Reptile Food Sizing

[miki_k8]

Having just got home from the RepX expo in Brisbane, I was looking at some of the snake food information I picked up (2 main ones which were extensive price lists). Curiously, I noticed that each had a different "definition" of what each size feeder was. This was mainly in the frozen mice, but could also be seen in some extent in the frozen rats.

e.g. Company 1 classifies fuzzie mice as 3-6g. Company 2 would list something that weight as a pinkie. This continues up with all the sizes. Weaners are the only category with some similarities (13-18g vs. 15-19g).

Is there any real predefined measure of sizing which could be used to standardize something like this? I know when upsizing food myself, going from pinkies to fuzzies would seem logical, but if you changed supplier, the actual size of the food could be the same or smaller depending on each individuals classification system.

I mean no criticism, just pure curiosity on the matter.

 

[Yellowtail]

It also depends on the breed of mice, my supermice fuzzies are the size of common mouse hoppers.
Depending on the species you should be getting them onto fuzzies straight away or asap, pinky mice have almost no nutritional value and the lack of bone/fur etc is not good for the digestive tract of pythons. In the wild they would be eating small frogs and lizards which are far more substantial.

 

[pythoninfinite]

Rodent sizing descriptions are pretty much up to the supplier. What I call a small, medium & large rat will vary significantly from what someone else considers the same thing. There is no universal standard.

 

[cris]

The weight should be a more useful indicator of size. Pinky rodents vary a lot in size, if you get them fresh from being pumped out they are much smaller than when they start to get fuzzy. If you just go for around 20% the weight of your python there is no need to worry about much else.

What did you think of the show?

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

You see it all the way through the sizes. I notice more at the other end where what some people refer too as Jumbo are nothing more than a large.
I use 3 suppliers and the sizes do vary quite significantly between them but a pinky is a pinky. I think some of this is down to the breeds with pinkies and other small sizes as YT pointed out. But the breed shouldn't really come into it when we start talking mediums, large etc

I'm not sure why it happens so much but I think some breeders use this as a means to hike the prices. Its becoming as competitive a market as reptiles so there are bargains out there if you happen to be looking in the right places.

 

[Bl69aze]

As it’s been said, it’s the same for pretty much all snake food.

I’m getting 55-65g weaner rats from camos, where somewhere else sells 40g rats for same price.

I just buy one packet of I think it’s ready for a size upgrade, weigh the packet of food for an average (total weight/ number of food items) then weigh snake and feed 25-30%.

If food items are too big, I just put them in the freezer and get some more current food items , you can also try going by the visual size how ever, and taking into consideration the snake will squish the prey into about 3/4 of what you fed it, stretching it and thinning it(due to the constriction) as a seller once said... “like a noodle”

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

live food

Typo???

 

[Bl69aze]

Typo???

I was tired but yea I meant just reptile food, I guess i was thinking of like “rats live at one point”

 

[miki_k8]

Seems like if weight isn't listed, descriptors can easily become a marketing ploy to charge more for less.

I’m getting 55-65g weaner rats from camos, where somewhere else sells 40g rats for same price.”

Funny to look at these lists and see weaner rats listed in one of them as 21-45 g, compared to your normal purchasing of 55-65g size.

What did you think of the show?

I wasn't really a fan to be honest. The actual expo itself was well done, with a good variety of animals and different stalls and many knowledgeable people all gathered in one place. However it was incredibly packed and the army of families who turned up with prams and small children was frustrating. In my eyes RepX should have been a hobbyist event, and I am all for the education of young kids about reptiles and all things similar (and it was wonderful seeing the Bug Ed people doing really well with this, targeting the kids), but it made the event almost not enjoyable. I barely saw any of the private animal collections because of the masses of people there and pushy parents wanting their small ones to get up the front, before pushing in themselves. Definitely some amazing animals, wish I got a chance to look properly.

 

[MANNING]

When I get rats from my supplier I only ask for the food by weight. I always just confused myself looking at charts and trying to work out what's what

 

[cris]

I wasn't really a fan to be honest.

Yeah... Just thought I would check it out since I have never been to a reptile show/expo. If there was a list of what was there I could have saved my money, I was expecting more than half a dozen displays with common species. I have only ever been there for gun shows before and they have also been set up with no room to move. Still I don't feel like it was a ripoff and only a 10 minute drive, 10 minutes there then back home again.

 

[miki_k8]

Yeah... Just thought I would check it out since I have never been to a reptile show/expo. If there was a list of what was there I could have saved my money, I was expecting more than half a dozen displays with common species. I have only ever been there for gun shows before and they have also been set up with no room to move. Still I don't feel like it was a ripoff and only a 10 minute drive, 10 minutes there then back home again.

