My W. Hognose, "Piglet", has recently started asking for WAY more fuzzies than normal. He is approximately 3 years old; kept in 40 gal long w/ undertank heater and over-tank heat bulb (not sure what actual temp is, but nothing in the extremes). He's been zooming around his tank, and now "asking" for food in the last several days. Last Wed., he ate 3 fuzzies, one after the other. He's only ever wanted one at a time, and that's one feeding every week or so. And now, he just was "begging" for more food: he gobbled up 4 fuzzies this afternoon! I stopped at 4 since I'm concerned he might get too full--is this even reasonable?? I adore my snake, and would be quite upset if something happened to him. He is a healthy, well-adjusted male (judging by size--he's a shrimp, even after 3 years and lots of food), and I'm just a little worried about his new feeding behavior. I don't put him through any enforced hibernation; he goes for a long hide during the cooler months, but he's been active and racing around his tank like he normally does for several months now. Just a query. Thanks for anyone who takes the time to respond!
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Weird Feeding Behavior/Pattern
Replies (3)
my guess is he needs bigger food items. Even for a small 3 yr old male, fuzzies are barely appetizers. My 3 month old hognose eat bigger than that. You did.nt say how much he weighs, but you need to get him on hoppers or weanlings. He's STARVING. Seriously, my 2008 hatchlings are eating hoppers.
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Greg Jackson
He's approximately 20 inches feet long, and weighs 97 grams, per the household measuring tape and food scale. I always thought the rule of thumb was to feed him stuff only a little bigger than his head--and that is what I've been doing. He still has to unhinge his jaws for the "hoppers" as you call them (I'm kind of confused as to the naming behind feeder mice, but that's another post, probably.) I tried to give him a larger, almost full-grown mouse a while ago, and it was seriously too big for him. He couldn't get it into his mouth at all. So, I opted for feeding him smaller fuzzies (the ones that look like they're miniature adults.) But this is certainly pause for thought! Thank you for the suggestion!
Well, I'm def not an expert on hogs.. but I have a few of them. I would agree that it sounds like to me he's hungry and searching for more food. I don't think there is anything wrong with feeding 4 fuzzies, but you could probably get away with feeding only a couple of hoppers until he grows more.
My biggest female (so far) is about 20" and 125g. She eats about three hoppers a week. Would probably eat more but I only feed every two or three days.
Hopefully this helps =)
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