Power Feeding Pythons

[Kobi Baby]

Originally Posted by razeraze

Also because people do not keep reptiles like zoos or me does that mean they are doing it right? No it means they are doing what is easiest and best for them.

:huh: I'm trying to figure out if I should resent that statement. Did you mean, "wrong"??

Because I sacrifice the "comfort" of my home for my snakes. I like it *very* cold.....67 during the day, 60 at night. But I keep our apartment 80 during the day and 75 at night so that IF something were to happen, and the cages lost heat, it wouldn't be cold for them and they would be okay. I watch the weather every night and every morning so that I know when it will get cold. Kobi and Jezi each have a queen size shabby chic blanket to cover their tanks (they hold the best temps) and when the temps outside change, they get their blankies.

Even though I've got 10 million things to do, I take my snakes out at minimum every other day...for as long as they want. They get bathtub play/swim time at least once a week. and overall are just spoiled rotton. If I'm ready to go to bed, but they're not ready to go back into their tanks, they get to stay out and play for 30 more minutes. My snakes own me. Just because I don't have awesome cages, with tons of room and nature, doesn't mean I'm doing what's easiest for me. A lot of times, I put off what I need to do so that I can give them the attention that they deserve.

I know that this is off topic, but I hate to think that someone would say I'm doing what's easiest for me simply because I don't keep my babies they same way they do.

If that isn't what you meant, Raze, then just ignore this post

[razeraze]

I find keeping a snake wrong simply means you are not meeting it's basic needs. This means rack caging works, fish tanks work, rubbermaids work, feeding on a schedule or no schedule works, feeding large prey or multiple small prey works. You will find I could care less how people keep snakes as long as they are healthy. What works for me may not work for you and what works for you may not work for a zoo. Who cares as long as the reptiles are healthy, I don't care how you achieve it. This goes for all reptiles and animals in my opinion. I don't care if people feed live as long as they are careful, I don't care if people feed F/T as long as they are aware of the dangers of not completely thawed food.

Bottom line I could care less what you do as long as you have a reason for doing it and have researched it.

[louise]

there is no way to feed live safely.

[razeraze]

Originally Posted by louise

there is no way to feed live safely.

Yes there is, I did it for years, and know many rescued snakes that will only take live. Better they eat live than starve.

[Stargazer]

Uh oh............

[razeraze]

Originally Posted by trendkill

You can clearly see fat rolls on her tail in this picture:



And the folded scales sticking up along her mid-body.. are from excess tissue rolls folding over themselves when she's curled up.

A large boa at a healthy weight will not have those bulges. Tail rolls are the clearest sign of obesity. This is this tail of a boa who is 8' and around 25lbs. I'd be even happier with her condition if she weighed less.. but she needs a little fat right now for breeding. I'll be happy if she looses 3 or 4 lbs after breeding season:





Charger weights over 10lbs more.. but is only 12 inches longer. That's a lot of weight for 12 inches. I have full grown males in the 6' range that weigh 10lbs. Males aren't comparable to female weight or girth... but still.

And Stalk.. just because you're feeding a snake a lot and it still appears to be at a healthy weight, does not mean you aren't casuing "invisible" damage to its bones, its heart especially.. and other organs by inducing rapid growth.

Actually I have seen many snakes 9 feet and 40+ lbs with clean bills of health. Charger always puts on a little bulge before winter. Then she fasts and loses it. You can not compare a male to female for weight and Frankly since you live so close why don't you come see her, I guarantee you she is far stronger than your male and female, and since she has been in this cage (since 9/ 28/ 07) she has already lost 3lbs. Exercise is more important than taking away food.

[canadianbacon]

(Yes there is, I did it for years, and know many rescued snakes that will only take live. Better they eat live than starve.)

this is the most horrific advice ive seen in awhile!!! there is absolutly no safe way of feeding live...just because it can be and will be done doesnt mean its safe...i work with very sharp objects that spin at a high rpm for years doesnt mean i dont get cut once and while...


(Now in response to your non breeder advice. I have spoke with curators at the national zoo, San Diego zoo, Philadelphia zoo, wild life centers and members of the Chicago herp society.)

i call BS on this..but im gonna respond to it anyway

in school you learn the basics...but you never ever really know anything untill you use it....more major reptile break threws happened in private collections and not in zoos...you know why this is??? because BREEDERS DO THIS FOR A LIVEING EVERY DAY ALL DAY....it works just like a job..you can go to tech school and take a trade but even when you get out of school and get into the trade you really dont know what your doing cause somethings you can only learn by doing it every day.

bottom line is just because they went to school for it doesnt mean they know what they are talking about...same thing with pet stores...just because they sell it doesnt mean they know how to take care of it and you should know that!

