| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| matco |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 20:04:11
Hi all does a snake know when their food is too big or just try to eat regardless?
I was told to try a rat by a reptile shop in Worcester, it seems quite big really, no bigger than her girth of her widest part but rat weighed 40g her usuall food is 20g mice she weighs 195g now before food. |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| jonnyc1988 |
Posted - 22/01/2012 : 07:57:04
Haha, a Chihuahua! that would make buying food expensive! |
| n/a |
Posted - 22/01/2012 : 00:22:46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UOlbtAcEGs
sorry - my evil sense of humour.
It was a gopher snake.
And no way would any self respecting snake take down that vile diamante collar. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 22/01/2012 : 00:06:31
quote:
Originally posted by jonnyc1988
stick to what looks manageable for the snake rather than trying to make it eat the biggest thing possible!
Exactly that but knowing what is manageable is also important, the general guide is if the mouse/rat is the same girth as the snake it is likely to be fine and if the mouse/rat is 10-15% of the snakes body weight then it should be nutritionally adequate.
You know you own snake best though, if it has a specially small head or like my Duke a massive girth then you have to just use common sense, something Duke's girth would be a Chihuahua lol. |
| jonnyc1988 |
Posted - 21/01/2012 : 23:27:55
I dont think the girth rule strictly applies with royals Its a very general rule and royals have very large bodies compared to their slim neck, which although it can stretch, it shouldnt be pushed too much because they can split. Ive seen this happen to greedy snakes in documentaries. I guess my point is that personally I would prefer to be safe than sorry, and stick to what looks manageable for the snake rather than trying to make it eat the biggest thing possible! |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 21:44:26
I saw that thread. looked sore. |
| GMac |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 21:42:05
dont think so he offered it a pinkie instead, his own :D |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 21:34:56
blimey thats mad. I knew they'd try to eat something big but I didn't think they'd be that ambitious. I hope K got the scissors out and gave poor hoggie that ear. |
| matco |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 21:10:31
That's quite a rat for that hognose lol, I guess they will try eat any size then |
| GMac |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 20:40:12
not been able to get hold of him to ask permission to swipe his photo so heres a link to our hoggie site showing how intelligent snakes are :D was an interesting experiment
http://www.thehognosesnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=813
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| reptilemadd |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 20:36:07
Going by the weight It's about 20% of your snakes weight, which by BE feeding chart is a bit to big but if the rat in question is no bigger than the girth of your snake it shouldn't be a problem, and as chrisc says they are opportunistic but If the meal proves a little to big they will usually regurge it... |
| chrisc |
Posted - 19/01/2012 : 20:07:43
if my maths is right 12% of 195g is about 29g.
think they will eat regardless of it being too big as their oppertunistic feeders |
