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Ok to "power feed"?

T

Tasty Cakes

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Short story:


Bought Yellow belly male 03/10 (he's prob a very early 010) from josh@outbackreptiles

Yellow belly ninjas me and escapes a couple weeks later

I assume he crawled into the garbage right next to his rack and I accidentally threw him away :shootfoot because I searched EVERYWHERE for days and no sign of him. So I gave him up for dead and completely forgot about him.

Almost 5 months later I come home one day and he's just chilling on my shelf where I keep the feeders. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: I was like in shock lol, it took a good 15 mins to sink in he actually returned from the 4th dimension.





Just under 200 grams when I found him and ~8 months old and a face full of dust (literally). No sickness, weazing and no anorexia (just under weight). Pounded 3 small ASFs over 10 days and pooped 3 tiny little deuces and some urate. (so he seems in perfect health)

My main question I guess would be do you think it would be bad to feed him every 4-5 days until he gets up to 4-500 grams? He is close to a year old after all. I'm hoping to put him w/ my female YB this winter and get an Ivory(s :D). If he wasn't "off feed" (heh) for 5 months he'd prob be up to weight now.


Heres a current pick of 'lil Lemmiwinks
lemmiwinks.jpg
 
I think as long as he passes you would be fine to do that. I personally do not recomend power feeding as it is really not healthy for a snake if it was mine I would put him on a 5 day schedule of rat pups and let him grow at his pace he will be there in no time. I just do not like pushing a snake for the sake of breeding better to have a older smaller and healthier male than a larger over wieght male IMO. good luck and happy herping, Craig.
 
IMO, 4 days is too often for a snake nearing 1 year old. I would stick to once a week and make sure that the prey is the correct size. I'm sure you'll see some good growth by doing that. Most of my males only see food every 2 weeks...but I'm thinking your little guy should be pretty hungry!!
 
Ok..Powerfeeding is not giving the snake a choice (putting another prey on the tail of the other to force the animal to keep swallowing) at least that's how I understand it's done, since I have never done it.

Giving the animal as much as he/she desires to eat is another thing entirely. I would OFFER another prey on the forth day and see if he wanted it. If not, I would remove it. I am all about choices..but personally, I don't want my males fat, and my females aren't fat either..but they are BIG. lol
 
There are probably different opinions on this that are equal to the number of breeders out there, however I have to agree with Deborah on the choices matter-

If he is interested in the prey then I would give him the food, but again keeping in mind that a fat male is a sluggish male/breeder often. There is only so much a snake/animal can absorb that will go to muscle stores et cetera...

Per the definition of power feeding- I believe it can apply to both more frequent feeding as well as, back to back feeding as Deborah describes.
 
Matt2979 said:
IMO, 4 days is too often for a snake nearing 1 year old. I would stick to once a week and make sure that the prey is the correct size. I'm sure you'll see some good growth by doing that. Most of my males only see food every 2 weeks...but I'm thinking your little guy should be pretty hungry!!
Click to expand...

:iagree: Why not keep him to about once a week, but up the prey size a smidge from those teeny soft furs? I do feed my young males a bit more than my older guys, who see food as Matt says, about once every couple weeks if that. You've got to find the balance with each animal that gives you good health and growth without compromising that health. My boas and some of my other animals would eat every day if I offered, but I don't because that's just not healthy. Your little guy doesn't really look underweight so I wouldn't push him too hard. You never know, he may be one of those buys that starts breeding small, and you still have plenty of time.



My .02.
 
deborahbroadus said:
Ok..Powerfeeding is not giving the snake a choice (putting another prey on the tail of the other to force the animal to keep swallowing) at least that's how I understand it's done, since I have never done it.

Giving the animal as much as he/she desires to eat is another thing entirely. I would OFFER another prey on the forth day and see if he wanted it. If not, I would remove it. I am all about choices..but personally, I don't want my males fat, and my females aren't fat either..but they are BIG. lol
Click to expand...

Yea I am def not about to stuff a live ASF up the butt of the one hes eating :eek: (haha but seriously tho I haven't tried frozen yet)

Thanks for the advice tho everyone.
 
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