(Obesity will take out many snakes as will bad husbandry and ignorant keepers. Simply posting cookie cut care sheets is not the best answer. If you are going to say obesity is bad they you have to be able to determine healthy weight, length, muscle mass, and when it becomes obesity as well as what contributes to it, not just some simple “weight watchers” solution.)

by the look of your bci you have no clue either and have no idea when to stop feeding...that snake looks like a huge turd with the wrinkles and all...

Im normaly a nice guy....but dude you have dished out so much verbal diarrhea in this thread its almost funny....i pray to god that no newbies come here and read this thread and take your advice...so many burmese pythons die in captivity cause people think you can just feed the holly crap out of them....#$!#$!#$!#$! in the 5 years i have been a member of the bobclark board ive swear there have been 6 cases of which burms have died unexpectedly and when a biopsy was done they ruled over feeding developing fat deposits around kidneys and liver....the reason people think they can feed there pythons so much is generally they can hold it down better....and your retarded comment on the green tree's....you absolutly DO NOT FEED THEM ALL THEY CAN EAT....it is a huge problem with green tree's to get prolapsed rectum for this exact reason....JUST BECAUSE THEY EAT IT DOESNT MEAN IT GOOD!!!!!!

(Also because people do not keep reptiles like zoos or me does that mean they are doing it right? No it means they are doing what is easiest and best for them. I have had zoo keepers and care takers tell me they wish they had the space to treat their reptiles like I do. That is the best compliment ever. I would rather hear that than the 50 thank yous for the caresheet or caging advice I have given.)

this is funny....do you have any clue how many reptiles die in zoos...see you never really hear about it cause they dont tell you and they can replace those reptiles very easy!!!!! I too have spoken to the reptile house curator at the philly zoo to ask him a question about a problem i was haveing with a monocled cobra...low and behold he had no effing idea about the problem and or where there is a reptile vet in the philly area....just because he runs the place doesnt mean he knows all.....

what you are doing with your animals is playing Russian roulette...just because you pulled the trigger a few times doesnt mean youll live the round....

Its the breeders are the ones who make the break threws in the reptile industry...all the science in the world means nothing untill you actually do the stuff yourself and use the good old fashioned trial and error and right now your more so in the error considering thousands before you have figured the way out but you want to be outside the box well buddy its been done and your boa is grossly fat!


what you are doing to your animals is your business but i take great offense to you trying to state that its 100% ok and actually to recommend it! Your way is wrong....majority on this board have told you so..there is a reason for this....usually when a crowed has a different opinion then that one loaner its because they know better....now given there are acceptions to that...but in your case what you are doing has been done before and has proven harmful and you are not makeing any grouned breaking new discoveries!

i say this in the most respectful way i possibly can but your acting like a compleat asshat with these bull crap statistics that you so triumphantly googled....your not fooling me...and or majority on here....some people are good at sounding like they know something (your one of them ill give you that) but im better at spotting crap then you are at speaking it!

	Boa Constrictor Imperator

[trendkill]

Originally Posted by razeraze

Actually I have seen many snakes 9 feet and 40+ lbs with clean bills of health.

Yeah.. my brother has a clean bill of health too but he's very much overweight. Sadly, his chances of complications later in life are very high. His heart will probably eventually give out like my overweight father's did in his late 40's. Talk about wasted life.

Originally Posted by razeraze

Charger always puts on a little bulge before winter. Then she fasts and loses it.

The female I posted has a little extra bulge. She has more than enough weight on her to get her through a pregnancy, and that's all the extra weight any boa should ever have. The amount of visible fat on Charger is unhealthy. It's beyond being a little fat.. it's obesity.

Originally Posted by razeraze

You can not compare a male to female for weight and Frankly since you live so close why don't you come see her, I guarantee you she is far stronger than your male and female, and since she has been in this cage (since 9/ 28/ 07) she has already lost 3lbs. Exercise is more important than taking away food.

Stronger? Slower, maybe. I know what it's like to have 10-15 extra lbs of weight on ME.. and it's not fun. Endurance suffers.. heart has to beat extra hard.. shortness of breath.. it sucks. Now I can only imagine how it must feel when about quarter of your entire body weight is fat.

[danktat]

I know what it's like to have 10-15 extra lbs of weight on ME

Not possible