Rat too big

[the.badger]

Hey all, today's feeding day so we went to the aquarium and got some rats. I was concerned one of my snakes (2 yo carpet) needed to go up a size in rats because last time we fed him on a weener I didn't even notice a bulge. Lady at the shop said we should be on sub adult rats which I thought looked massive, but she showed me some of her snakes that she feeds sub adults to and they were a bit smaller than our coastal, so we got a sub adult to try. He took it and ate it, and the bulge is HUGE, about twice the width of his body. His scales are all spread out to accomodate it...

So I guess what I'm asking is, what happens if your snake takes a rat that's too big? Has anyone had this happen before? I'm thinking regurgitation, prolapse.... or he could just digest it and be fine? What should I be looking out for?

I would get pics of the bulge but he's in his hide and I don't want to stress him out. I'm surprised he even fit in his hide at all

Yeah I'm stressing.

 

[Dave]

If he has it down I'd say he will be fine..I just upped my 8mo bredli (bout a metre long) to weaners and the bulge is pretty big.. but she just took a extra day to digest. If its to big it would of regurgitated it

 

[Chrisreptile]

He will be fine, its surprising how big of an object they can eat.

 

[craig.a.c]

If the snake feels that the rat is to big for it he will spit it out.
A sub adult rat for a 2y.o carpet will be fine. I always make sure their is a bulge and some scale seperation when I feed my snakes.
When I started my BHP on sub adul rats I thought there was no way he would fit it down but he does.

You will be surprised at how big of a meal they can fit down. If your to worried about the size of the rat you could just give it 2 smaller rats.

 

[the.badger]

Haha, cool. I was hoping you guys would say that. I suppose you've all realised by now from my previous threads that I'm a tad paranoid...

Thanks peeps.

 

[the.badger]

If your to worried about the size of the rat you could just give it 2 smaller rats.

Yeah I think I'll be doing that from now on HAHA.

 

[craig.a.c]

Yeah I think I'll be doing that from now on HAHA.

Nothing wrong with doing it this way. I fed mine like this way before bumping them up to sub adults.

 

[the.badger]

Coolies. I thought I'd have to get him onto something bigger because I've been told that you have to stretch their jaws so they don't become little pinheads or something...? Is there any merit in that?

 

[craig.a.c]

Coolies. I thought I'd have to get him onto something bigger because I've been told that you have to stretch their jaws so they don't become little pinheads or something...? Is there any merit in that?

Thats the first time I have heard that. "Pin head" is normally caused from over feeding the snake and causing the body to grow faster then the head.

 

[the.badger]

Has anyone heard of this or is it just me?

 

[disasterpiece7.0]

Pin head syndrome is another one that is debated quite often. I personally don't believe in it, but hey, you never know. I wouldn't be too worried really. I judge food by the bulge it makes in the snake, not head size. IMO head sizes and shapes vary depending on species and locality.

 

[Gavin]

yea because the bones in the head can't grow as fast as the one's in the body

 

[Lewy]

I have a 2 1/2 year old coastal and she eats a full size rat no problems in fact she had one tonight and a day old Chicken

Lewy

 

[the.badger]

Thanks everyone.