Adult Spotted python food size

[Tsuchinoko]

Hey guys,

I just got a 3 year old spotted python a couple of months ago and have been feeding her medium rats which she's taken to well. I recently switched up my supplier and the medium rats I've gotten from them seem significantly larger than the ones I've been feeding her - I'm a little worried that they're too big for her and that she'll have trouble with them.

Ive attached photos with size references, she's about 140cm, havn't been able to get my hands on a scale yet to weigh her. her last owner said she was eating XL rats which doesn't seem right to me, maybe they meant XL mice? When I first got her she looked a little overweight to me and my vet mate so I've been cutting back on the frequency of her meals a bit.

If these arn't too big to feed, how often should I be giving them to her?

Thanks guys!

 

[CF Constrictor]

Hi personalisedtote
I don't think she will have a problem with the larger rat. You could try their next size down though. Good luck

 

[Herpetology]

at 140cm shes already pretty much reached her total length, so bigger feeds will just put on fat rather than length

unfortunately different suppliers have different weight ranges for their sizes

for example; 1 supplier i use has 150g rats as small rats, 200g-275g medium rats, 275-400g large, and anything else is jumbo
another supplier i use has 70-100g small rats etc etc

This is why its better to go off weight rather than the size label - for all you know the previous owner was feeding XL rats which your supplier would call small (pet stores are good at doing this lol)

those rats are lab rats know as longevans, they grow a bit slower than the well known all white Wistar

I wouldnt feed those often at all if they do fit (you have ur ruler 2 different ways it should be across the rat and across the snake), probably once every 3months - probably the one on the left

 

[Tsuchinoko]

at 140cm shes already pretty much reached her total length, so bigger feeds will just put on fat rather than length

unfortunately different suppliers have different weight ranges for their sizes

for example; 1 supplier i use has 150g rats as small rats, 200g-275g medium rats, 275-400g large, and anything else is jumbo
another supplier i use has 70-100g small rats etc etc

This is why its better to go off weight rather than the size label - for all you know the previous owner was feeding XL rats which your supplier would call small (pet stores are good at doing this lol)

those rats are lab rats know as longevans, they grow a bit slower than the well known all white Wistar

I wouldnt feed those often at all if they do fit (you have ur ruler 2 different ways it should be across the rat and across the snake), probably once every 3months - probably the one on the left

That makes sense, my bad for not checking the weights - should've done that before I bought them in bulk lol.

The last ones I got her were white wistar - are they better than the long evans?

One rat every three months? I thought they're supposed to eat every couple of weeks or is that not as important when they're adults?

Thanks for all the help, really appreciate it!

 

[CF Constrictor]

Just for curiosity

 

[jacqui_]

That makes sense, my bad for not checking the weights - should've done that before I bought them in bulk lol.

The last ones I got her were white wistar - are they better than the long evans?

One rat every three months? I thought they're supposed to eat every couple of weeks or is that not as important when they're adults?

Thanks for all the help, really appreciate it!

When they're adults and have reached max length it's about maintaining weight. Depending on exercise levels and size / fat ratio of the prey item, feeding every 2-3 months isn't a problem.

When they're young, they're still growing and therefore need to eat more often.

 

[Sdaji]

at 140cm shes already pretty much reached her total length, so bigger feeds will just put on fat rather than length

unfortunately different suppliers have different weight ranges for their sizes

for example; 1 supplier i use has 150g rats as small rats, 200g-275g medium rats, 275-400g large, and anything else is jumbo
another supplier i use has 70-100g small rats etc etc

This is why its better to go off weight rather than the size label - for all you know the previous owner was feeding XL rats which your supplier would call small (pet stores are good at doing this lol)

those rats are lab rats know as longevans, they grow a bit slower than the well known all white Wistar

I wouldnt feed those often at all if they do fit (you have ur ruler 2 different ways it should be across the rat and across the snake), probably once every 3months - probably the one on the left

No idea how you think you can identify rat breeds from those pictures! It makes no relevant difference anyway. You can have albino rats in any type, and the vast, vast, vast majority of albino rats including those in laboratories are not Wistars. Similarly, the hooded black rats in the picture are just hooded blacks. Albinism and hooded blacks are just morphs. You can have albinos and hooded blacks in the same litter of rats, I've done this more times than you and I combined have had hot and cold dinners, with rats which were neither Wistars or Longevans or any other recognised breed or strain of rat.

Larger feeds don't cause snakes to get fat. Total amount eaten does. Feeds twice the size half as often give the same result, etc.

Agreed about weighing them rather than going by label or using a ruler, well described there.

That makes sense, my bad for not checking the weights - should've done that before I bought them in bulk lol.

The last ones I got her were white wistar - are they better than the long evans?

One rat every three months? I thought they're supposed to eat every couple of weeks or is that not as important when they're adults?

Thanks for all the help, really appreciate it!

Ignore the Wistar/Longevan nonsense. For snake keepers, rats are rats, there's no reason to fuss over rat breeds, and those breeds are rare in the frozen rat world (many snake people completely incorrectly think white rats are Wistars, but Wistars don't actually make good production rats and outside the laboratory are pretty useless).

Your snake is a little overweight and a feed every three months wouldn't be a bad idea until her weight is healthier. She could take a whole year off feeding and it would be better than whatever routine she was previously on. If you're going to feed an adult python every two weeks, which you generally shouldn't, you definitely want the feeds to be very small.

 

[Tsuchinoko]

No idea how you think you can identify rat breeds from those pictures! It makes no relevant difference anyway. You can have albino rats in any type, and the vast, vast, vast majority of albino rats including those in laboratories are not Wistars. Similarly, the hooded black rats in the picture are just hooded blacks. Albinism and hooded blacks are just morphs. You can have albinos and hooded blacks in the same litter of rats, I've done this more times than you and I combined have had hot and cold dinners, with rats which were neither Wistars or Longevans or any other recognised breed or strain of rat.

Larger feeds don't cause snakes to get fat. Total amount eaten does. Feeds twice the size half as often give the same result, etc.

Agreed about weighing them rather than going by label or using a ruler, well described there.



Ignore the Wistar/Longevan nonsense. For snake keepers, rats are rats, there's no reason to fuss over rat breeds, and those breeds are rare in the frozen rat world (many snake people completely incorrectly think white rats are Wistars, but Wistars don't actually make good production rats and outside the laboratory are pretty useless).

Your snake is a little overweight and a feed every three months wouldn't be a bad idea until her weight is healthier. She could take a whole year off feeding and it would be better than whatever routine she was previously on. If you're going to feed an adult python every two weeks, which you generally shouldn't, you definitely want the feeds to be very small.

Super useful stuff, thanks!

Agreed, the first thing I thought when I picked her up was that she was a little chubby and could use a diet, I thought downsizing her meals and keeping the same 3 week schedule as her previous owner would do the trick - but I can see I've probably seriously overestimate how many calories an adult snake burns.

I've only fed her two small rats since i've got her so hopefully not too much harm done, I'll hold off on feeding for a couple months and keep an eye on her weight and go from there

Really appreciate it

When they're adults and have reached max length it's about maintaining weight. Depending on exercise levels and size / fat ratio of the prey item, feeding every 2-3 months isn't a problem.

When they're young, they're still growing and therefore need to eat more often.

Makes a lot of sense, before I got her I looked up a ton of info sheets from exotic vets that said every couple of weeks but they must've been talking about juveniles, she could stand to lose some weight too so I think less frequently is a good idea

Thanks for the help!

On that note, If anyone near Sydney city wants some 90g frozen rats they're all yours, looks like I've bought too many