What size rats do you feed your adult female balls? POLL

[SPJ]

I will say though, if I'm short on a certain size, I do tend to always err on the side of caution and go a bit smaller than usual as opposed to going larger.

Same here. My next order won't arrive until Oct 11th. It is all of the small sizes. Instead of going up a size, I am going to get frozen feeders at the petstore for the next feeding so I can feed the right size.

You want to see size differences, the petstore here sells as large rats what RP sells as smalls. I found that out when I asked for a small and they bagged up a tiny little pink rat.

 

[jglass38]

Its pretty amusing that you seemingly have absolutely no care in the world about how you compose yourself online.

Does it have to get so petty? Seriously....

Alicia,

You do realize that this small online community is not the real world, right? In the grand scheme of things its completely insignificant. The BOI is a really useful tool. The rest of this site, well you know...

Lets me make it really clear once again. I don't care what anyone does with their snakes. I don't feed mine anything bigger than a small small once per week (sometimes I even skip a week). It works great. They eat, they grow, they shit and they breed. Everyone else should do whatever they want.

Incidentally, did you ever wonder why the big breeders have almost nothing to do with Internet forums?

I'm done for the night because I have a real life with real work to get to early in the morning.

Enjoy the rest of your night!

 

[Dr Owens]

First off, I never pretended to be anything I am not. I never claimed to be a big breeder.

No...you just try to pretend to have more experience than you do. You go around acting like a know-it-all, when in many cases (this one for example) you simply don't know what you're talking about. You know what your experience has taught you, but you're failing to recognize that your experience is limited at best.

I am a small hobbyist breeder with quite a bit of knowledge gained through my own personal experience and through working with and learning from good friends in the business.

Then we must have different interpretations of what "quite a bit of knowledge" means.

Not that it matters, but I own an IT consulting business. But just as my Ball Python experience isn't sufficient in your eyes, I don't expect that will be either. But as I said, I couldn't care less what you think.

Honestly, I don't care what you do. You were the one that brought up profession.

I never said that your ball python experience wasn't sufficient. I simply pointed out that it was limited. You should learn to recognize that before you go around telling others that their methods are wrong...when they're not.

 

[Gib]

Nicely put Doc!!!

the only question i have about any of this is why after reading jamies posts here and the crap on BP.net why do all these folks have it stuck in there heads that when Bps eat large meals it makes them fast??

 

[Dr Owens]

Nicely put Doc!!!

the only question i have about any of this is why after reading jamies posts here and the crap on BP.net why do all these folks have it stuck in there heads that when Bps eat large meals it makes them fast??

I'm not too sure where that claim comes from either. Of course, it does stand to reason that if you feed a bigger meal that the snake will go longer between meals than if you feed it a small one. Duh...

 

[Mooing Tricycle]

Alicia,

You do realize that this small online community is not the real world, right? In the grand scheme of things its completely insignificant. The BOI is a really useful tool. The rest of this site, well you know...

Oh for sure. Its definitely not the real world. ( aside from all my hopes and dreams that i wish it was though!.....) Because, for one, I dont think the "real world" is quite so full of so many interesting and intelligent insightful people in one common area, which is pretty unfortunate.

BUT, on that same thought, This site in and of itself CAN have a significant impact on future dealings/business. and, regardless of what many people who like to use the excuse " This will never hurt my business, ever, because its just a stupid silly site" may think. It DOES matter how one interacts with others in the online world, because... as we have seen in the past, and will in the future no doubt, people visit this site. it is one of the FEW large forums that people tend to visit, if people dont see it now, they more than likely will in time to come.
there are those here that base their business transactions soley on character. some that base their decisions on how professional someone sounds. Be it a name, or how they type. so regardless how one MIGHT think that it does not matter, those are people you dont even know about that you are losing sales to.
Granted you are doing this as a hobby, so it obviously does not matter to you in the same business sense as i am speaking about, but, the point is, how one composes/acts/behaves online does make a difference, even to those that would possibly sell to you.

That may be one persons opinion over another. BUT ive seen enough scumbags go down pretty hard because of they way they acted on this very forum, to know... it definitely can happen. and does. often. One would think it wise to be careful/respectful, especially having been here and seen in firsthand. But i suppose i could just be talking to the wind too.....

I also disagree with your comment "The rest of this site, well you know.."
Because there is Definitely a TON of useful information here, granted, again that is a matter of ones own opinion. but since you are stating yours, im going to be stating mine.
The site itself as a whole is a very important tool. I have learned alot, and not just on how to be cautious about who to buy from and what to look for, but about other species of animals and their care as well. Things, that i did not know before i came here. and im 100% positive that others can say the exact same thing.
Maybe for some its not as good as other sites ( and then i ask, why are you here then?), but for many... its one of several of the most informative websites around, and people can feel pretty at home. Nothing wrong with that.



