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 A quick question

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PythonMan89
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PostSubject: A quick question   A quick question EmptyWed Aug 13, 2014 1:54 pm

I just purchased my second ball python, the first here in Virginia. I bought her fron a reputable breeder, so no issues at all there. I've seen videos on YouTube of her feeding, and when asked he mentiled he'd been feeding her unweaned 3 week old rats. He also stated that within the next week or two she should move up to unweaned, or 5 weeks old. All fine and good. My problem is, the pet store o went to today does not sell their unweaned rats. So I had to buy a weaned rat. Of course, I grabbed the smallest I could find just to be safe, and stuck with rats because that's what she is used to eating. My question is whether feeding her the rat that's currently sitting in its box on the floor of my roon while I type this out is a good idea, or should I try contacting another local shop? I refuse to go to Petco or Petsmart for feeders. Thoughts?
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Dementeddogz
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyWed Aug 13, 2014 5:06 pm

I dont think petco and petsmart sell live feeders?


How long have you had the snake?
What is its current weight?

Generally you dont want to feed anything larger then the largest section on the snake. Im not sure of the snakes age/weight but from the tone of your post it sounds like this is a younger snake and a weaned rat is too large?
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PythonMan89
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyWed Aug 13, 2014 5:46 pm

I wasn't positive. The snake is about a year old. Judging by what I've looked at and read I'd say she's maybe 500-600 grams, maybe closer to 450 at the very least. I went out and grabbed a digital scale this afternoon so I'll be much more accurate from now on. I reread the last email I received from the breeder and he fed her a weaned rat last week, so I fed her the one I bought after all. She took it just fine. I watched to make sure she ate it, hasn't regurgitated and she's nestled on her heating pad under her tub. Just wanted to be safe and make sure I wasn't about to feed her something she couldn't consume. Only thing I saw was wrong was it was trying to claw at her side a bit but I just moved its leg away from her and problem solved. Going to try to switch her over to frozen soon. Hoping that won't be an issue given she's been fed live for the past year.
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Deedle
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyWed Aug 13, 2014 10:08 pm

Rats are typically weaned in 3-4 weeks. If shes 500 + grams she should have no issue taking down a weaned to small rat. I have an Enchi that is 500 grams or so and shes eating rats that are close to 70-80 grams weekly.


Here is a guid that I use for interchangable prey sizes.
http://www.frozenfeeder.com/sizing.html

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PythonMan89
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyWed Aug 13, 2014 10:15 pm

She took it down after about 5 minutes of it being in her cage. I was surprised by how little of her body she actually needed to constrict it once she had it. Also, is there any good way to switch a snake from eating live to frozen, or should I just make the attempt and if it doesn't work, keep offering every few days until they take it? I'm assuming that after a year of eating live and nothing else, the habit and preference for something moving on its own has been established, but figured I'd ask.
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Deedle
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyWed Aug 13, 2014 10:43 pm

Tongs, and imitate the rat moving. Sometimes it doesn't even take that much.
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PythonMan89
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyWed Aug 13, 2014 11:03 pm

Will give that a try next feeding session.
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Dementeddogz
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyThu Aug 14, 2014 1:34 am

Some change easily, some take work, some rather not eat.
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bcr229
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyThu Aug 14, 2014 4:45 pm

Dementeddogz wrote:
Some change easily, some take work, some rather not eat.
This. The younger they are when doing the changeover the easier to get it done as well.
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PythonMan89
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptyThu Aug 14, 2014 5:02 pm

Will definitely give it a whirl next week then. Worst case I buy a couple, try the first time and if she takes it, I have one for the next time she eats and if not, I have one for a few days later to try again.
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PythonMan89
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptySat Aug 16, 2014 10:28 am

So...here's a weird question. Is there a telltale way to figure out if your snake is about to defecate after feeding aside from it actually doing so in its tub? I ask because it's been about three days since feeding and haven't found any mess to clean up as of yet, so figured the question was worth asking.
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bcr229
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptySat Aug 16, 2014 12:08 pm

If she's 450-500 grams and eating smalls she may take 4-5 days to digest, or even longer. That's about when I move mine to weekly feedings and most go #2 a day or so before the next feeding day.

That said, I have an adult male that fasted from last October through April of this year. Naturally there was minimal output, until just before he started eating again he left me a very tiny #2.
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PythonMan89
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptySat Aug 16, 2014 12:11 pm

Ah okay so I have nothing to worry about then. From what I read it said the average was 2-3 days after digestion which should take 2-3 das but I'm guessing that's for a smaller/baby snake.
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Deedle
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PostSubject: Re: A quick question   A quick question EmptySat Aug 16, 2014 10:20 pm

There is no real set schedule for that, a lot depends on the individual snakes metabolism, the meal etc. I have one snake that is 550 grams now and she loves to eat, she stays on her heat but has a slower metabolism shes short and chunky lol
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