Under size Feeding.

[abnrmal91]

Wasn't there a thread a few months ago with some pics of what was an appropriate sized lump? IIRC the point of the article (by Simon Stone??) was that 'an appropriate sized lump' was smaller than people thought.

This is the thread your talking about.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/going-big-176486/

 

[Python-Lover4lyf]

Thanks Wrightpython will do So do you think my bredli in the pic (comparing it to the pinkie) could take a fuzzie rat without getting any blockage or having any problems ?

 

[Wrightpython]

I prefer hopper mice to fuzzie rats as the extra foodstuffs in the mouses belly is good for the snake fuzzie rats are more water than protein but yes it will take it alright just turn the heat up to 34 degrees hot end and it will digest it okay. The main reason people have trouble with there snakes getting blocked is they don't heat them enough and don't have sufficient fresh water. I've never had any blockages and I have had and still do have hundreds of snakes from Juvie ants up to adult olives and scrubbers. Heat them right and you can feed them horses.

 

[Python-Lover4lyf]

Yeah i always make sure the temps are up around 34C - 35C degrees at the warm end and around 28C at the cool end and of course a decent sized water bowl washed and refilled everyday .. thanks for all your advice

 

[Wrightpython]

No worries pm me if you have any questions you don't want all to see

 

[killimike]

My first snake was a diamond that I caught just after it ate a brush tail possum now it didn't weigh the possum but ate it anyway then after I rescued it it digested it without any problems. Now I'm not saying feed your snakes possums but feed them something that will stretch them every now and then.

I get what you are saying, but you need a rule of thumb, otherwise you could just chuck in anything. I think weight is by far the best thing to go by, as it's not subjective. Comparing captive to wild behaviour has its limits, just because they have to be opportunistic feeders in the wild doesn't mean it's what's best for their health.

This is the thread your talking about.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/going-big-176486/

Cheers man, that's the one.

 

[Wrightpython]

My vens eat more for weight than pythons and also more often, it's also harder to continually weigh all the vens.

 

[killimike]

My vens eat more for weight than pythons and also more often, it's also harder to continually weigh all the vens.

That's interesting, stands to reason I guess that different families might have different metabolisms

I dunno about continuously, but yeah, I suppose weighing vens might have more risks than weighing pythons.

 

[Tsubakai]

So was this feed a bit too big then? Maybe I should try something a little smaller next time or just push on with the larger feeds?

 

[RSPcrazy]

I'll never forget the story Shane Scarf was telling me about feeding large food items.

He was telling me, he went away for a while and left someone in charge of his reptiles. The guy reptile sitting, fed a Woma a rat that was to big for it. The oversized rat ended up dislocating the Woma's spine and it had to be put down.

This story really makes me think twice before feeding large items.

Here's some size examples from one of Doc Roc's articles.

 

[CaptainRatbag]

I agree with the 20% feed. I breed my own rats and weigh my snakes regularly and know the weight of thier numnums.:lol:

You can buy some great digital scales from jaycar for under $30 they are awsome, weigh up to 3kg. I feed them big, but not massive. If you feed massive, there is no room for error (head turned back, backwards etc) If you are on the limit of what your snake can take, and the rat gets its head turned back, the exposed teeth might scratch the throat of the snake. If the feed size of the rat is a little under the maximum for the snake, there is more room for error. IMO

 

[notechistiger]

See, I think the "too large" picture from those diagrams is fine, and could go bigger. I supplement all my snakes food with chicken necks, so I just share them around until I think they've had enough or I have no more to give. I do decide visually if they want more. I really don't think snakes require a certain amount of food each week, on a certain day, etc. I don't think, as an animal that naturally eat whenever and whatever they can, that they require 20% of their body weight per feed.

But if you're inclined that way, then who cares I, for one, am just too lazy to do the weights... haha

 

[Cockney_Red]

The too large pic Is my idea of spot on!

 

[Python-Lover4lyf]

I agree i think the "too large" looks like the size of buldge it should leave. That "just right" pic looks like that "buldge" will be gone in less then a day. (IMO)

 

[Cockney_Red]

Just right bulge, I cant see a bulge!

 

[Python-Lover4lyf]

perfect example of "underfeeding"

 

[klaeclipse]

thanks for all the input guys, I didn't realize there was another thread on this my apologies.
My point was more or less people are too scared to feed their snakes something a large size and generally the snake suffers. I switch between 2-3 small rodents to 1 large feed. I am with Notechistiger ont hat one I'm to lazy to weigh and just go visually by what I think they can handle lol. But I will be purchasing scales in the very near future! and with feeding sizes I havent had a problem. I would have thought blockages etc would arise from other issues not just large overfeeding. But on one thing I will advise to keep small but a decent feed is on birds, they have far to many pointy bits and If you have a snake like my silly bredli that eats things backwards, it could turn out bad.
thanks for the non nasty thread im glad this ones a good read.

 

[mysnakesau]

Blockages can be caused by a number of things. Feeding too big food items is only one. Another common cause is the enclosure being too cold. It's ok to have a warm spot but what is the temperature of the rest of the tank and is your snake spending all it's time on its heat? If they don't move from their heat then they aren't moving about which aids in digestion and they aren't drinking any water. So their waste turns to hard impacting that is difficult for them to pass. The first thing ppl suggest is take them outside to move around on the grass. So to have them stuck over their heat because it's too cold out there, can and does contribute to constipation