I DO NOT want to necessarily over feed him and ABSOLUTELY do not want to cause him any harm, as a fat kid I know it sucks, wouldn't wish it on him.
And when you get more corns (don't kid yourself if you think this will be the only one!) they can be cruel and tease the fat corn. Then you have to put him in therapy, he will rebel, start smoking sphagnum moss and hanging out with the pythons after dark. It is a slippery slope, my friend. :rofl:
Seriously, I was only kidding because I can tell you are going to be a great snake parent!
I have exactly what you want, Boots is 2.5 years old, 5' long and 888g as of last feeding. He is a lean, mean, lovin' machine! He pines after me as I walk by his viv, he loves to be held and loves trying to get in my shirt. My husband had a talk with him and he agreed to only get to second base with me! Sorry, I am bed-ridden with a torn meniscus in my knee and am getting slap happy from the good pain pills!
Boots was a rescue, I couldn't believe how big he was when I first saw him, I had to ask again how old he was, he was about 750g when I got him. My two others who were exactly the same age as him were about 75g and 180g at the same time. Gus (75g) had been starved (he was also a rescue), the girl who surrendered him had him on one pinky a week for 1.5 years, within 6 months he was up to 100g as I got him on a better feeding schedule and he grew quickly. Scarlett (my first, I got her from a breeder) was 200g, I fed her according to the Munson plan. Both are very healthy and growing at a nice pace.
Boots had been fed rats, I don't know for how long, but obviously his owners had power-fed him to get him to grow quickly as a baby and moved him up quickly from one size to the next. I brought home the 6 rats they had left for him, I fed him one every 10 days (but only 3 times) and then started him on 2 large mice every 10-12 days, he has gained 130g in 4 months. Next round will be one mouse. He is big enough. He is really lean and muscular, very healthy and bright eyed. For being this young he is a giant, but not fat. No therapy needed for him!
The largest meal you will ever need to give them is a large mouse every 2 weeks, and that will be once they reach that stage. If you want him to grow faster, feed him a bit more often but make sure he digests and poops regularly, keep a journal on his progress. I don't recommend feeding rats (they are fatty and don't provide any more nutrients than mice), I only did since Boots was used to them and I wanted him to settle in comfortably before I fluctuated his diet.
Genetics also plays a factor, if your snake came from big parents, you will most likely have a big boy.
Anyway, great questions, and I can't wait to hear about his progress!