Definitely not something insignificant by any means. But of course, those are just my personal feelings on the matter.

 

[Gib]

Of course, it does stand to reason that if you feed a bigger meal that the snake will go longer between meals than if you feed it a small one. Duh...

LOL not at my house...unless when you mean "IM going to come at you like a retic if you have food"

heres a normal looking animal at my house after feeding

thats 3 large rats in her...she eats that way every 7-10 days like clockwork....

and heres what happened to her from feeding her this way

and a shot sans mom

12 eggs...first time breeder..they are hatching as im typing this atm and mom is very close to being back to full weight and will be ready to go again this spring

 

[shrap]

Nicely put Doc!!!

the only question i have about any of this is why after reading jamies posts here and the crap on BP.net why do all these folks have it stuck in there heads that when Bps eat large meals it makes them fast??

I bet it aint from personal experience. Most likely from regurgitating what someone else told them.

I got my first Ball Python in 1980. I was 11/12 years old. The snake was older than I was. I walked a half mile every week (uphill, both ways) to the G. C. Murphy department store (aka Murphy's Mart). In the pet section there the only choice you had were adult mice, adult hamsters or adult rats. I always got adult female rats. That snake ate an adult female rat pretty much every week for the 7-8 years I had that snake before it died.

So yeah, I dont know where these people come up with that. It surely aint from their own personal experiences.

 

[SPJ]

LOL not at my house...unless when you mean "IM going to come at you like a retic if you have food"

Too funny. That is exactly how Big B acts. She does not act like a BP when it comes to food. VERY agressive feeder. She strikes first and asks questions later. As a matter of fact she ate up until her prelay shed. Now she is refusing but she is just about to drop so I kinda expect her to not really want to eat.

I also have a few males that will breed, eat, and go right back to breeding (including one I got as an import adult that took f/t the first time offered).
There is only one male here that goes off feed in the fall and that is because he wants to breed but since he is just a normal male "pet" I never put him with a female. Like clockwork, he will go off feed in about a month and not eat again until around Feb and then start eating weekly as usual.

Not all BP's go off feed but from what I have dealt with and heard from others, it's usually mature animals at breeding time that do go off feed.

 

[Wilomn]

Soooooo jamie, you managed to get 6 clutches so far and are hoping, HOPING for 15 to 20 next year.

You do realize that I, like many others, have hopes of winning the lottery next year too, don't you?

You talk often about "the big breeders" you've spoken to and have discussed things with. Who are these guys? Anyone any of us would recongnize or is the Big one of those "relative" words that you need to describe thoroughly to know what it's in reference to, much like using a gram weight to establish sm., med., and lg. since those terms bring to mind different sizes.

I know you like to argue. I know you think you're some big deal over at bp.net. I know almost everyone who knows you wishes you would go somewhere else too.

Jake may be a kid in years, but he's a pretty bright kid and when he's not listening to jerk like yourself, he absorbs information and then works it into real life experience. He's not merely a regurgitator like you.

WHY do you keep coming here? You don't like anything but the BOI, you don't do this for a living, you don't like most of the people here, and it's mutual from what I see, and then you get all butt hurt when people don't grant you the status YOU seem to think you deserve for all the "experience" YOU seem to think you have.

Dude, you're still a baby in the ball world, being spoonfed information and spitting it back up ad nauseum, ONLY because someone YOU think is big, told you it was true.

Then, you equivicate and say that there is NO ONE right way to do things.

What a wuss. First it's my way is right except that there is no one right way.

Jake is a better source than you. At least he'll tell you he doesn't know for certain but he thinks such and such is true. You try to pass yourself off as some sort of expert.

Kinda makes me laugh to see you struggle, but it's the kind of laugh a three legged frog would get trying to hop away from a hungry gartersnake, hop and flop, hop and flop, circular and repititious and in the end you know who gets bit on the ass.

 

[jglass38]

I should have figured you would respond Wes. The king of tools has harsh words for me. I get it, you are a superstar. If you think I'm even remotely bothered by the words of Owens, some guy from Kentucky or you, you are as delusional of an ass as I always have believed you to be. I actually keep trying to give Fauna a chance and as usual am sorry that I even bother.

Have a great day, year and life!

 

[Wilomn]

I should have figured you would respond Wes. The king of tools has harsh words for me. I get it, you are a superstar. If you think I'm even remotely bothered by the words of Owens, some guy from Kentucky or you, you are as delusional of an ass as I always have believed you to be. I actually keep trying to give Fauna a chance and as usual am sorry that I even bother.

Have a great day, year and life!

Translated:

I know you're right, so is Owens.

I have nothing even remotely on subject to say that would defend by stupid statements.

I will make fun of you, or try to, and then run, run run away with my tail between my legs, like a good dog should.

Gotcha boyo. It's cool. I don't like having my wheaties pissed in either but you're just such a turd that I felt it necessary to bring some truth and perspective to your idiotic ramblings.

