Hello.
I’m curious if it’s possible for an adult ball python to gain too much weight too quickly? Last month I decided that I wanted to start breeding and weight both my girls. One was 2200 grams while the other was roughly 1600 - 1700 grams. I’ve been feeding them a Jumbo Rat once every 7 days. Both have shed once as well as defecated multiple times. After a full month has past, the 2200 gram girl went up to 2700 grams and the 1600 -1700 gram girl went up to 2200 grams. Is that normal or should I cut back on feeding every 7 days to probably every 10 - 14 days? Cause I don’t want to harm them in any way by feeding them like that. But their girths is perfect for a jumbo rat, so I know there’s no worry there.
Thanks.
Overweight female can and will slug out so over feeding is a possible effect, obesity in captive snakes as also been showing issues such as fatty liver disease for example.
Because the girth is a certain size does not mean the rat need to be as big as the girth, this really applies more to juveniles, I can tell you a slow and steady growth will overall benefit your animal.
I never feed anything than a 175 grams rats which is consider medium rat, some benefits have been steady growth, most importantly more consistent feeders with less fasting period. (I do have animals that are in the 3000/4000 grams range that could take retired rat but because they can does not mean they need to either)
Ultimately you can feed as you please but overfeeding is pretty common in captivity and sadly is often the result of wanting to breed sooner than later.
Everyone does it differently but there is a jst a middle.
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Thank you cause I was concerned if what I was doing could be too much for my animal. I’d never want to harm them in anyway. I’ve had these snakes for many years and consider them as part of my family and this would be the first time that I’ve ever tried to breed them.
I’ve fed my adult females jumbo rats before, but when I do I give them 2-4 weeks before I feed them again, depending on how quickly they seem to digest it. It’s a lot of food, so it can take awhile. These days I pretty much only feed rats that big to my breeder females after laying. It gets them back up to size quick.