When to feed more??

[BabyMowgli]

Hi,
I just fed my hatchling, who was born the end of July or beginning of August and is about 18 inches long) and she ate it so fast! I have been feeding her every 6 days and she eats it up right away and when I put her back in her viv she zooms around like she is looking for more. Should I be feeding her two pinkies at each feeding? I don't think she looks skinny, but I'm not sure! Any suggestions? :shrugs:

[angle0343]

I made a post asking what is too much and had several people tell me to move up to fuzzies or go ahead and feed 2 pinkies. I fed 2 pinkies and my snake regurged the 2nd pinky this morning. Even though my snake looks like he wants more food, I think I am only gonna feed him 1 pinky for a little while longer.

[BabyMowgli]

hi, thanks for the info, i will stick with one for a while i think, i'll see how things go!

[angle0343]

Not a prob! But my corn is only 10-11 inches long so maybe yours can eat more. I just got my info from other people on this site.

[Rosebear]

I just responded to angle0343's post...
I think it has a lot to do with the size of the prey item.

Takala was most likely born mid July. She came to us from a highly reputable breeder, eating 1 pinkie a week as a maintenance diet. The first week she was here, I mistakenly fed her 1 large pinkie. She did fine. Since then, she's been on a 2 widdle pinkie diet, every 5 days. Her "brother" choses to eat only 1 widdle pinkie every 5 days. Here's the scoop...we "offer" 2 and see what the snakes choose to eat. Takala was "hunting" after eating tonight. While I realize that snakes are opportunistic eaters, I've worked under the presumption that hunting immediately after dining signifies an unsatiated appetite.

I'm not trying to "power feed" my snakes, nor am I trying to underfeed them. If they want more, I'll give them more......of what they seem to be happy with taking on. Legoless let me know, in NO uncertain terms that he was NOT happy with the size of an alleged "fuzzie" (hopper by anyone else's terms). He was perfectly content with "large" pinkies, until we came across "fuzzies" that were fuzzies and not "hoppers."

It's truly SO much a matter of marketing and supply -v- demand.

By the way, Takala is about 16 inches long and is eating 2 widdle pinkies every 5 days, but I think by her actions tonight she's ready for 2 big pinkies every 5 days. Stick to 5 day intervals and I think you'll be ok...as long as you do all your feeding at one time.

[Kvlt]

wouldnt the snake "overeat" if it had the chance to and then regurge? Or will it stop eating when full?

[bryanc]

I think they are opportunistic feeders, so the more you put in front of them they'll try to suck it down.

But anyway, I have three hatchlings now and my biggest is about 24 inches. I was giving him a pinkie every six days or so, but once I noticed that I couldn't see a bulge in his belly is when I upped him to 2 pinks. He does fine with them and hasn't regurged once. So, I think the rule of thumb is if you can't see a distended belly after feeding it's time to move up.

[BabyMowgli]

Do mean the buldge right after they eat? or lke 20 min after they eat. When I feed my normal, she has a slight buldge for about 20 min then it seems to go away and she starts looking for more. Do you think i should up her food? she is at about 19 inches and was a late july hatchling
thanks

[bryanc]

I'd try it.

With my big boy (relatively speaking ;) ) he would eat and I couldn't see any bulge right after it made it's way down to his stomache. But honestly after I feed them that's it. I do check them out the next morning for regurge though. I pretty much ignore them right after they eat so I don't know how long his bulge is there exactly. But I do know that after I feed him 2 pinks I can see his bulge and it's about twice as big as the rest of his body.

I am definately bumping him up to fuzzies or hoppers on my next order. My two girls are about half his size so they will stay with the pinks.

[BabyMowgli]

Mowgli successfully ate two pinkies tonight and acted like she hadn't eaten in weeks! Silly girl, it has only been 5 days! She ate them both in about 10 minutes and had a medium size bulge in her belly. Thanks for the advice everyone!

[Lennycorn]

Mowgil, Remember to feed only up to 1 1/2 of width of snake.

[BabyMowgli]

yes, thank you. she has no problem eating those pinkies and both bumps in her belly are already gone this morning. i think everything went good :)

[bryanc]

Sweet! I glad it went well! :cheers: