Feeding my spotted python correct prey size

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Kate91

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Hey guys,
Newbie here and newbie to owning pythons, my 3 month old spotted python is currently taking pinkie mice, but she barely looks fed after a feed. Reptile shop gave me velvets (I think this is the next size up) and they look alot bigger than her widest part of her girth.
Now on her care sheet it states you can feed 2 prey items, would 2 pinkies be better than the larger velvet? Or go straight for the velvet. I'm nervous to just try it incase something happens to her.
Thanks all.
 
Hi Kate91
I would just give her a velvet and see what happens. If its to big , she will spit it out, no harm done. Good lock.
 
Hi Kate91
I would just give her a velvet and see what happens. If its to big , she will spit it out, no harm done. Good lock.
Thank you. Is the general rule same size as the girth or 1 and a half? I'm getting differing opinions.
 
Thank you. Is the general rule same size as the girth or 1 and a half? I'm getting differing opinions.
1-2x is a very safe size

the general idea is theyre gonna squeeze the item into wham camo referred to as "spaghetti"

others weigh their snake and get 20-30% of that weight which is better than sizing it up, especially for newcomers

for a spotted python though i'd be going fuzzy-weaner~ size
 
1-2x is a very safe size

the general idea is theyre gonna squeeze the item into wham camo referred to as "spaghetti"

others weigh their snake and get 20-30% of that weight which is better than sizing it up, especially for newcomers

for a spotted python though i'd be going fuzzy-weaner~ size
agreed just like a fairly large fuzzy like said above fuzzy-weaner above is the best answer you will get.
 
1-2x is a very safe size

the general idea is theyre gonna squeeze the item into wham camo referred to as "spaghetti"

others weigh their snake and get 20-30% of that weight which is better than sizing it up, especially for newcomers

for a spotted python though i'd be going fuzzy-weaner~ size


She is tiny even the velvet is massive compared to her weighed her shes only 15grams, only had her 2 weeks, 1 feed (was in shed)

Thanks guys, still understanding how all this works.
 
Don't give her a weaner mouse, at 15 grams she's too small.

A velvet should be okay, but keep in mind that the size of 'velvets' varies dramatically. I've attached pictures I had handy (I just sent them to a buyer today) of a snake I gave a feed to, it's on the large size of comfortable to give you some idea. A little larger would be okay but starting to push out of what I'd describe as comfortable for a newbie. Ideally, go for something a little smaller than I'm showing here, but if all you have is around this ratio, it should be okay.

SFX1 female marble.jpg SFX1 female marble pic 2.jpg
 
Don't give her a weaner mouse, at 15 grams she's too small.

A velvet should be okay, but keep in mind that the size of 'velvets' varies dramatically. I've attached pictures I had handy (I just sent them to a buyer today) of a snake I gave a feed to, it's on the large size of comfortable to give you some idea. A little larger would be okay but starting to push out of what I'd describe as comfortable for a newbie. Ideally, go for something a little smaller than I'm showing here, but if all you have is around this ratio, it should be okay.

View attachment 329262 View attachment 329263

It turns out she was on what they call blood pinkies (was told to keep her on these for 4 weeks but after 1 feed could tell they weren't enough) the really small ones, now being new I had no idea there were larger ones available. So i bought a few of them yesterday (different reptile store) as they are dramatically larger than what she was having, and seem to be the size of her girth, the smallest velvet in the pack was 4grams and went right up to 7grams so varied quite alot.
 
Don't give her a weaner mouse, at 15 grams she's too small.

A velvet should be okay, but keep in mind that the size of 'velvets' varies dramatically. I've attached pictures I had handy (I just sent them to a buyer today) of a snake I gave a feed to, it's on the large size of comfortable to give you some idea. A little larger would be okay but starting to push out of what I'd describe as comfortable for a newbie. Ideally, go for something a little smaller than I'm showing here, but if all you have is around this ratio, it should be okay.

View attachment 329262 View attachment 329263
i see that my opinion differs from you although i know you would know more then me as all your answers for everyones questions are really quite nice and descriptive. i still think a fuzzy is ya best bet kate but since you have new info from a reptile store follow their instructions no forum advice beats a reptile pet shop i dont meen regular pet shop. Best of luck with your spotted python you have
 
no forum advice beats a reptile pet shop i dont meen regular pet shop.

While I've never been one to slag off the advice of reptile pet shops I must disagree with this statement. We are lucky to have the likes of Sdaji, Bluetongue1, Pythoninfinite, GBWhite & many others whose combined experience in not only keeping reptiles but actually studying them is in excess of hundreds of years. To say that their advice is inferior to that of a reptile pet shop is not only false, but somewhat insulting.
 
