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Cre
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
32 Posts |
 Posted - 31/05/2011 : 16:18:51
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Our new snake has settled in really well and we are so pleased with him...such a cutie!!
I have weighed him and Odin is 233g and has been eating rat pups (given to us by his breeder who said he needs to go up a size) and they have weighed 15g but needs to go up to the next size, cant find a rat around the 23g so got him a mouse that weighed 22g he is not due to be fed for another 4 days or so. When we saw him being fed at the breeders house he ate a mouse, is it ok to swap aorund like this? He does not seem to be bothered what he eats he strikes really well.
Sorry for the daft questions but he is new and dont want to do anything wrong |
I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok, they know me in here. |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 16:33:42
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Hi, the main reason for keeping a royal on rats is that when it's full grown, it's going to be far easier (and cheaper) to feed one rat rather than several mice. Also rats are said to be more nutritious than mice.
I've had this proved to me when I bought an adult (Surahi) last Nov. She's an '06 and would only eat mice. She should have been eating one medium adult rat every two weeks, but her owners were having to give her 2 large mice every week. It's said that royals can get 'addicted' to mice , but I also wonder if it's that a royal is a creature of habit and just gets set in its ways lol. Whatever, she was so lovely that I took her on, mouse habit and all. I don't know how on earth I did it, but she will eat rats for me now, which makes feeding her much more straightforward. But she might have been fiddling about with mice for the rest of her natural!
So I'd say, with a view to the future, better to keep Odin on rats. A rodent 10/15% of his bodyweight (suitable feed for him) is something like 33g (if my maths are correct.) My supplier's small rat weaners weigh 37g on average - but, weights and terminology vary from supplier to supplier. The shop will weigh a rodent for you.
Another way you can judge his requirements is by girth. A rodent no bigger than his girth will be okay for him. Don't worry about that tiny neck - it expands like a pelican's beak!
Hope this helps. Glad he's doing so well for you. ps a defrosted rodent looks a bit thinner than a frozen one. |
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Edited by - n/a on 31/05/2011 16:45:51 |
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Cre
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
32 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 16:47:59
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Hi there, thanks for replying.
Saw a 33g rat today and was HUGE compared with a rat pup lol. Ok, will scrap the mouse and 2 teeny rat pups (not worth the hassle for what the cost) and get a 33g rat. Will he ok going from a 15g pup to a 33g rat though? Dont want to stress him so he will refuse food? I was trying to go for 1 meal on a inbetween weight?
Do I worry to much  ................ yes!!!! |
I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok, they know me in here. |
Edited by - Cre on 31/05/2011 16:53:53 |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 16:56:18
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LOL - I know the feeling - I'm a worrybucket myself!
Hey, if you've got 2 rat pups left, why not try him with them both; it won't hurt, and if he takes them both, you'll know he's ready to move up to a larger meal. If not, well, keep him on a pup for a few more meals - these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. One of my lot is hovering between sizes, and I'm leaving her on the smaller meal till she grows a bit; won't hurt her.
By the way, are the pups naked newborns or the slightly larger, furrier critters I know as 'fuzzies'? The rat fuzzies in my freezer weigh 19g approx, just as a guide; rat pups from same supplier are only 6g - but of course they do vary!
Oh, and by the way, should have said it before - no question is a daft question! All the best. |
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Cre
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
32 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 17:02:57
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| The rats I have in the freezer dont have any fur. After eating 1 Odin has been calm for 3/4 days then razzing around his faun looking for food, you can see the hunger in his eyes ha ha ha(I look the same when I go down the cake isle in Asda) I was worried about putting him back on mice when he had eaten the rats really well but the woman in the shop told it was ok? Hmmmm I should have gone with my gut feeling after all!! xxx |
I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok, they know me in here. |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 17:08:52
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Ha, well ... there are some brilliant shops and some poor shops. I don't like to think of the info I've had from some shops, but there ARE good ones out there ...
I'm assuming he's on a feed every 5 days at his weight? (That's the advice I picked up on this forum with my first royal.) So that's about right - he's sleeping it off and then he's raring to go and ready for his next meal, like you with the cake lol - typical spider by the sound, bless him!
All the best. |
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 17:23:46
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| I've not really noticed my snakes care if its rat or mouse I switch between the prey whenever I like and they eat regardless, I much prefer 1 prey item than 2 though so I normally end up on rats |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 17:51:57
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I have one of my females who was started on mice and to put it bluntly its an ass ache, always need a mouse followed by a rat and then it doesn`t always work. Stick to rats
As for not having the exact right size dont worry to much, its a guide and its relevent to the perfect world and your shop having all the different sizes,along as the next size up isnt rediculous you`ll be ok, remember Royals dont have this choice in the wild.
Or you could go with 2-3 pups for a couple of weeks. |
Royals owned "lots"
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Edited by - hodgie on 31/05/2011 17:52:33 |
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markmifsud
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
534 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 19:04:04
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| I might be doing sort of the reverse, my big girl seems to always be after a munch, So I may be doing a twice weekly feed, 1 day a nice rat, the other day a fair sized mouse. I am a bit worried that she may be over eating and the mouse will make her feel full but will not add to her weight too much and require less digestion. |
1.1.0 Pastal Ball
1.0.0 Normal Ball aged 7(ish)
0.1.0 Normal Ball aged 7(ish)
Bromley. SE London |
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markmifsud
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
534 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2011 : 20:15:10
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| To add to BATS comment re daft questions, the only daft questions are the ones that do not get asked |
1.1.0 Pastal Ball
1.0.0 Normal Ball aged 7(ish)
0.1.0 Normal Ball aged 7(ish)
Bromley. SE London |
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Cre
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
32 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2011 : 09:39:24
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| Thanks everyone for the info and for not making me feel stupid! |
I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok, they know me in here. |
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Cre
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
32 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2011 : 18:53:22
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| Just a quick update, fed the snake at 5pm this evening a 14g rat (was using up what we had in freezer) Odin ate in lightening fast time and 10 mins later roaming around tank tongue flicking so quicky defrosted another rat and at 6.30 fed it to him...he was striking at the tank trying to get it (must have been starving!) anyway ate that in 5 secs now roaming the tank looking for more! Have a mouse left in the freezer but dont really want to feed it because that would be 55g of food and he might pop lol. It scared Jack to death when he was striking at the side of the tank to get to the rat. lol lol |
I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok, they know me in here. |
Edited by - Cre on 03/06/2011 18:55:54 |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2011 : 19:18:27
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Congrats - that's excellent! So he's definitely ready for a larger meal - a small rat weaner, I'd say, going by weights given by my supplier. Yes, he's had enough for now - he's probably just still in feeding mode and his eyes are bigger than his belly lol.
Yes, I've known my Saada to strike at her viv windows when she knew there was a rat approaching. She is now my shyest feeder (after the great royal winter fast) but omg when they feed, they don't half feed!
btw, sorry, I got mixed up between you and Rox (I think because you're both mothers of sons)and was thinking Odin was a Spider - remembered later that he's a normal.
Congrats again - he sounds to be doing really well and obviously happy with you. |
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Daft question alert ....from rats to mice?