See it was 40 minutes by public transport for me each way, so it was quite a hike for not being able to see a lot. I agree with expecting more common species to see. I think having the displays integrated into the stalls would have been better for actually seeing the animals. I've been to the same hall in the past for tertiary expos and they seemed to pack a lot more people and stuff inside the same hall. Hopefully next year they can use the lecture rooms and find a bigger space to accommodate the crowds.
[doublepost=1521976317,1521976261][/doublepost]

When I get rats from my supplier I only ask for the food by weight. I always just confused myself looking at charts and trying to work out what's what

Think I may start doing this, seems easier than trying to work out descriptors with so much variation in the market.

 

[Stuart]

Courtesy of APS, I have just solved the issue...

Image copyright, patent pending, spoken for, its my idea

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

However it was incredibly packed and the army of families who turned up with prams and small children was frustrating. In my eyes RepX should have been a hobbyist event, and I am all for the education of young kids about reptiles and all things similar (and it was wonderful seeing the Bug Ed people doing really well with this, targeting the kids), but it made the event almost not enjoyable.

I'm sorry you feel that way and I wasn't at RepX so it might not compare but every VHS Expo I have been to is the same and I thinks its bloody awesome. So long as the kids don't get upset with all the pushing and shoving that goes on why shouldn't they be there?
Many of the stalls in Vic set up stuff especially for the kids to see & hold that they might not get chance elsewhere including a macaw and a young salty. I fear that if it wasn't for the family atmosphere many of the herpers wouldn't turn up either, and possibly some of the exhibitors.
My 5 year old granddaughter has been to every VHS Expo since she was born and has attended 2 events interstate. She has an absolute ball and can talk you into a trance about her reptile adventures and her own animals.
[doublepost=1521977636,1521977196][/doublepost]Looks good Stu but I might need an upgrade for the BHP's. And what about the (expletive) massive sizes needed for Olives and Scrubby's?

 

[miki_k8]

Courtesy of APS, I have just solved the issue...

Image copyright, patent pending, spoken for, its my idea

View attachment 323680

hahahaha i love this, you should definitely go international with this, the target market is waiting for brilliance like this.

I'm sorry you feel that way and I wasn't at RepX so it might not compare but every VHS Expo I have been to is the same and I thinks its bloody awesome. So long as the kids don't get upset with all the pushing and shoving that goes on why shouldn't they be there?
Many of the stalls in Vic set up stuff especially for the kids to see & hold that they might not get chance elsewhere including a macaw and a young salty. I fear that if it wasn't for the family atmosphere many of the herpers wouldn't turn up either, and possibly some of the exhibitors.
My 5 year old granddaughter has been to every VHS Expo since she was born and has attended 2 events interstate. She has an absolute ball and can talk you into a trance about her reptile adventures and her own animals.

That sounds awesome! Being the first year of RepX, I hope they can fix some of the things which weren't great this year and make it even better in the future. I understand your point, and agree. And it was wonderful seeing little kids learn about reptiles and bugs and how to treat them correctly. I found there was very little room though, and adding in prams and young children in the mix wasn't working well. Maybe VHS Expo could help a bit in terms of ideas and inspo for the future expos, sure would be great to be able to see a young salty!

 

[Stuart]

Looks good Stu but I might need an upgrade for the BHP's. And what about the (expletive) massive sizes needed for Olives and Scrubby's?

On the way Paul, just working with the little ones first. Thinking of a tape measure version for the bigger ones...

 

[Bl69aze]

On the way Paul, just working with the little ones first. Thinking of a tape measure version for the bigger ones...

Make it like a wrench with the size adjusting system ;p

 

[Stuart]

Make it like a wrench with the size adjusting system ;p

I got ya....

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Awesome work Stu. You could go global with these. Be a millionaire in a month or 2.
While your on a roll why not patent a ball of string as a snake measuring kit

 

[Buggster]

I wish there was a standard!

Got rats for the first time at Camo’s couple months back and I asked for ‘small rats’ for my 2yr old Woma. I previously fed Raticool, and their ‘small’ rats are absolutely giant.
Camo brought out his ‘small’ rats and they’d were literally the size of adult mice. Once we managed to figure out the difference in sizing I was able to get on my way with a couple packs of appropriately sized rats.

The only thing I can recommend is to either go off by weight (if given) or stick to a single supplier of you can’t see rats prior to purchase just to make sure there is no miscommunication regarding size