different for every snake.... I never feed rats over 200g and around 7 to 10 days but only after they have passed the last rat. Do you think pythons in northern parts of Australia stop eating in winter?
Is it really safe and recommended to stop feeding snakes during winter?
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Dendrobates
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Actually yes, pythons in northern Australia will slow down their food intake over winter. I'm also not just referring to pythons.
Do you think that snakes in the wild weigh their food, only eat every 7 - 10 days and don't eat again until they've taken a crap?..
notechistiger
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Because when they crap has any relevance over when they eat next... Also, when they crap is always 100% the latest food they've eaten. Where's Pythoninfinite when you need him? =(
The crap your pythons drops after a feed is NOT usually the last feed it has eaten, It will be at least the one previous or before that again. To wait until a python has crapped before feeding again is a total waste of time!
Pon62
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I have a 6 month children's that was feeding every 5 days or so until the weather turned cold a few weeks ago. He then didn't feed for 3 weeks and hasn't since for 2. Should I keep trying to feed him every 2 weeks or so or just leave it for a while longer? Temps are constant at about 28 - 29.
Skeptic
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scorps
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In my opinion one of the biggest mistakes new people make when it comes to breeding is over feeding there males, I keep mine really lean and they breed every season.
Females are fed regularly then I fatten them up for a few months prior to cooling.
Females are fed regularly then I fatten them up for a few months prior to cooling.
notechistiger
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I'm pretty sure Notechis was being sarcastic. At least I hope
I was =) It's been a long day today! hehe.
I'm pretty sure Notechis was being sarcastic. At least I hope
I did realise Notechis was indeed being sarcastic
, I never ceases to amaze me how wrapped up in poop some people are It is a waste of time in some situations... But it all depends on your husbandry....
Darwins will continue to eat through winter and I have breed them successfully with no temp drop. No they don't weigh their food but they also aren't kept in 4ft boxes in the wild either so...
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Pythoninfinite
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Many snakes would starve to death if we waited for them to crap before feeding again. On the point the OP made in the first post re: not eating for months... fairly recent research carried out by Graham Thompson in WA indicates that after a period of non-feeding, snake metabolism can reduce to as little as 20% of what it is when environmental and food factors are more favourable. This is clearly a fantastic survival mechanism for animals which have only occasional and uncertain access to food.
Another point worth mentioning - handling snakes during the cooler months should be discouraged. Their metabolism changes significantly when the nights get cold, and there is well-documented evidence that the immune system also suffers a decline in efficiency. This can predispose a reptile to the usual problems of RI and even stomatitis (canker).
Jamie
Another point worth mentioning - handling snakes during the cooler months should be discouraged. Their metabolism changes significantly when the nights get cold, and there is well-documented evidence that the immune system also suffers a decline in efficiency. This can predispose a reptile to the usual problems of RI and even stomatitis (canker).
Jamie
I have been feeding this way for 7 years and haven't had one starve to death yet. Husbandry play a large part....
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Pythoninfinite
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No problem, each to their own, although I believe that feeding this way is just a quirky artefact adopted by some keepers. There is absolutely no evidence to say that doing things this way has any proven benefit, as the digestive tract will still not be empty following the dump you are probably waiting for.
What benefit do you think you impart to your snakes?
Jamie
It's just the way I do things.... All my snake crap 7 to 10 days after so I clean and feed at the same time. I also keep my indoor snakes at low temps and this is why I feed rats under 200g. I keep all my snake lean and have successfully breed a few harder to breed species at younger ages with bigger clutches so I believe over feeding is a big problem.
Dendrobates
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A lot of snakes will continue to eat through winter if heat is provided and will also breed with minimal cooling, breeding carpet pythons is about as difficult as breeding rabbits. Everyone has their own way of doing things though, whatever way works best for you is the right way for you.
I am talking about wild snakes not eating over the cooler months... just because your captive snakes eat all year round does not mean that their wild counterparts do the same under natural weather conditions.
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