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27-Jul-06, 01:25 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Jun-06 Location: Sydney Age: 25 | | | general food size / type q
I've heard so many different things about snake food, size, type etc, that rats are more nutritous, multiple small feeds are better, one big feed is better, etc
:roll:
So many different recomendations from different people, its easy to get confused about who to beleive SO i thought I would ask you guys, people who I know are experienced herpers...
What should I be feeding my baby: She's a coastal carpet, Dec 05 hatchling, approx 60-70cm long, her biggest girth would be around about the same as a 10cent piece (there abouts, maybe a little bigger), she's not being cooled at the moment and has a heatmat (no basking lamp at the moment) What's your opinion??
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27-Jul-06, 01:36 PM
|  | Sponsor | Join Date: May-04 Location: Melbourne | | | | RE: general food size / type q
John Weigle at the last VHS meeting was talking about some research where snakes fed larger food items developed large heads than those fed the same amount by weight but with smaller food items. He was testing the theory with his own collections at the Reptile Park.
Personally I don't think the type of prey fed makes a huge difference but apply roughly apply these rules:
1) Feed whole animals only.
2) Feed rats or mice by preference but failing that something they will eat.
3) Feed thawed (and dead obviously) prey by preference.
4) Get them onto what you want them to eat as adults as early as possible.
5) Once they start to swallow, if it takes them more than 10 minutes to get their prey down it was probably too big for them.
6) Feed larger meals less often
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27-Jul-06, 01:55 PM
| | Regular Member | Join Date: Mar-04 Location: Newcastle, NSW Age: 29 | | | | RE: general food size / type q
3-4 jumbo rats a week...
Nah, I'm kidding. I am of the opinion that more small feeds are better than less large feeds, I think the snake can grow better when it has a constant supply of nutrients, this is obviously moreso for young snakes as they are pretty much constantly growing whereas adults grow much less.
I am not up with the terminology of rat sizes but I would give a snake like that an 80g rat every 3-4 days. As the snake grows increase the size of the rats until it is an adult (3yo for a coastal IMO) then cut the food back to once every 7-10 days for the rest of its life. The rats by this time will be large adults weighing at least 200g but most likely more.
There are other considerations like cooling and breeding, etc... But I wouldn't be doing either of those until at least the 2008 breeding season, unless of course you feed her even more and breed her early. Thats up to you.
Of course I'll probably get flamed for this but I'm already wearing the suit so I am ready for it.
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27-Jul-06, 02:02 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-05 Location: Sydney | | | | RE: general food size / type q
Id go half that and half as often ie. one 30-40 gram rat every week.
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27-Jul-06, 02:05 PM
|  | Subscriber | Join Date: Dec-04 Location: Somewhere near Brisbane | | | | RE: general food size / type q
Sounds about right, I would maybe suggest 5 days between feeds and I also rather feed smaller food more often than one big feed. Mine eat every 5 days on average and as long as they have a good heat supply it certainly shouldn't cause a problem. Anyone who has seen my animals knows they look healthy.
My yardstick is that the food should leave a noticeable bulge without it looking bloated, mayeb 50% bigger than the body each side if that makes sense ?
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27-Jul-06, 02:06 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Dec-04 Location: Somewhere near Brisbane | | | | Re: RE: general food size / type q
A 30 gram rat isn't very big. Quote: |
Originally Posted by CodeRed Id go half that and half as often ie. one 30-40 gram rat every week. |
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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004
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27-Jul-06, 02:11 PM
| | Subscriber | Join Date: Jan-05 Location: Sydney | | | | Re: RE: general food size / type q
Quote: |
Originally Posted by boa A 30 gram rat isn't very big.
| the snake in question isnt very big either. Sounds like its around 150 - 200 grams.
My rule of thumb has been 15% of the snake's body weight per week in food for the first 9 - 12 months.
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