overweight or healthy?

[u/ziithurlok]

im currently in the process of changing his feeding schedule as i was previously feeding him one rat hopper per week which i am now aware is too frequent (please don't tell me that because I do already know) so I'm changing him to a small rat every 10-14 days

I'm driving myself insane trying to tell if he's overweight or not, he's currently 16 months, probably about 3ft and 709g. he's also very active through handling and exploring his tank at night

just need to know if I should do every 10 day or every 14 day feedings to manage his weight!!

[u/hanelizjpg]

feeding!

[u/ziithurlok → u/hanelizjpg]

i know, that's exactly why I changed his feeding schedule! I just need to know if he's overweight and if so if i need to lessen his feeds for a little while, he's my first snake and i've had him since June and no research is able to tell me really what an ideal weight is since it varies so much

[u/KatVanWall]

My boy is similar to yours, just coming up to 19 months old, around 3 feet long and last weighed in at 660g. I give him a 40-50g weaner rat every 14 days at the moment and he seems to be doing alright on that (putting on weight, but not too quickly). This subadult stage is kind of tricky when it comes to feeding IMO, since we do expect them to still be gaining but don't want them to get chubby!

[u/ziithurlok → u/KatVanWall]

that's so helpful, thank you! I'm currently giving him weaner rats too at the moment so i'll drop down to every other week and just keep an eye on his weight <3

[u/FluffyPandaEars93]

!feeding

You are feeding him too often. Even every 10 days is too often. He looks to be just a bit too heavy.

[u/AutoModerator → u/FluffyPandaEars93]

We recommend the following feeding schedule:

0-12 months old OR until the snake reaches approximately 500g, whichever happens first: feed 10%-15% of the snake’s weight every 7 days.

12-24 months old: feed up to 7% of the snake’s weight every 14-20 days.

Adults: feed up to 5% of the snake's weight every 20-30 days, or feed slightly larger meals (up to 6%) every 30-40 days.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/ziithurlok → u/FluffyPandaEars93]

thank you! i'll drop down to every 14-20 days and monitor his weight <3

[u/FluffyPandaEars93 → u/ziithurlok]

Good! Thank you for caring. There's not really an ideal weight, just an ideal body shape. Watch for a too round spine and "hips" at his tail, there should be a gentle transition from vent to tail.

[u/ziithurlok → u/FluffyPandaEars93]

i will do! he's my first snake and I'm still learning some things, he is my absolute world and i want to make sure I'm keeping him happy and healthy :)