Hi, I recently purchased my first royal python but seem to be getting conflicting information when it comes to his feeding regime. From reading your fact sheet it explains he should be fed every 5-10 days and highlights that royals are notorious for being picky as to whether to feed or not. When I purchased him a member of staff told me he was slightly underweight and to feed him in a weeks time. We brought his feeding forward by a day thinking that it was safe to do, since it had been over 5 days since his last meal. From what I witnessed he was hungry and fed well. Am I being naive in thinking that if he wasn't hungry he wouldn't have eaten. The shop I purchased him from have now informed me that he is lean but not underweight and I have to now leave him for 10 days till his next feed.
Hi, I think if you haven't already done so, you need to weigh him and keep a record of his weight.
Although many people feed royals a prey with girth no larger than the girth of the royal, another guide is to feed a prey weighing 10/15% of the royal's weight, and also to use the snake's weight as a guide as to how often to feed:-
A royal weighing 0-400g - feed every 5 days 400-800g - every 7 days 800-1200g - every 10 days 1200g + - every fortnight.
I first learned of this guide on this forum and it works well for me. Hope he goes on eating well for you - the 'picky feeding' reputation comes chiefly from the fact the most adult royals fast during autumn /winter as their mating season is then. This is natural, like hibernation.
But a royal settling in to a new home can sometimes go off its feed - so that's great if he's already starting to feed for you.
A royal of normal weight will be rounded (if you imagine a cross-section of the snake.) An underweight royal would be triangular.
Hope this helps and all the best with him and keep us posted.
Hay guys thank you so much for this information. I haven't weighed him as yet just wanted him to settle and feed first. Once I can handle him again in 48 hrs I will weigh him and intend to use your guide :)
Royal python
Posted - 09/04/2012 : 16:56:32