 

[jglass38]

Translated:

I know you're right, so is Owens.

I have nothing even remotely on subject to say that would defend by stupid statements.

I will make fun of you, or try to, and then run, run run away with my tail between my legs, like a good dog should.

Gotcha boyo. It's cool. I don't like having my wheaties pissed in either but you're just such a turd that I felt it necessary to bring some truth and perspective to your idiotic ramblings.

Ahh Wes...You are a funny guy. I do always get a laugh out of your predictable comments. Maybe you can use the word ASSume at some point? It would make me so happy. You bringing truth and perspective is definitely one of the funnier things I have heard lately.

 

[Wilomn]

Ahh Wes...You are a funny guy. I do always get a laugh out of your predictable comments. Maybe you can use the word ASSume at some point? It would make me so happy. You bringing truth and perspective is definitely one of the funnier things I have heard lately.

You say funny.

Do you base this on your personal experience with funny or have you polled big name funny people to make this determination?

You're a sad joke perpetrated on all of us.

If they like you so much, which I would ASSume is NOT the case, why don't you stay over at bp.net?

You KNOW you aren't appreciated here, other than an example of how to be a total ass.

 

[jglass38]

You say funny.

Do you base this on your personal experience with funny or have you polled big name funny people to make this determination?

You're a sad joke perpetrated on all of us.

If they like you so much, which I would ASSume is NOT the case, why don't you stay over at bp.net?

You KNOW you aren't appreciated here, other than an example of how to be a total ass.

Wes, since I know you have nothing better to do with your pathetic life and could probably continue this witty banter all day long, I'll let you have the last word. I have work to do. Enjoy it!

 

[fish21]

wow jamie
i guess fighting on bp.net with everyone wasnt enaugh for you. you had to come to fauana and do it here too. sad sad. well as far as you bisnuess goes. bad press is still press.

 

[jglass38]

wow jamie
i guess fighting on bp.net with everyone wasnt enaugh for you. you had to come to fauana and do it here too. sad sad. well as far as you bisnuess goes. bad press is still press.

Matt,

Keep fighting the good fight to end illiteracy.

Best regards,

Jamie

 

[Wilomn]

Wes, since I know you have nothing better to do with your pathetic life and could probably continue this witty banter all day long, I'll let you have the last word. I have work to do. Enjoy it!

translation:

Wes, you're smarter than I am. I know it, you know it, everyone who has ever read one of my posts knows it. I continue to deny that you are smarter than I am because knowing you are smarter than I am hurts my feelings. I want to be a big man. I want to have respect. I want to be smarter than I am.

But I am too dumb to know how to do those things.

I will try to make witty replies, even though I know you will laugh at most of them as not worthy of someone of your skill with the written word, but my pride won't let me just leave in shame the way I should.

I know I suck, but I maybe if I hang out with you long enough Wes, I can be like you when I grow up. Don't tell anyone I said that though, it will make me look even worse than I know I already do.

end translation

 

[Jake The Snake]

Nicely put Doc!!!

the only question i have about any of this is why after reading jamies posts here and the crap on BP.net why do all these folks have it stuck in there heads that when Bps eat large meals it makes them fast??

Maybe a few bad experiences? My guess is that half of the people over there have been feeding smalls since they could remember and really don't know if larger meals work better or not for them. I am not saying that they are wrong for this, I was told to do it one way from the start and that is how I do it, I would gladly try another method if the one I am currently using didn't work for me.

 

[Gary O]

All this over prey size? LMAO

I feed all my Ball pythons the largest they can take. I have some that will take smalls. I have others that take XXlarge. But none of my ball pythons fast. NONE. All my prey sizes are from Rodent Pro.

I have a friend up north in Michigan that does the same thing. And no problem with fasting.

But I do see a problem. All snakes are differnt. Some may take xxlg and eat every 10 days while another of same size will only take small rats but will take say 3 of them.

We are dealing with nature here. There is no right path. To tell you the truth nature kinda drives the car. Hence some taking only small prey and will never look at larger prey. Or them snakes we like to call mousers.

To give you an idea of how I feed.

I bought some yearling boas. They are the same size if not smaller then my 07 100% het albinos. I only feed every 7 to 10 days. But the right size meal. The boas I bought were on mice but fed ever 14. Which way is right? I say neither is wrong both clutches are 100% healthy.

I have ball pythons out of a hold back clutch I have. They all hatched within days of one another. All eat the same. But man some are larger then others. I have one that is like 60 grams smaller then the rest. Why, I put money on it that it is just they way that little ball is. but she is 100% healthy.

I know a lot of breeders as many of the people on this thread do to. And I would put money on it that they all do it different. But they all produce too. Big breeder small breeder who cares. I know this person I know that person I talk to so and so. WHO CARES.


Just do what works for you.