# Help// Albino Darwin Carpet Python.



## Brooklyn (Aug 26, 2018)

Hello! I apologise if I have posted this in the wrong thread, but I have received an albino Darwin carpet python today. Her first feed was on the 28th of the 5th month, and the next 13th of the sixth month, she has been fed six times and happily had her first shed today. 

Should I continue to feed her every two weeks as all my other friends who have other pythons (Spotted pythons) say that they feed theirs every once a week, she is currently eating full-grown mice and is only around three months old.

She is my very first snake and I am worried that I will be harming her.


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## Bl69aze (Aug 26, 2018)

Once a fortnight, once a week.. no harm will be done either way, it really comes down to how fast you want to grow, for now I would say keep it to once a fortnight. No harm will be done


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## Pauls_Pythons (Aug 27, 2018)

So long as its fed an appropriate sized meal once every 2 weeks is fine.
Feeding large food items more frequently can lead to an overweight snake.


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## Yellowtail (Aug 27, 2018)

Brooklyn said:


> Hello! I apologise if I have posted this in the wrong thread, but I have received an albino Darwin carpet python today. Her first feed was on the 28th of the 5th month, and the next 13th of the sixth month, she has been fed six times and happily had her first shed today.
> 
> Should I continue to feed her every two weeks as all my other friends who have other pythons (Spotted pythons) say that they feed theirs every once a week, she is currently eating full-grown mice and is only around three months old.
> 
> She is my very first snake and I am worried that I will be harming her.


Hi Brooklyn, welcome to APS. I am a bit confused as you say your new albino Darwin is 3 mths old and first fed May 28. Unless yours was the result of some very manipulated breeding they normally hatch around October - December making yours at leat 8 mths old and this would fit with it eating adult mice.


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## Bl69aze (Aug 27, 2018)

Yellowtail said:


> Hi Brooklyn, welcome to APS. I am a bit confused as you say your new albino Darwin is 3 mths old and first fed May 28. Unless yours was the result of some very manipulated breeding they normally hatch around October - December making yours at leat 8 mths old and this would fit with it eating adult mice.


I have a feeling she meant she’s had it for 3months? since it’s not allowed to sell under 6mths?


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## Buggster (Aug 27, 2018)

Bl69aze said:


> I have a feeling she meant she’s had it for 3months? since it’s not allowed to sell under 6mths?



You’re not? I thought it was you couldnt resell within 6 months of purchasing?


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## Pauls_Pythons (Aug 27, 2018)

Bl69aze said:


> since it’s not allowed to sell under 6mths?



Not sure where that one came from. Maybe a typo/missunderstanding?



Yellowtail said:


> Unless yours was the result of some very manipulated breeding they normally hatch around October - December making yours at leat 8 mths old and this would fit with it eating adult mice.



well picked up YT, I hadn't even considered that.
[doublepost=1535342431,1535342359][/doublepost]


Buggster said:


> I thought it was you couldnt resell within 6 months of purchasing?



You got it right Buggster. I think Bl69aze made a mistake


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## Bl69aze (Aug 27, 2018)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> Not sure where that one came from. Maybe a typo/missunderstanding?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is it not 6months or an established feeder ?


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## Brooklyn (Aug 27, 2018)

They gave me the card showing when they have been feeding it in which the first feed they wrote down was on the 28th of the fifth month. I'm not experienced in snakes at all so I didn't know the age and did an estimate from the card. I apologise for the confusion,


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## Bl69aze (Aug 27, 2018)

Brooklyn said:


> They gave me the card showing when they have been feeding it in which the first feed they wrote down was on the 28th of the fifth month. I'm not experienced in snakes at all so I didn't know the age and did an estimate from the card. I apologise for the confusion,


Pictures speak 1000 words, a pic would be able to tell us it’s size and generally an age estimate


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## Pauls_Pythons (Aug 27, 2018)

Bl69aze said:


> Is it not 6months or an established feeder ?



Nah mate. You can sell em straight out of the egg if you were that way inclined. (And some breeders do that which is why you see so many 'my snake wont eat posts')
Once a hatchie has been sold the buyer has to hold onto it for 6 months, maybe thats where you got confused.
[doublepost=1535371363,1535371276][/doublepost]


Brooklyn said:


> the first feed they wrote down was on the 28th of the fifth month.



That may well be correct. It could have easily been one that took a while to get feeding.


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## Brooklyn (Aug 27, 2018)

Will do,


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## Pauls_Pythons (Aug 28, 2018)

Hi Brooklyn,
looks like one of last seasons hatchies so as YT suggests its probably around the 8 month old mark.
It is quite small but that isn't a problem and substantiates the thought that it was probably a slow starter feeding wise.

I would probably feed that every week till it starts getting a bit more size on it but every 2 weeks with an appropriate sized meal is fine it just wont grow as quickly. Adult mice will be fine for now though you might find it could do with something larger in a very short period of time.


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## Yellowtail (Aug 28, 2018)

Pauls_Pythons said:


> Hi Brooklyn,
> looks like one of last seasons hatchies so as YT suggests its probably around the 8 month old mark.
> It is quite small but that isn't a problem and substantiates the thought that it was probably a slow starter feeding wise.
> 
> I would probably feed that every week till it starts getting a bit more size on it but every 2 weeks with an appropriate sized meal is fine it just wont grow as quickly. Adult mice will be fine for now though you might find it could do with something larger in a very short period of time.


Hi Paul, Brooklyn,
Slow starting feeders are not uncommon with albino Darwins, often with inexperienced breeders but also experienced ones that don't have the time or patience. They usually come good and become healthy normal size pythons but personally I prefer to keep any slow starters or difficult feeders till almost yearlings to make sure they do not have any underlying problems before I will sell them.
Breeders should be honest about it and it concerns me when I see "hatchlings" advertised out of season with apparently false ages as this is misleading advertising targeted at inexperienced buyers. I have noticed a couple of these on Gumtree (Qld) and reported one bad example as a possible scam.


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