Feeding Stimsons stick with pinkie or velvet?

[cabe munneke]

Hi, I have a pretty young Stimsons python and wanna know best feeding practice. I know that more developed mice are better for the snake, however I feel like velvets might still be too big... I took photos of my snake and asked the shop where I bought him what they thought, they said that he was ready for velvets and thus I grabbed em. I fed him a velvet and he struck and wrapped very well however seemed very confused for a long while as it was certainly a little big. He was wrapped but his head was searching as if he were trying to find the food. He did this for quite a while, so I went to defrost a pinkie but when I came back he had begun to eat it. It seemed quite large but he got it down in around 15 mins.
It left a sizable lump in his belly where to the point you could see skin between the scales. But about four days later the lump is almost completely gone and he's seeming rather happy. Feeding day is approaching and I don't know whether I should feed pinkies just a little longer till he's a bit bigger? Or should I let him take on the larger meals? Photos below are the same ones I showed to the pet shop.

 

[Sdaji]

It's way beyond pinkies at that size.

 

[dragonlover1]

pinkies are only for the first 6 feeds, then upgrade

 

[Missy]

Hi, I have a pretty young Stimsons python and wanna know best feeding practice. I know that more developed mice are better for the snake, however I feel like velvets might still be too big... I took photos of my snake and asked the shop where I bought him what they thought, they said that he was ready for velvets and thus I grabbed em. I fed him a velvet and he struck and wrapped very well however seemed very confused for a long while as it was certainly a little big. He was wrapped but his head was searching as if he were trying to find the food. He did this for quite a while, so I went to defrost a pinkie but when I came back he had begun to eat it. It seemed quite large but he got it down in around 15 mins.
It left a sizable lump in his belly where to the point you could see skin between the scales. But about four days later the lump is almost completely gone and he's seeming rather happy. Feeding day is approaching and I don't know whether I should feed pinkies just a little longer till he's a bit bigger? Or should I let him take on the larger meals? Photos below are the same ones I showed to the pet shop.

Hi Cabe, I've recently just got my first Stimson hatchling and mine did the same thing with the first time eating a velvet mouse. She (not sure of gender) was much more content after eating the velvet than the pinkies. She also had her first shed since I had her which was pretty exciting. Good luck mate.