Spotted Python Q's

[Snakegirl55]

Hi this is my first thread and i have some questions about my spotted python, she is 2 years old and i got her from the Australian Reptile Park when she was just a hatchie. She is now getting close to 1.2 metres long and feeding on 2 weanling rats per week. I wanted to make sure that this is the right amount and im not over or underfeeding. Also what age is a snake classified an adult as i have seem sub-adults and wondered what age difference is. I have at attached a photo of her so you can see how big she is. Sorry about all the questions:lol:

 

[Albino93]

Do u know what her weight is? knowing her weight will give u a good indication of what size foods to feed, feeding 15-20% of her body weight is the general rule of thumb.
I would class a spotted as an adult at around 2.5-3 years of age.

 

[Gruni]

My girl is around 1.2m and at the moment I have forgotten what weight she is but but she is not a small girl. I feed her 2 hopper rats every two weeks and they average 50g. Tonight the hoppers were already too big so I grabbed three smaller rats about the size of adult mice and they worked out to 68g total and I expect her to be well hungry again in about ten days.

So the weight of your snake would help and the weight of your weeners too.

 

[Snakegirl55]

I will weigh her tonight if I can when I get her out thanks for the quick replies

 

[Gruni]

I use a pillow case and an icecream container and 'Tare' the setting on the scales to allow for them. Then pop her in the pillow case and into the container and weighing couldn't get any easier.

 

[Snakegirl55]

Her weight is just under 600g and the rats weigh about 32g each and she eats 2 per week on a sunday. The rats are hopper rats not weaner as all the pet shops near me didnt have wearner rats i will be getting some weaners in about a week when she finishes the hoppers

 

[KristianG]

If I'm feeding my children's python a small rat every 10-14 days is that normal? Sorry not trying to steal your thread or anything

 

[Gruni]

If I'm feeding my children's python a small rat every 10-14 days is that normal? Sorry not trying to steal your thread or anything

See the above replies...

Snake girl either give her three that size or go up to 50g rats and give her two but she would only need to be fed 10-14 days to my way of thinking. For her size you should be giving her between 90-120gr per feed. Like I said earlier mine only got 68g tonight and she will be looking for food within 10 days if I had given her the full 100g she would be content for the fortnight. Do you watch her behaviour to see if she is hunting or do you just do it every Sunday because it suites you?

 

[Snakegirl55]

I have school/homework etc so some night dont suit but im going to try and get her on something bigger because she begins looking for food on the saturday and i dont hold her on the saturday's because im pretty sure she would have a bite of my hand. Would you say i move her onto weaners or small rats? I could just get a 3 pack of small rats and see if she can take it.

 

[Gruni]

Find out how many rats in the pack and how much it weighs and work it out. If yours is anything like mine anything bigger than that 50g mark is just too much of a stretch for her to swallow at this stage. The two 50's make her look huge and she has trounble bending. :lol:

 

[Snakegirl55]

Ok thank you I will see what she will take thanks for the help in the mean time I only have 3 hoppers left so I will give her all of those on Sunday