| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| speedy231278 |
Posted - 15/09/2011 : 09:31:24
As I posted last month, I picked up Tubs at the reptile show at Kempton Park and he weighed 87 grams (less his deposits on the carpet and my missus... lol). A month later and nothing much has changed. He'd eaten a few days before I got him, so I decided to wait until the next weekend to feed him so that he would be a bit more settled. He refused to eat, and I think that was partly down to moving in, and partly because he was starting to show signs of going into shed. When I went on holiday leaving the missus in charge he was looking very sorry for himself, all skin and bone :-( He then had a rubbish shed and my missus took him up to the local reptile shop (who are very good) to get some help removing his eyecaps. She explained that he'd not eaten, and they suggested that the rat pups he had were a little small, which is why he might not have been interested, and suggested trying fuzzy mice instead, as they'd be a bit bigger than a rat pup, but not quite as big as the equivalent on the rat scale. He ate one overnight 25/8.
I can't remember if it was before or after I went away for the week, but at the low point his weight was a worrying 78g, which equates to a whopping 10% or so loss. Since then, he's eaten three more times, a fuzzy mouse, rat pup (my missus got the wrong one out) and another fuzzy last night. I weighed him a couple of days ago and he was 89g, which according to the scale on this forum is pretty low for his age or four months. No real persuasion is necessary, defrost, bit of hairdryer for good measure, and bang, straight off the tongs every time. He was definitely ready for one last night, he struck and missed, then went for everything in sight, including my shadow. Was like watching a game of Hungry Hippos. He also appeared to be quite happy to investigate the prospect of another one appearing, as he went for my shadow after he'd finished eating. He's certainly looking far more healthy now, so I'm not too worried about his relative lack of weight because I'm sure he's not got a feeding issue other than probably not having done enough of it. So.....
I'm not sure I'm really feeding him enough. I don't want to overdo it, as I'm sure feeding too much too quickly to an underweight snake would if anything be worse than not feeding enough. However, after four feeds spread out by 6/7 days he's basically back where he started. The fuzzy mice have now run out, and to be honest I don't think they were big enough. I've not seen anywhere that the thickest part of the body rule shouldn't apply to feeding very young snakes, and the fuzzies probably weren't more than 2/3rds of the size of his middle. So, I was thinking of getting something a little larger. Would you guys recommend something a bit bigger in the mouse department or rats? I've seen it written that rats have more nutritional value than mice (apparently you should avoid giving too many to corns in case they get fat!), so should I go for the next sizeup from rat pup? Also, how often? Should I be feeding him a little more often to help make the weight up, or is once every 6/7 days enough - or even a little often? It seems a little strange having a Royal that eats more often than our corns, especially when Patsy flatly refuses her medium rat if it's not been a good three weeks! She's just gone into shed when she's due dinner, so I imagine there won't be an issue feeding her when she's sorted herself out.
Bound to get questions about his house. He's living in a tub above Patsy, I'd guess about 14x8x7. Heat mat under a fraction over 1/3rd of the base, pulse statted and sat at 91F +/- 0.2 at most. Have to confess until this morning there was not a hide at the cool end - however he has always seemed happy to curl up behind his water bowl at the cool end if he wants to cool down. I've put a small cardboard box hide there this morning after reading another thread. Temp probe says cool end is a whisker under 80F (damn things arrived as C only despite eBay listing scales in C and F). |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| FerretDragon |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 21:53:43
Ok dokes - well I was going to try ordering a bulk shop online of frozen goodies - and was thinking of switching to rats but didn't know if it made a major difference - I have other snakes as well and need all different sizes lol. Anyone recommend any decent online frozen food sellers (For snakes not people haha) |
| hodgie |
Posted - 18/09/2011 : 21:49:45
For starters bin the mice and stick to rats, there are two good reasons for this-
More nutritious
Dont have to struggle to swap your royal over at a later date
It always baffles me why pet shops offer mice they really are a waste of time. Next time you go to the pet shop ask to look through the rat pups ( they do come in differing sizes) and take your pick.
I`ve found that young Royals can have a very strong feeding response when they get going and if your rat pups are on the smaller size then you can always offer another, if your Royal wants it then all will be fine. |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/09/2011 : 20:52:02
See above photo lol!
Those skinny necks streeeeetch!
Blackecho's feeding guide - feed 10/15% of the snake's weight.
0-400g - feed every 5 days
400-800g feed every 7 days
800-1200g every 10 days
1200g+ every 14 days
Alternatively, feed a rodent no larger than girth of a royal as they're heavy bodied, unlike the slenderer corns who can take a meal one and a half times the size of their girth (only just got my head round this myself lol though my snakes have never complained.)
Rats are truly better for royals as the largest mouse only reaches 45g approx ...when your royal is adult it's going to be a right faff feeding several mice per meal, as opposed to one suitably sized rat.  |
| FerretDragon |
Posted - 18/09/2011 : 19:46:31
Just jumping into this post as I have a Royal who is about a year old and the only way I got her to eat was with small mice, she's much lighter than she should be as a result - I was just wondering is the the same rule for sizing food as a corn - ie you judge from the size of their middle? As I was always worried about their skinny little necks! haha |
| n/a |
Posted - 16/09/2011 : 13:09:50
Hi, they do tend to grow in fits and starts, and (TRP motto lol!) they are all different! When Saada, a cf08, came to me last nov, she weighed just 300g even though she was eating well (shop maintenance diet though.)But they vary enormously.
I think your little lad could manage rat fluffs now, they ought to be 10/15% of his bodyweight, and as jhk says, feeding every 5 days would be ideal. DON'T worry about that skinny little neck - it expands! (At the risk of being boring, yet again the pic of Shahi eating right sized rat and doing his pelican impression lol.)
All the best with him1 |
| speedy231278 |
Posted - 16/09/2011 : 12:06:00
Well, he was making use of the new cool end hide when I got back from work last night. Moved to the warm end overnight. I wonder if a little of his losses was down to being too hot and losing/using too much water up? Not like he doesn't have a fresh supply, of course, but I know that's not quite the point.... |
| speedy231278 |
Posted - 15/09/2011 : 11:14:32
Yeah, they're happy to raid their freezer to show what they have. I know all about the outsize food thing, I'm always amazed at the size of the meal a corn will eat in comparison to their head as theirs are so much smaller in comparison to their middle as a royal. Makes me a little surprised that the supposed rule of thumb is 1x middle width for royal dinner and 1 1/2 for a corn! I'll investigate some larger fodder at the weekend. |
| jhk2005 |
Posted - 15/09/2011 : 10:47:23
try feeding him every 5 days with a normal sized meal, or a slightly larger meal every 6/7 days as you are. Yu'd be amazed what they can get the gobs round and the weight will start piling on :) as for food size, you could ask your supplier for large/jumbo mice or small weaner rats, he should be happy to show you.
If its any reassurance try not to worry too much about the 'normal size for his age' - my pin and mojave are the same age (born 09) but about 500gms difference between them as the pin was a very fussy feeder and went for almost 6 mths without eating properly. Another good thing is that your kiddo seems to have a good appetite so thats most of the battle won already! good luck matey, let us know how you get on :) |
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