The crease marks and skin between the scales he's talking about are from being too fat. Sort of like if you tried bending a very wide foam rubber tube, or sausage, it would do the same thing. I see no need whatsoever for a male to have an excessive fat content and so chubby it can't turn without wrinkling-up, unless you plan on over-working the snake's organs and shortening it's lifespan. An ovulating female being prepared for breeding is obviously another issue altogether.

This always seems to get some piling in here to say that you should ALWAYS feed them as much as they will possibly want to eat at a sitting(which is pure hogwash in my opinion).

Only females need to have a real substancial reserve of mass for egg production, and that is only if they are going to be bred. This is NOT me saying males should be thin either. They should be fed well, because they should have a nice full body size. Only many folks can't seem to tell the difference between being fed well, and being fed far too much.

To anyone that wants to argue about this, I say there is a nice balance to anything, not going to any extreme either way is far more optimum.

It all boils down to what you intend for the animal to do, produce, or simply lay around and be a pet. And the size and age also governs how much food is optimum at any given time too. Young snakes will always use calories for growing, and I can easily get getula's to a very robust breeding size in 18 to 20 months, and I do mean BIG and robust!

I feed my kings VERY well, and they are all very nice and stocky, but they all have different feeding needs because they are all different sizes and ages, and have different feeding needs, so I simply feed all of them accordingly.

I feed very, very well while they are growing, then when they reach maturity, I do whatever is best for whatever individual needs they may have. That takes just a bit of good judgement is all.

It is all about balance here, not really about this much of whatever is perfect for all.

This really shouldn't have to be such a controversial issue, but it always seems to be that way for some reason.

Anyway, that is my take on the issue..LOL!


regards, ~Doug
















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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

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