Feeding after hibernation

[Rindles]

Hey guys!

Our baby spotted python (9 months old) finally had his first feed this week since not eating through the winter. We are very happy and relieved.

I'm just wondering - how much should we try to feed him now that he is eating again?

He has never been a fantastic eater. I think the original owner tried to feed him too much (2 pinkies per week!!) and it seemed like a lot.

I know people can't give me a definitive answer without knowing my little guy, but still, just some general info/help abotu feeding a juvenile after hibernation will be much appreciated.

Thanks team!

Rindles

 

[Ozzie Python]

just go back to your usual feeding routine once he's started again.

and 2 pinkies/week really isn't a problem. while they are young they put a lot of their tucker into growth. As an adult you may find over feeding a problem resulting in an obese snake.

 

[Chris1]

i make the first meal a smallish one just to make it an easy to digest one, then once thats made it thru ok i go back to normal the following feed.

 

[Ramsayi]

Move it up from pinkies given that it is 9 months old.Feed every 5 or 6 days,very difficult to over feed a juvie animal.

 

[Serpentess]

Snakes don't hibernate. They brumate.

Hatchlings (0-11 months) should ideally be kept warm and fed throughout winter.

If he was eating 2 pinkies a week, sounds like he was in fact a fantastic eater. What sort of temps, hides, etc. do you have set up for him?

After not eating throughout his winter, I would feed him a pinkie for his first two feeds, 5 days apart. Then I'd move up to feeding him a velvet once every 5-6 days.

I'd do this for a few weeks or so until he moves up to fuzzies and then I'd feed every 6-7 days.

 

[Bluetongue1]

A good rule of thumb for feeding is as follows. Juveniles once per week, then progressing to once per fortnight as they get older. A meal should be between 10% and 20% of the weight of the snake. That would equate to the diameter of the food item being slightly larger than then the maximum diameter of the snake. After eating, this should produce a bulge somewhere between I¼ and 1½ times the normal diameter. You can feed up to 30% and more frequently if you wish. The regime provided is conservative and while not pushing growth to the max it ensures normal healthy development such that an animal can reach its full size potential and enjoy a full life span, barring illness or accidents.

Antaresia are notorious for not eating through winter even when the heat is maintained. I personally suspect that they have a stronger natural response to changing day lengths than the other python genera. So inducing brumation in a juvenile/hatchie is a choice some will make to avoid greater depletion of body reserves by being active for 3 months plus without eating.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone actually understand the technical difference between hibernation and brumation?

Mike

 

[Chris1]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone actually understand the technical difference between hibernation and brumation?

Mike

my understanding is hibernation is a full winter shutdown, the animal doesnt move or eat till the weather warms up, whereas brumation is a partial shutdown where food intake stops till temps pick up enabling digestion, but the animals still come out to warm thru on sunny days.


always happy to learn more if you'd like to add anything!

 

[saximus]

These were taken from Wikipedia:

[FONT=&quot]Hibernation[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Hibernation is a mechanism used by many animals to escape cold weather and food shortage over the winter. Hibernation may be predictive or consequential. An animal prepares for hibernation by building up a thick layer of body fat during late summer and autumn that will provide it with energy during the dormant period. During hibernation, the animal undergoes many physiological changes, including decreased heart rate (by as much as 95%) and decreased body temperature. Animals that hibernate include bats, ground squirrels and other rodents, mouse lemurs, the European Hedgehog and other insectivores, monotremes and marsupials.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Brumation[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dormancy in reptiles is an example of brumation, which is similar to hibernation. It differs from hibernation in the metabolic processes involved.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Reptiles generally begin brumation in late fall (more specific times depend on the species). They will often wake up to drink water and return to "sleep". They can go months without food. Reptiles may want to eat more than usual before the brumation time but will eat less or refuse food as the temperature drops. However, they do need to drink water. The brumation period is anywhere from one to eight months depending on the air temperature and the size, age, and health of the reptile. During the first year of life, many small reptiles do not fully brumate, but rather slow down and eat less often. Brumation should not be confused with hibernation; when mammals hibernate, they are actually asleep; when reptiles brumate, they are less active, and their metabolism slows down so they just do not need to eat as often. Reptiles can often go through the whole winter without eating. Brumation is triggered by cold weather, lack of heat, and the decrease in the amount of hours of daylight in the winter.[/FONT]

 

[Bluetongue1]

Chris has got it. Saximus, the main problem is that’s a lot to take in and remember

The two have a lot in common.
Both involve a lowering of metabolism and body temperature , inactivity and conservation of resources. They are both induced by changing day lengths in combination with a significant and sustained drop in temperature.

So how do they differ?
Brumation: The reduction in metabolism is as a result of reduced body temperature in ectotherms. As a result, brumating animals can and do respond to ginificant variations in daily temperatures. When sufficient warmth is available they can be observed to come out and bask. They will also drink but not eat.

Hibernation: The reduction in metabolism is internally controlled in endotherms. Hibernating animals do not respond to short term fluctuations in daily temperatures. They also maintain a more constant (reduced) level of metabolism and body temperature.

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