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Pythonwizard
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
650 Posts |
 Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:02:20
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i have had monty for 2weeks now and he has had 2 successful feeds i have one small mouse left and i wondering what will be the best thing after small mouse would like to go on to rats
we believe monty is 6/7 months old dont know weight
he is 2010
what do think is the best |
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:03:29
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| Without knowing a weight it's impossible to recommend accurately what rat to go onto, you could ask your local reptile shop what rats they stock which are a little bigger than a mouse |
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Pythonwizard
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
650 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:11:02
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| how are little boas anyway kelfez |
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:12:15
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| Doing good, all alive and kicking just trrying to shift 16 of them asap |
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Pythonwizard
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
650 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:17:00
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| would get but am only 14 am me dad wont get me one an also not enough space for a gaint boa |
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:32:16
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Thats fair enough deffinately not a good snake for a youngster to have :)
They're far from giant boa's at the moment though haha they make my royals look massive |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:33:19
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Hi - the trouble is, 'small mouse' can mean anything - suppliers and terminology vary enormousely (sp and pun intended lol!)
According to my supplier, a small mouse weighs 9g. (AAgh, sorry Aaron - amendment - I read the pricelist wrong! Thought it was 20g.) A rat fluff (or fuzzy, next size up from newborn) weighs 19g but doesn't look much bigger than a small mouse. The next size up in rats is small weaner (a sort of toddler rat, I suppose) but that weighs 37g (again according to my supplier.)
Blackecho's feeding guide on here recommends 10/15% of the snake's weight (and  to you Kelf, before you do lol.) Alternatively you can feed a prey no larger than the snake's girth. (sense of deja vu here - didn't we talk about this last week?)
Anyway. Personally, what I'd do would be this: As it's a really good thing to get a royal on to rats asap (remember that in a year or two you'll probably be feeding him an adult rat twice a month - mice just won't be big enough) I wouldn't up the prey size just yet, or not for a couple of feeds. Concentrate on getting him on to the rat. I'd try a rat fuzzie, and if he takes it, then I'd try another rat fuzzie, or even a couple of rat fuzzies, the next time (ah yes, remember now, I've seen your vid of him eating - he's a good big lad, and, judging by his girth in that viv, I think he could take a small weaner.) Once he's taken a couple of rat fuzzies, try the small weaner.
I wouldn't normally advocate feeding two rodents where one would do, but, given the size difference between fuzzy and weaner, his acceptance of two fuzzies could be a good indication of his readiness for a bigger meal. If he's content with one fuzzy, then let him stay on that for a while; no hurry lol.
If he accepts a rat, then I really wouldn't give him a mouse again, even if he refuses a meal (which they often do.) Best to keep him to rats - usually once they've switched there's no trouble.
Hope this helps, and hope it's not too confusing - oh boy it confused me at first - still does sometimes! ps this is just my opinion and other people may have other ideas.
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Edited by - n/a on 13/06/2011 18:03:30 |
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Pythonwizard
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
650 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:36:55
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| iknow bu dont stay like that for ever and when they get bigger people often sell them causes hassle for the snake |
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Pythonwizard
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
650 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 17:52:39
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| sorry was speaking to kelfez yerr so it ok to feed 2 PER FEED (rat fuzzie)and will be getting him weighed and measured this week or will i be able to straight on to weaner but will probably try fuzzie |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 18:10:36
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Hi, yes, it isn't ideal but given rodent sizes available, sometimes you have to. (Sorry - I made a mistake in my last post, amended now - I thought small mice were same weight as rat fuzzies, but they're 9g and rat fuzzies are 19g (according to my supplier) so even one rat fuzz is a step up from a small mouse though it doesn't look much bigger.)
I remember doing this with my corns - they started to outgrow pinkies, so once they were expecting two pinkies at a feed, I moved them on to a fuzzie, and so on.
All the best. |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2011 : 18:49:59
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| I just go by eye, just look at your snake, get an idea (of just measure him around the middle) and the rat should be no thicker than he is. That's the only thing I do when working out prey size. The only time I used the snakes weight is to get an idea of how frequent they should be fed. |
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Topic |
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Feeding
