Multiple feeding question

[zuesowns]

Hi,

Just wanting to confirm that it is ok to feed multiple food items to your python?

Also I have been advised to let the previous meal past before offering food, another person has advised they don't wait for the previous meal to past and offer it on scheduled day.

I am currently offering 2 food items to my carpet every Sunday.

 

[Elapidae1]

Ok, as long as your not overfeeding such as in the situation that for some reason you couldn't purchase the usual size food. I have had prolapse from suspected overfeeding

 

[Ozzie Python]

yes feeding two food items is fine, provided the total amount of food is not excessive for the size of the snake. I work on 10-20% of the snakes body weight each week.

Some wait until the previous meal has been passed, i don't. Not all snakes crap like clock work. Some do, some will wait three or four feeds before the relieve themselves, especially if they are coming up to a shed. Saying that if they have had three or four feeds and not passed their previous feeds i won't feed them. in that case get them out and let them cruise around. Usually a bit of exercise or put them out on the grass results in a special little gift for you

 

[zuesowns]

wow, steve, what was the cause of the picture? what were you feeding your python?

My bredli 5 month old, almost 6. Is ready for fuzzy rat, but I have some pinkie rats left over - would 1 fuzzy rat and 1 pinkie rat be to much for him? every 6 days.

 

[sean-crystal]

yes we have been told the same about food after poo. by a sucessfull breeder. he says it may not be good 4 there organs. just like obese humans. snakes dont feed in the wild on a sceduled day so that makes sense to me. he said just like humans it not good to get to big to fast. you dont see overweight people getting to 100. thats the way it was explained to me.
and snakes dont just eat one food source either so that probably still applies in captivity.
but im just started out so take wat u get from every1...

 

[Elapidae1]

I was feeding adult mice and on a couple of occasions I threw unwanted feeds from other animals in there, I suspect that 2 or 3 feeds consecutively that were to large caused this, I have since taken a different more random approach to feeding and as far as I can tell it hasn't recurred. It is a common tendency to overfeed snakes. I have since been told that the photo above is a fairly mild prolapse.

 

[zuesowns]

cheers for that steve. do you believe the right food item + a small pinkie rat could be over feeding? consecutively.

 

[smeejason]

yes we have been told the same about food after poo. by a sucessfull breeder. ...

if i used that principal, some of mine would not get fed for weeks.
common sense is that growing snakes are like growing kids they eat more, as adults they need less but for reproducing.
all my young stuff are fed 2 -3 of whatever size rat they are eating sometimes twice a week sometimes twice a month. depends if i am away or home.
all my young stuff digest food at an amazing rate with the lump in the stomach gone in a day or 2 where the adults will lay on heat for a week for it to go down.

 

[Elapidae1]

cheers for that steve. do you believe the right food item + a small pinkie rat could be over feeding? consecutively.

I don't think so. When I first read your post I concentrated on the first line that stated "multiple food Items" and for some reason didn't notice that you had said you were feeding 2 Items. The picture I posted above, I believe was caused by the usual feed and then several other items thrown in when other animals refused their feed.

 

[zuesowns]

I see, I don't want that to happen to my Python. I'll see how full he gets on a fuzzy rat but 2 or 3 pinkie rats don't seem to be over feeding him.

 

[Snakelove]

Ok, as long as your not overfeeding such as in the situation that for some reason you couldn't purchase the usual size food. I have had prolapse from suspected overfeeding

How did you happen to fix that? =S

 

[Elapidae1]

Luckily it was not a severe prolapse and as the snake relaxed it gradually went back in. I didn't feed for 6 weeks afterward to allow for the muscles to recuperate, and then commenced with smaller meals and not as often.