Haha pet shop advice... do you know what quals you need to work at a pet store??


None.


Take any pet/reptile store's advice for keeping a turtle... get back to me.

one primary reptile pet store that i worked on reptile division, asked me for some scientific names of VERY common python species and that was really the only thing they wanted apart from captive keeping experience >_< I left after I felt like i was scamming people by offering advice i normally wouldnt give, to make the store money.

i see that my opinion differs from you although i know you would know more then me as all your answers for everyones questions are really quite nice and descriptive. i still think a fuzzy is ya best bet kate but since you have new info from a reptile store follow their instructions no forum advice beats a reptile pet shop, i dont mean a regular pet shop. Best of luck with your spotted python you have

again, wtf?... pet shops, reptile focused or not are in it for the money, if they can get u to buy more food, however that is and spend more money, they will. chuck them some knowledge instore while theyre trying to scam you and they hop off you real quick.

as rob mentioned, Those people listed have decades each (if not centuries combined (no offence fellas)) of experience keeping reptiles not only in Australia, but around the world. and dont forget their education and Job history.

Just by reading their posts i feel my Brain expand lmao
 
Thank you all, the velvet was definitely way to big this pinkie I have just fed her is about 2 x bigger than what she is used to, she has taken so far about 10 minutes on this one.
After this lot is done then the velvets are ready to go
 
i see that my opinion differs from you although i know you would know more then me as all your answers for everyones questions are really quite nice and descriptive. i still think a fuzzy is ya best bet kate but since you have new info from a reptile store follow their instructions no forum advice beats a reptile pet shop i dont meen regular pet shop. Best of luck with your spotted python you have
pet shop advice is better than breeders advice???? what planet are you living on? pet shops only want your money and they don't care if your critter lives or not. I certainly wouldn't follow your advice
 
Can I just say I have the utmost respect for people like bluetongue1 and Sdaji who For the time of spent on this forum I’ve learnt a lot from the statement that reptile shop advice is better then forum advice is downright dumb All shops are there to make money I’d take everything they advise with a grain of salt. I went for a job at a local shop that has reptiles and inverts in stock I have a Cert2 in animal studies and a first semester captive animals cert three as well as venomous snake handling certificate the only thing they wanted to know was scientific names of three snakes and gave me a bhp to handle they disregarded everything qual on my resume for that to even suggest that reptile/pet shop advice is better then that of the esteemed members above is not only stupid but downright insulting
[doublepost=1590232578,1590231851][/doublepost]
Can I just say I have the utmost respect for people like bluetongue1 and Sdaji who For the time of spent on this forum I’ve learnt a lot from the statement that reptile shop advice is better then forum advice is downright dumb All shops are there to make money I’d take everything they advise with a grain of salt. I went for a job at a local shop that has reptiles and inverts in stock I have a Cert2 in animal studies and a first semester captive animals cert three as well as venomous snake handling certificate the only thing they wanted to know was scientific names of three snakes and gave me a bhp to handle they disregarded everything qual on my resume for that to even suggest that reptile/pet shop advice is better then that of the esteemed members above is not only stupid but downright insulting
A few of there answers to some of my posts and reading have also allowed me and a friend to pair a few animals together this season as well as a few(most I have read have given me a better understanding on keeping reptiles as well as studying them again I thank you guys
 
It's been a month since I posted this, decided to try the smallest velvet she attempted it, spat it then left it.

Planning to just keep on double up the pinkies till her next shed and try again.
 
It's been a month since I posted this, decided to try the smallest velvet she attempted it, spat it then left it.

Planning to just keep on double up the pinkies till her next shed and try again.

I'd be checking your temps, pinkies will be a very slow grow

ahve you tried "braining" fuzzies? its when you tear the skin off the nose of the mouse and it causes some bleeding and is quite appealing to the animal


also possible you were sold a Dud eater, which is why they keep it on pinkies for so long (aswell as to save money)
 
I'd be checking your temps, pinkies will be a very slow grow

ahve you tried "braining" fuzzies? its when you tear the skin off the nose of the mouse and it causes some bleeding and is quite appealing to the animal


also possible you were sold a Dud eater, which is why they keep it on pinkies for so long (aswell as to save money)

She has no issues taking it makes it to about the arms of the mouse then lets go and leaves it.
Temps are 33-33.8 hot end, 28 cool side, humidity ranges from 50-70%.
My sister got her clutch mate also kept on blood pinkies and has moved up to velvets BUT he is slightly bigger than her.
She downs 2 large pinks no worries.
Not to sure if the reason is too big or could it be something else?

Also another question how often? She tends to have her head out the cave on night fall for hours on end about day 5/6 after a feed. Is this her waiting for food behaviour?

Thanks
 

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