Is she ready for adults?

[Haya Tha'baan]

I've been following the feeding chart that I got from this forum. Haya ways about 164 grams and I went to the pet store and picked up a 18 gram adult mouse. Lately I've been feeding her 3 large fuzzies but she doesn't seem to want to eat all of them, so I thought I'd try a single one...and was also wondering if she's ready for adults.

The adult just seems so large, but I was wondering if it was because I've been feeding her small prey. The weight requirements are accurate, but judge for yourself I guess! I don't want to make her explode!

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs060.snc3/14734_744509609688_7705503_42707450_3142705_n.jpg

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=42707451&id=7705503

[Haya Tha'baan]

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs060.snc3/14734_744509619668_7705503_42707451_7007777_n.jpg

Thought I added this picture already.

[bitsy]

You might be able to get an idea by eye. Does the mouse look like it's one and a half times the width of the snake's body? That's another useful guideline.

When you say "adult", is it a small adult? Usually once they can take two fuzzies at a time, then they're ready for a small adult mouse. But really only you'll be able to tell. Corns grow at different rates - some get long and skinny first before filling out.

[Haya Tha'baan]

I've been feeding her 3 of these fuzzy mice but she's been snubbing one or two so I thought on big one would do better. I just don't want it too be too big. Her belly seems wide enough to handle it.

[desertanimal]

Looks ok to me.

I also like to use the digestion-time rule of thumb. If there's still a lump after 48 hours, it was too big.

[danielle]

You could try weanlings first if your nervous or even hoppers since hoppers usually follow fuzzies, but she does seem heavy enough for a small adult. If your going to feed the adult slit it super well to help digestion:)

[Haya Tha'baan]

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs060.snc3/14734_744561390918_7705503_42708499_834665_n.jpg

Forgot the picture again...anyway, I'm just worried about it hurting her is all.

[Haya Tha'baan]

The problem is, hopper and weanlings aren't available where I am and online they sell them by the 50s. That's why I've been feeding those 3 large fuzzies to compensate. Acording to the chart I got from here, she's ready for this small adult. I just wanted extra opinions because her head looks so little compared to that behemoth!

[Haya Tha'baan]

p.s. how do I (grooosss) slice it open?

[Nanci]

I think it looks okay. Do you have a whole bunch, or do you get to pick through them? (Then I'd pick the very smallest). She's very close to ready, anyway. If you do feed it, I'd slit the sides and back of the mouse until she gets up to about 180 or so.

Danielle, I think her store doesn't sell hoppers or weanlings.

[Nanci]

To slit it, just take a little sewing or fingernail scissors and snip it about four or five times along the back and sides. You're just going through the skin, it really isn't gross at all. They don't bleed or anything. When I first started doing it, my snakes went CRAZY!!! They're all used to it now.

[desertanimal]

Her head will be fine. Watch. You'll see. :)

I just make a slit down the back when the mouse is still frozen through the skin. I'm sure I cut through muscle most of the time, too. Some people do little Vs and such and use scissors and such. My slicing of my frozen mice takes me literally one second. The idea is to let the stomach acids get past the skin easier.

[Haya Tha'baan]

I only bought the one. I'm the crazy lady who brings her own scale to the store haha. So that one was the smallest I could fine.

[Nanci]

According to Munson, a weaned mouse is 16-20 grams. (And his mouse sizes seem large compared to what I get at Gourmet Rodent). I think you're okay.

[Haya Tha'baan]

I fed her the adult and she got halfway through, then threw it up. Did she decide it was just too big or what?

[Haya Tha'baan]

I took the mouse out and now she's being very active in her cage.

[danielle]

Your pet store should have in between sizes if their breeding mice? I know before I ordered online my local pet store would just gas one for me. You can also go to local shows and buy bags of 25 which is way cheaper:)