Super Growth Theory

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Hi All,
Ok, Ive just spoken to a herp who told me of a theory for super growth and I thought I would see if anyone subscribes to it or knows of it.
It basically involves cutting the skin off the rats stomach exposing the organs. This breaks down the gastric juices of the rat quicker assisting growth.
My friend tried this on a male jungle, after eating the rat it only took 4 days to crap.
The guy who did the study grew a carpet python to 2m in a year!!! It was a study written in a melbourne journal my friend has, so it is a definite case study.
Cheers
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wow man thats amazing. should be worth looking into.

I have read the same about feedn skinks Adam!! because most snakes appear to have trouble digesting them, you cut open their stomach and they are easily digested!

I thought it was a good idea

[instar]

eww you would have to do it quick while the snake was eating it, after constriction?

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it kinda makes sense to me, but could ya imagine the mess.
my friend fed the jungle, just left it outside his hide so he just picked up and ate it. but what if the animal struck at and constricted!!
sitting there slicing away rats stomachs would be an entertaining afternoon too!
and, what damage to the animal for growing so quick!

I agree Brodie, for an animal with a problem like digestion or recovering from illness, it could be a handy trick!

[Slateman]

I think that this method will increase hygien problem in enclosure. I will not attempt this for sure.
Looks like i am stuck with small snake.

[Noskcajam]

Sounds pretty much the same as power feeding.
I have two carpet pythons. One was power feed by it's previous owner and the other wasn't.
You can tell the difference in the sive of the head. Power feed snakes have smaller heads as adults.
Just something to look out for.....

[Sdaji]

Carpets have been grown to over 2m on non modified rats by heaps of people. I've done bredli to 2m within 12 months on non modified rats (and mice when younger). I did a water python to 215cm in less than 12 months on nothing but unmodified thawed rodents. It's probably true that it helps a little to open the rats' bellies to allow it to be digested faster and possibly this could increase the growth rate, but I wouldn't be suprised if the limiting factor on growth is the rate at which digested nutrients can be processed, not the rate at which food can be digested. However, even if this was the case, the small reduction in digestive effort required could have a slight effect.

It's been spoken of for many years in terms of skink feeding. Some people recommend that if snakes are to be force fed, a skink with a slit belly is the best option, although I don't think most people agree and for various reasons I for one would just use pinkies.

Simon Fearn grew a carpet to a little over 6 ft in 12 months and published the results in Monitor a few years ago. This isn't the all time record, but it's published and might be worth a read if you're interested in fast growing snakes.

[Sdaji]

You can tell the difference in the sive of the head. Power feed snakes have smaller heads as adults.

Meh, the heads catch up to the body in a year or two

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hi sdaji,
Simon Fearn is the man he was talking about - sounds like it has grown!
would the rats digestive juices be more predominant in the snakes belly and react?
I think it is different to power feeding in that the animal actually passes its food quicker - so intead of waiting 7 days for feed and crap - you only wait 4.
A pin head may still result of course but the snake wouldnt be backed up with digesting food.

[dobermanmick]

I Think i will just do it the normal way
feed wait for dump feed again

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It grew to 2130mm and 3.1kg in 12 months with 13 sheds. Tummies skinned and tails cut off. 2ml/kg muttonbirdoil each feed.

[Sdaji]

hi sdaji,
Simon Fearn is the man he was talking about - sounds like it has grown!

Hehe, yeah, that doesn't suprise me!

[Fuscus]

Originally Posted by Sdaji

...I've done bredli to 2m within 12 months on non modified rats...

and I was worried about my 1.2 meter yearlings being too big. Where there any side effects?

Cutting a hole in a rodent will increase the surface area for the digestive juices to work on. I would be a bit reluctant to skin the prey, the fur and skin would provide roughage for the snake.

[Moclobe]

Why would you want to grow a snake so fast?