My ball python weighed in tonight at 165 grams. I'm probably still underfeeding her slightly, but I'm getting better. She had refused some food a few weeks to a month ago, and her refusal caused me to scale back a little. I was letting her climb on me while I fiddled on the computer, and she wrapped around my neck. She just barely made it, but she connected head to tail. I have an 18" neck, so she must be at least 18 inches long. I decided to chart her growth with a spreadsheet, and I produced the following graph.
Her growth is slower than some have reported, but that problem is undoubtedly the result of my not pushing her to eat larger meals. I'm trying to get her on twenty to twenty-five gram, f/t rat fuzzies, and they should each be about 10 to 15 percent of her body weight. I have four of those in the freezer plus one that is about 30 grams or so. When the little ones are gone, I'll feed bigger stuff.
Again, thanks to everyone who had recommended that I get a thermostat. In the month since I installed the thermostat, her temperatures have been very steady. I don't know how much she notices the difference, but my stress level is lower knowing that the temperatures are right and constant.
Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.
