it depends on the size of your snake.
I just started feeding my 205 gram girl weanlings last week (though my weanlings are a little bigger than pet store stock).

[bitsy]

My issue is why feed him less than I could if it would prove to be more nutritionally satisfying for him if I give him more.
Because it really won't make any difference, nutritionally or otherwise. You're talking about 5 feeds, which is really no time at all in the grand scheme of things.

And when in doubt, it's always better to underfeed than overfeed.

[Jessicat]

I consider the Munson plan to be a somewhat aggressive plan. Yes, it will grow a snake up quite fast, but is that the best thing for the snake? Not necessarily. Although I have much respect for the creator of the Munson plan, I have never followed the plan myself.

As mentioned above, it is much healthier and more natural for a snake to eat less frequently than more frequently. Just stick with the fuzzies you have left until they're gone.

If you're really that worried about it you could leave a little less time in between feedings. How frequently are you feeding? If you're feeding every week you could cut back to every 5 days or so. If you're feeding every 5 days though I'd keep it at that. Your snake needs time to digest, poop, and move around the cage a little before its next meal. Constant digestion shortens a snake's life span, and a snake that is always being fed and never getting any exercise can either get too fat or simply not build up enough muscle tone.

[BigByrd47119]

Thanks again for all the valuable input.

Hes eating once ever 5 days.

I went ahead and gave him two the other night just because he gobbled down the first one so fast. From this point on I suppose we will just see how it goes and I will consider giving him one every 5 days.

Thanks again!
~BigByrd47119

[Dreamsnake]

I switched mine to hoppers when she was 80 grams in January. I fed her two fuzzies once because I thawed out two by mistake and didn't have another snake that size to give the other one. I don't think making them wait a bit longer before bumping them is harmful since all snakes grow at their own rate. I knew it was time to switch Zara when her growth rate slowed and she began hunting in her tank.