Feeding regime - next steps

[nickamon]

Hi everyone,

I have a 19 week-old spotted python, who's around 30-40cm long, has shed every 8 weeks, and currently eating a thawed fuzzy mouse every 10 days. I have 6 fuzzies left, and then it's time to buy more food. This leads me to ask a couple of stupid questions.

Is it a good idea to move up to the next meal size after all the fuzzies are gone?

What is the next size up, after fuzzy mice?

Thank you!

[Chris1]

hopper mice i think,...see how big ur snake is when he finished them, thats ages away!

[cyclamen]

i would up the meal... try feeding him/her every 7-10 days.

[Adam]

Yeah I would feed every 7 days and then move onto hopper mice.

[nickamon]

Thanks everyone.

Adam, I was originally feeding a fuzzy every week, but spaced it out to 10 days, just because it seemed like too large a meal, and I don't want to make my Cassie fat.

[Adam]

Fair enough. They do alot of growing in the first year. I do suggets spacing it out more as the weather cools off.

[mrsshep77]

I would recommend going to say pinky rats or depending on the size maybe even fuzzy rats! But try not to leave the snake on mice for too long otherwise you'll find it harder and harder to get them over to rats and when they get older you don't want to be feeding it 4 mice every feed!
Good Luck

[nickamon]

Mrsshep77, it's funny that you mention pinky rats, I have some in my freezer. I'll see how Cassie goes after she's eaten all her mice. At the moment, I don't dare give her a pinky rat - they look too big for her.

What's the size difference between a hopper mouse and a pinky rat?

[mrsshep77]

Not sure but our little girl is about 40cm long right now and she has just gone over to pinky rats (from pinky mice) and she had no problems... her anxious mother (ME) had more problems than her! I think I paced up and down the hall all night making sure she was ok... and guess what??? She was and now she just scoffs em down! She's always been a fantastic feeder, one of our best and she's about 5months old! So give it a go! If she doesn't take it the first time wait a few weeks before you try her again on rats!

Good Luck

[nickamon]

Thanks!

I'll have to measure Cassie properly (good luck to me, she's pretty wiggly when she's out and about ). Depending on her actual size instead of my guesswork, I'll give the ratties a go.

[nickamon]

Update...

well, I managed to measure Cassie last night, though she didn't make it easy for me. She's 30cm long at the moment (that's total length, not snout-vent), so I'll hold off with the ratties until she's a bit bigger.