Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Posting on forums is fun...

OK, I did just go and check-up on the power-feeding on the archived forums. However, I'm trying now to apply that to bloods, which seem a bit different...

As I understand it, "Power-feeding" is giving a snake more food than it needs, but not force-feeding it. Just overfeeding it. This is bad because the snake then becomes overweight.

I found one thing about Power-feeding quite confusing: evidently one can recognise a power-fed animal because its head is smaller in proportion to its body. Is that just another way of saying, "the animal is fat," or do the actual proportions (length to head-size) change as well?

If we feed the snake on a set schedual (as opposed to feeding it as much as it can eat) what, then, is the proper amount to feed a blood? Do growing babies need more food than adults?

Also: maybe I've just got to wait until I've got one in my hands to know, but I've read that bloods feel "squishy." If they all feel squishy, then how does one distinguish between an obese blood and a full-bodied, healthy one?

What's the best way to make the blood as big and healthy as possible without making him unhealthy? (I know they make lizard vitamins -- how about vitamins for snakes? Serpentine protien powder...)

I have been on the internet entirely too long today.

Thanks to anyone who bothers to read this god-awful post and reply,
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A. Fox

Fox-

hehe I dont think you can apply the head to body size ratio for a blood since, well they have little tiny heads and giant bodies. Maybee you can I dont know. The only real way to determine if there power fed is to actually find out how much they are fed, or check size to age ratio. Experienced herpers can usually tell if an animal is growing too quickly. Healthy bloods are "squishy" because the animals have excess fat on their sides. As far as being overweight its basically just their length to weight ratio, I couldn't personally tell you exact measurements tho. Like all boids and most other animals they do require more food when growing.
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"It's my snake, I trained it, so I'm going to eat it!" - Mad Max, The Road Warrior