Over feeding

[Mangrove]

i have been keeping to my scedule and i have gone every 5-7 days, but i dont think my snake went to the bathroom before the last time i feed her. she still ate, but i was wondering if it would be bad for her. and i was wondering if i should be moving up to the next size anytime soon... i know to go by the 1 to 1 1/2 time bigger than the thickest part, but i dont know how big a hopper is... is that like a normal sized mouse?? thanks in advance :idea: :idea:

:eats02:

[CAV]

I hopper is just an older fuzzy; not really a full sized adult.

The key it not to judge how big the mouse looks before being consumed. After being defrosted, mice tend to loss form and appear to be a fatter, blobbier lump than they actually are. (We'll call this the "freezer effect") Once swallowed, the size magically seems to shrink, leaving a smaller than anticipated lump in the snake.

My view of feeding larger prey sizes has always been when in doubt, try it out. I can't remember many instances in which a snake couldn't or wouldn't swallow a larger size.

The sign of success is that there isn't a regurge the next day. ;)

[oreo1700]

my snakes usually go to the bathroom after i feed them the next meal, and do so in the next two days. if ur snake is eatting without throwing up, its fine. it could probably handle a beigger mouse. if it has a hard time eatting a bigger one but still gets it down, wait a week before the next meal of the same size. good luck

[Jynx]

How big is your snake (length)? Remember that it is always better to feed smaller items then one huge one. If your snake regurges then you have to start from square one. Some snakes can take larger meals than others. I had a female yearling that should have been on small adult mice, however when I tried them for the first time, she regurged. She was just fine feeding on 2 weanlings for the next 5 months before she would take and adult. It just depends on the snake. It shouldn't hurt your snake if you feed it before it passes its old meal.

[Alias47]

How big is your snake (length)? Remember that it is always better to feed smaller items then one huge one.

Sorry, I just cannot agree with this.
First, IMO, length has absolutely NOTHING to do with size of a prey item. Girth is should be the estimating parameter. 1 to 1.5 times the size of the snake at it's largest point...obviously this is a GUIDELINE not a hard and fast rule. Every snake is an individual and may prefer or tolerate different sizes better.
Multiple smaller prey items have less nutritional value than one larger prey item of approximately equal weight...

Besides it will save you money in the long run to feed an appropriately sized item rather than multiple small ones.

[CAV]

Good post Derek and right on the mark. :)

[Spirit]

1 to 1.5 times the size of the snake at it's largest point...obviously this is a GUIDELINE not a hard and fast rule.

I just wanted to add that it's not always easy to judge by looking at the mouse either. I recently switched from fuzzies to hoppers. The hoppers LOOKED big when frozen, but when they were thawed, I seriously questioned that these were a big enough meal. They were soft and floppy and the girth of my snake looked larger than the mouse itself... of course it left a nice large bump though so I know it was time for him to be eating hoppers.

I switched breeders also (pet store to breeder) and the fuzzies I was giving him tended to be a bit more "thick" than these particular hoppers... but I digress. Just trying to make a point. :nyah:

[Alias47]

Good point Spirit... :)
That can also go the other way...many people don't realize just how BIG the prey item can truly be...snakes have EVOLVED to swallow large items...it isn't going to eat it if it can't fit it in it's mouth.

[Spirit]

Now the first time I saw my python eat... now imagine that TINY little skinny neck, huge mouth, and a meal the size of that big fat body going down... I practically had the needle and thread ready to go incase he split right open. :laugh:

[Alias47]

LOL :rofl: