Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a one year old western hognose. I got him when he was 3 months old and ate one pinky a week. When he turned 6 months, I went to two pinkies a week. Around 10 months, he started on 3 pinkies a week. Is there a standard? I do not want to over-feed him. I feel like if I put 5 pinkies in his feeding tank, he would eat all 5. Thanks for any advice.

Why haven't you moved up to a bigger prey item? Like a fuzzy or hopper? My adult westerns eat a medium sized adult mouse. If I was still feeding them pinks, they would probably pack down 10-15 a feeding.
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Jenea

2:3:1 Tricolor Hognose (plus babies)
4:2 Eastern Hognose
1:2 Western Hognose
0:2 Southern Hognose
0:0:3 Florida Redbelly Snakes
0:1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle
1:1 Red-eared Slider
1:2 Eastern Fence Lizards
2:0 Cats
1:1 Kids
1:0 Spouse

Is a one year old hog an adult? The little guy is pretty thick and I understand the "rule" of the prey item being larger then the snake (thickness) does'nt work with hogs, but I do not think my guy is large enough to eat a fuzzy or hopper. I have plenty of fuzzy rats when the time comes and plenty of large pinky mice. If he has to eat 5 pinkies per feeding, oh well.

He is about the thickness of a sharpie pen and probably about 12" long. What would you recommend I feed him? The large pinky mice he eats right now are the same thickness as he and he eats at least 3 per feeding (once a week). I guess if I feed him 5 or 6, that would be ok.

I was thinking more along the lines of moving up to mouse fuzzies. My only concern is the fat content you are feeding him. Pinkies have a much higher fat content than an adult mouse. As the prey item gets a little bigger, the fat content a little lower. Hogs are prone to obesity issues, so I would be most concerned about that. I do not believe they are "adults" until the age of 2. I would really try a mouse fuzzy or hopper. I feed all of my hogs prey item the same size or just a little bigger than their girth. Never had any problems. Never heard that hogs were different than others snakes when it came to food size.

Anybody else with westerns want to jump in?
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Jenea

2:3:1 Tricolor Hognose (plus babies)
4:2 Eastern Hognose
1:2 Western Hognose
0:2 Southern Hognose
0:0:3 Florida Redbelly Snakes
0:1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle
1:1 Red-eared Slider
1:2 Eastern Fence Lizards
2:0 Cats
1:1 Kids
1:0 Spouse

for trying to answer the post. I have a lot of pinkies and will feed him them until they are gone. I guess I can feed him as many pinkies as he will eat until he is full. The pinkies are just barely smaller than his girth so its not too off on what you suggested.