Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys, my name is Dan. I have a question about how much weight I can expect my blacks to put on in a year if fed "well". I always brought them along slowly.... the female is just about three years old and she's probably about 3.5 feet long and weights 256 grams on an empty stomach. I'm feeding her about one rat pup per week... if she poops quicker I'll feed her sooner. The heat in there cages is 72 cool side and 80 warm side. I'm wondering if I stand a chance of her being large enough next winter? What kind of weight have yours put on? Thanks, Dan

Hey Dan,

When you say its almost three years old, I assume it was born in summer/fall of 2006? If so, then its about 2 1/2 years old now? It may be better to wait until the summer of 2011, although she may ovluate in 2010, who knows?

I've got a pair of 05's that are 4 1/2 feet and I'm not going to breed them in 2009 even if the female ovulates.

To each his own, but I prefer not to push a female into breeding before she's big enough to get a big clutch of big babies. A young female is more likely to drop a smaller clutch and loose out on a couple months of growth.

Good luck whatever you decide!

Dave

DNS Reptiles

Hi Dave, I always enjoy seeing your beauties! Im in no rush.. I'd just assume wait. Have you every weighed your animals to see how quickly they put weight on? Im curious if 250 grams a year might be normalish? Dan

Love that pic Dave,There is nothing as cool as seeing a nice batch of eggs layed.I count 13 in that pic is that the normal amount for a black milk? Also was it you Dave that told that story here in KS about the history of black milks in the US pet trade? Something about some zoo in texas being surprised that tricolored snakes hatched from the eggs of the newly acquired Central America milk snake.
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

Hey Doug,

Well, here's what she's done the past few years...11 eggs in 2006, 19 eggs in 2007 and 14 eggs in 2008...so 14 is pretty close to average...at least for her!

Nope, that wasn't me in KS but sounds like an interesting story!

Dave
DNS Reptiles

Isn't one rat pup per week seemslike a small mean for a 3.5 foot snake.Just curious
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

Is it? Ive always been warned to avoid overfeeding these, so I lean on the the lean side of feeding....

Give them what they need, not what you think they need.
At 2 1/2 years old, you are starving that animal with one rat pup per week. I have an '06 female that is pushing 4' and eating
1 small rat, or 3 large mice a week and sometimes even more.
The thing is, she's not even remotely overweight! Our snakes
metabolisms do not follow our schedules and should not be treated
as if they do! What is the real benefit of "growing them Slow"?
I here all these arguements of shorter lifespans. Does anybody actually have any hard facts on this? Are there any records of
snakes that are fed once a week as apposed to several times a week, only living 20 as apposed to 25 years? Feed that thing
will you!
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!

Hey Dan,

I usually don't worry about overfeeding young black milks. As long as its growing long and not getting fat, feed it as much as it will eat. I think you can feed it more than you are currently.

But you're right, when they get to be adults, its really easy for them to become obese, especially the males. I ususally feed my females heavy even as adults but not the males. I've seen some really fat males that have no interest in females, etc.

Good luck!

Dave
DNS Reptiles

With dozens of hungry boas to feed I always have plenty of rats... the guy I got them from really drilled me about overfeeding... I guess Ive been to concerned. They look healthy, they're just growing slowly! I'll let you know over the next few months what find of weight they put on... thanks again, Dan.

Dan:

Sorry to come in late on this conversation. I think you are underfeeding your black milk. As Dave Niles said, they can be fed a little heavier when they are growing and should not be pushed like some other colubrids but the main concern about obesity tends to be with the adults. My adults are all about 5.5 to 6 feet and the females weigh 1,200 to 1,400 grams, My male is right around 1,000 to 1,100 grams.

As I've posted before, I think female black milks need at least until their fourth year to be bred.

So, if I were you, I would up the feeding. Maybe double up what you are feeding now so it's more volume of food at first rather than an increase in prey item.

Rob

Thanks Rob, thats what I figured I'd do. right now I feed one rat pup on the Sunday feeding program... Im thinking I add a Wed. feeding in the middle. What do you think? What it be better to feed it all at one time or spread it out?

Feed her all at one time,that way you only have to clean the cage one time.
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L