Skinny, just right or fat???

The dent was probably just musculature. That snake appars pretty healthy as far as weight goes. Nice snake.

Realize that over weight snakes are one of the biggest problem areas we see with new breeders. When a female is over weigth it can and does cause a lot of problems such as egg retention etc. I have one friend that is a Vet and has a minor in nutrition, that suggests you feed young lean prey as versus older more obese prey animals as the fat content is much lower. He has done numerous autopsies where the fat collectted around the vital organs to the point where it has caused lot of unseen health problems ovre the years.

Our rule of thumb is to imagine a wild caught snake and then add 10% body weight to it for an optimum weight. And pay special attention to your females of breeding age and err on the slightly lean side as versus being fat.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

I feel a lot better now and gain more knowledge! I will stick to the same feeding routine for her and adjust as needed.

Priscilla

- Really?? Iv'e only seen a couple. Most snakes I have seen are just right or a bit to fat.

Obese may not be the right technical word, what I meant was I think they are overweight when they start look like the sausage in too tight a skin, or when they appear plump/fat to the eye as compared to the great majority of others of the same species - especially when compared to healthy wild specimens. As soon as the skin between scales shows becaue they are overweight I figure they are way to heavy - probably technically obese then.

All the best,
GB

As soon as the skin between scales shows becaue they are overweight I figure they are way to heavy - probably technically obese then.

- yeah obesity would be at that point & once again to be completly and 100% honest with you. From my own expeirences I have never really seen someone with an obese snake. Don't ask me why, but then again I never end up going to any herp meetings. I just see others stuff from events and things like that.

Realize that over weight snakes are one of the biggest problem areas we see with new breeders.

-When I was first breeding snakes and researching that stuff (some years ago) I had read an artical about obesity causing problems with breeding. I see those type of article's allot more often now.

Obese may not be the right technical word, what I meant was I think they are overweight when they start look like the sausage in too tight a skin, or when they appear plump/fat to the eye as compared to the great majority of others of the same species - especially when compared to healthy wild specimens.

-Are people starting to think I am okay with overweight snakes? Well I am not, if you read my posts above I did mention that an obese snake was not a good thing. All I had mentioned was that I have seen far far more thin ones in comparison. I myself have never had to worry about my snakes being overweight. I have all of them on there feeding plans and so far I have never had a problem - with my breeder stock.

Are people starting to think I am okay with overweight snakes?

Nope just further explaining my use of obese, thats all......