Upgrading Food

[Gavin]

Hello guys,

So recently i had to upgrade my python's food, he is about 11months- a year old. I went to the pet shop and browsed through all the frozen mice to see how big the next one up is, which was the weaner miceee!!! It looked ok so i bought it. However, when i went home to research about the difference between mice and rats i found that the next one up is actually the hopper mice!!! I assume that the petshop was out of stock on the hoppers. So, i'm just wondering if it is still okay to feed him the weaners??

Btw
Weaner Mice - 21 days old
Hopper Mice - 14 days old

Here is what they look like, click on the hopper or the weaner: http://www.dolittlefarm.com.au/ffcatalogue.htm

 

[xScarlettex]

wot kind of python u got?

 

[funcouple]

best way to match the feed size is the thinkness of the feed should be slightly thicker than the thickness of your snake.

 

[Gavin]

blonde mac..even though it doesnt look very blonde =S

 

[centralian11]

what breed do you have . How long is it and the size of the pythons girth are all things we really need to know before we can give you any advice .I recommend to my customers that they feed rodents slightly larger than the girth so you can see a slight bulge when they eat .
Also i would recommend putting your python on rats as soon as possible .
Barry

 

[funcouple]

im feeding my 11 month macs fuzzy rats

 

[Gavin]

Blonde Mac, doesn't look very blonde tho, and what's a girth? also i was wondering what's the difference between a rat and a mice?

Thankss

 

[centralian11]

lol my questions answered . Still how big is it .

 

[Gavin]

im feeding my 11 month macs fuzzy rats

i usually feed mine 2 fuzzies and the person who sold it to me told me to upgrade it after the packet.

 

[centralian11]

Yes fuzzy rats are the way to go . Ask your supplier for small fuzzy rats .
Barry

 

[Gavin]

Umm, he is a bit snappy so i don think i can accurately measure him, but i'd say something around 60-70cm

 

[funcouple]

girth is its thickness. rats are better for your snake than mice

 

[Gavin]

Yes fuzzy rats are the way to go . Ask your supplier for small fuzzy rats .
Barry

yes but i already bought a pack of weaner's so i was wondering if it is ok for him to eat it, because i heard if the food is too large it can cause problems:|

 

[centralian11]

OK Girth is the thickness .I have always found that my pythons do so much better on rats . That is why i always try to follow fuzzy mice with small fuzzy rats .
Barry

 

[Gavin]

his thickness is about 1.5-1.8cm

 

[Gavin]

OK Girth is the thickness .I have always found that my pythons do so much better on rats . That is why i always try to follow fuzzy mice with small fuzzy rats .
Barry

Are rats higher in nutrition? What do u mean by better? color/health?? sorry im kinda new

 

[pythonmum]

That may be a bit big for a maculosus - depends on how big it is. Have you weighed your snake? If the meal is 10% - 20% of its mass, you are probably okay. I find that weaner mice are about 16 g, adults = 30 g. I'm not sure about hoppers. I weighed these when deciding whether to upgrade my young carpets. When upgrading you may be able to feed more infrequently. See how it goes. Our adult mac (also blonde) eats an adult mouse every fortnight. He'll take fuzzy rats or chicks. He's very willing to feed more often, but would be very fat if allowed to eat whenever he wants.

 

[funcouple]

it will be able to eat the weaner mice. look at the size of the mouse, now is it slightly thicker than the 1.5-1.8cm of your snake?

 

[centralian11]

Yes feed him the weaner mice but before you are through that pack try fuzzy rats , that way if he refuses you can fall back on the mice . Remember to be strong and insist that he takes rats , in my opinion it would be better for your macie to miss a feed than to continue with mice . At that age i alternate mouse one feed and rat the next .
Barry

 

[Gavin]

Well, the width of the weaner is slightly bigger than 2cm. Also, what's so good about rats? what is the difference between rats and mice.