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Pythonguy1

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Hi, just sending my first post. I own one stimson and one black headed python - both males.

Regarding the BHP - I've only had him a couple of days. He's 9 months old but still quite small - 60cm. He's only had a dozen feeds as was apparently a late starter. He's taking 2 quails every 5th day or so. Can I bring those feeds closer together to get him bigger sooner? Any advice greatly appreciated. Been told he will only take quail.
 
I wouldn't necessarily want to bring the feeds closer together in case that causes other issues. However, I would consider going onto the largest rat he can take and go with that every 1-2 weeks or whatever seems suitable (good rule of thumb is to at least wait for a poop before you offer another meal... Unless your food items are too small in which case he may not have much left to actually defecate).

Ignore being told he only takes quail, that situation could have been avoided (assuming the previous owner/s just introduced rats like normal). Quails are likely going to be too small when he gets larger. If he has difficulty going to rats, try either scenting the rat with quail (rub that juicy quail all over the rat) or even consider a quail followed by a rat until he gets used to them.
 
Ignore being told he only takes quail, that situation could have been avoided (assuming the previous owner/s just introduced rats like normal). Quails are likely going to be too small when he gets larger. If he has difficulty going to rats, try either scenting the rat with quail (rub that juicy quail all over the rat) or even consider a quail followed by a rat until he gets used to them.

Blighty, have you seen an adult quail before? They're similar in size to adult rats, typically being larger around the breast. There's nothing wrong with feeding quail to your python. Nutritionally, they're similar to rats. Although quail tends to be a little more lean, so I'd say they'd be an excellent food choice for a BHP, which can be prone to obesity in captivity. If the quail's too small, just up the food size.
 
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Blighty, have you seen an adult quail before? They're similar in size to adult rats, typically being larger around the breast. There's nothing wrong with feeding quail to your python. Nutritionally, they're similar to rats. Although quail tends to be a little more lean, so I'd say they'd be an excellent food choice for a BHP, which can be prone to obesity in captivity. If the quail's too small, just up the food size.
Fair enough, perhaps I have seen too many doc's and underestimate quail/poultry sizes as a result. Would they work out any cheaper for him?
 
Thanks everyone - I'm gonna head to the pet shop today and look at larger quails and weigh up costs while I'm there. My stimmy is on rats, so it'd be good if they could be on the same feed at some stage.
 
Fair enough, perhaps I have seen too many doc's and underestimate quail/poultry sizes as a result. Would they work out any cheaper for him?

You can get some big chicks too. :) Some breeds double in size in their first week from being born, and continue to grow far larger than any old rat would. All of my snakes and lizards actually have a preference for avian foods too. While they'll eat rat, they don't eat them with the same excitement they do for a chicken or quail. I really don't understand the aversion to using poultry as feeding items. They're excellent and come in a range of sizes.

Cheapness largely depends on where you are and what's available and whether you know where to look. I wouldn't know the price of individual food items as I breed virtually all my food at home. You can get some cheap birds at poultry auctions, though. My original breeding group of quail were only $1 each, and I have sold live adult quail for $10 each. I've heard that you can buy bags of 50 DOCs for $50. Pretty good in my opinion.
 
Thanks, I'll try to switch to chicks once I use up all my quail :D
 
You can get some big chicks too. :) Some breeds double in size in their first week from being born, and continue to grow far larger than any old rat would. All of my snakes and lizards actually have a preference for avian foods too. While they'll eat rat, they don't eat them with the same excitement they do for a chicken or quail. I really don't understand the aversion to using poultry as feeding items. They're excellent and come in a range of sizes.

Cheapness largely depends on where you are and what's available and whether you know where to look. I wouldn't know the price of individual food items as I breed virtually all my food at home. You can get some cheap birds at poultry auctions, though. My original breeding group of quail were only $1 each, and I have sold live adult quail for $10 each. I've heard that you can buy bags of 50 DOCs for $50. Pretty good in my opinion.
Actually yes, you have a point about pricing. I recall now that you can get doc's cheap from Altona Hatchery too, at least here in WA where we are.

I've got rats breeding, just don't quite have the space for poultry (though I do have 86 doc's in the freezer and nowhere for them to go).
 
Good news.... since I'd been feeding two quails at a time, today I defrosted 1 fuzzy rat and 1 quail together in same bag then fed him the quail, then offered rat while quail still in mouth and he took it!! Yaaay :)

Should I keep doing this or go straight to offering fuzzies only now? I do still have 5 quail left
 
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