6 month old Diamond Python - how much to feed?

[bobby-van]

I bought my first snake on the weekend, a 6 month old Diamond Python. AWESOME animal, very timid and gave her first feed yesterday morning of a pinky mouse. She's about 40cm long.

My boss has a diamond python as well and I showed him a photo of mine feeding and he told me the pinky was way too small. I'll be feeding her once a week on Sundays.

I want her to grow slowly and not get huge in a short period of time as I heard you can control their growth by rationing their meals, but I don't want to underfeed my snake.

ADVICE PLEASE!! Thanks

Photos of Karona (her name) feeding:

 

[Venomous1111]

I'd be offering her hopper mice or rat fuzzies once a week, you want something with a bit of fur to help with digestion.

 

[bobby-van]

She'll be able to handle the size fine? My boss said they can easily smash 2-3 times their body diameter

 

[Grogshla]

Yeah I would say Hopper Mice

 

[Skelhorn]

Yeah 6 months old def up her food size. My Stimson's at 8 months were eating Hopper Rats (they are a lot smaller breed then a diamond. Enjoy tho

 

[Venomous1111]

She'll be able to handle the size fine? My boss said they can easily smash 2-3 times their body diameter

yeah she will be fine mate.

 

[Icarus]

i second the hopper mouse suggestion

 

[bobby-van]

So ahh I skipped past the hopper mice suggestion and decided to go for something a little bigger... a fuzzy rat. Too big? So I thought...

I was told to feed her weekly being a 7 month old python.. but will she still need weekly feedings with meals this size? She LOVED it. Bit of an up-size from the pinky mice...

 

[Pythoninfinite]

That's probably about as big as you need to go at this stage, and make sure you leave her for a few days until the bulge disappears before handling.

Just for your info, that's a juvie Coastal Carpet, not a Diamond Python.

Jamie

 

[wokka]

That's probably about as big as you need to go at this stage, and make sure you leave her for a few days until the bulge disappears before handling.

Just for your info, that's a juvie Coastal Carpet, not a Diamond Python.

Jamie

And if you are going to feed larger food items you need to make sure the animal has access to temperatures at the higher end of the range, like about 30-32C .

 

[bobby-van]

That's probably about as big as you need to go at this stage, and make sure you leave her for a few days until the bulge disappears before handling.

Just for your info, that's a juvie Coastal Carpet, not a Diamond Python.

Jamie

Yep I won't go any bigger, I've got a few at this size.

It's definitely a Diamond Python.. I got it from Shire Snakes who is a reputable breeder and member on this site (Home Page). I googled Diamond Python hatchlings and they all look the same as mine does?

And if you are going to feed larger food items you need to make sure the animal has access to temperatures at the higher end of the range, like about 30-32C .

I won't go any larger than this, but yes the temps are averaging 31 degrees at the warm end, 20 degrees at the cool end.

 

[Jacknifejimmy]

+1 that's definitely a coastal not a diamond python you have.

 

[bobby-van]

+1 that's definitely a coastal not a diamond python you have.

Seriously? Can you be 100% sure at such a young age? I was assured that it was a Diamond Python from (Shire Snakes) the breeder...

 

[Norm]

Seems to be a very popular thing to do on this site...tell people their diamonds not a diamond, that is.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Venomous1111]

What makes you think it's a coastal? Looks like a normal juvi diamond to me.

 

[animal805]

You can see the difference between Carpets and Diamonds in these pics, first are my 2 Coastal Carpets and second is my High Yellow female Diamond. Way different markings. I can just about garantee you have a Coastal or at the very most, an intergrade.

 

[Venomous1111]

They are mature snakes not juvie's yeah the rosettes may not be the best but still doesn't make it a 100% positive coastal IMO.



What would you say that is?

 

[chase77]

I think I got one of these from the same clutch and was told it was a diamond integrate by the breeder. And by the way I have her on hopper mice with no probs

 

[Rissi]

They are mature snakes not juvie's yeah the rosettes may not be the best but still doesn't make it a 100% positive coastal IMO.

View attachment 259231

What would you say that is?

I'd think some kind of coastal x darwin. BUT looking at the head shape throws me off a bit. what is it???

 

[bobby-van]

What makes you think it's a coastal? Looks like a normal juvi diamond to me.

Mine looks like a juvie Diamond to me too. My boss just showed me photos of his Diamond (who is 8 years old now, high yellow) when it was a hatchie and they look identical.