Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My burm is now at about ten feet, and probably a little over 40lbs now (I haven't weighed him for a while, so I'm not sure). Recently he has been eating jumbo/colossal rats or guinea pigs. I'm about to start him on f/t rabbits, and I was just wondering if anyone might be able to advise what size meal would be appropriate for a ten foot, 40+lb burm. He has been eating 2.5lb to 2.75lb per feeding.

I'm wondering if it would be appropriate to bump up his meal size to something on the order of 3lb to 3.5lb now. Does that sound decent to you? If not, what weight would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
- Mark

This is him, late last summer, staying cool in the shade under the slide.

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It really depends on the burm. I have two burms that are closing in on the ten foot range and also about 40-45 pounds. One of my girls took to rabbits with know problem and she is eating 4.5 pound rabbits without any trouble. However, my other female is more picky. I haven't got her to take rabbits on her own and she only takes them if I trick her by introducing the head of the rabbit into her mouth as she is finishing a rat. She will not eat anything bigger then about 2.3 pounds. So I would initially try and see if your burm makes the change effectively and if so then I would feed about 4-4.5 pounders. Hope this helps, Todd

Thanks for the info. I think what I will do then is gradually increase his meal sizes, from here starting at about 3lb. Since I already bought small rabbits for him I'll just give him two in one sitting (which will equal about three pounds for starters). From there I'll bump him up about one tenth pound each consecutive feeding.

Let me know if that doesn't sound like a good plan. Now - just to cross my fingers and hope he likes rabbits (that's all I got for him this time!).

Thanks again,
- Mark

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My personal site: www.antegy.com
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My Kingsnake.com Picture Gallery
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Tricking the snake before he finishes a rat that is. Do they eventually come around? I thaw a rabbit, then throw it away the next day.

DZ

As long as it is a small rabbit it works fine. She still hasn't taken a rabbit on her own so I still do this every week. Once the rat has been ate and just the tail is sticking out, just place the rabbits snout into the snakes mouse. When the snake lurches forward to move the rat further down its throat it will start to ingest the rabbit as well. So far this has worked, as long as the rabbits are small. This eliminates the need to feed five or six collossal rats each week. One rat and one small rabbit. Hopefully she comes around and I will be able to eliminate the rats completely. Todd

Dude! It worked. I bought 9 small hens a couple weeks ago and my burm wouldn't touch em! I snuck the head of one in after the tail of a rat and he munched it right down. Now I can get rid of the rest of the chicks and get started on rabbits.

Thanx
DZ