Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I have a pair of '02 black milks. They're growing fast, rapidly approaching 5 feet, as you can see from the growth charts. I've noticed that when they're coiled, there's s bit of white skin peeking out from between the scales. Their lengthwise growth is starting to slow down too, although they still seem to be putting on well over an inch per month. Do they look like they might be starting to get fat? I can try to borrow a digital scale if knowing their weights would help.

Thanks,
Nate

Chart

Sonny

Cher

My male '02 black milk is about 50" now, but I've only had him since 10/24/04. He was 44.4" when I got him. (Looking at his feeding records prior to 10/04, it looks like he was a little underfed). He has no white showing, except right after a meal. His current weight is 809 grams. I would think that the expanded scales (after a meal is digested) would be an indicator that they are getting a little "fat". I think you would notice it more when they are coiled, so if you can see the white when they are uncoiled, I would surely slow down the feeding a little bit.

btw, what are they eating and what's the frequency? Also, how often are they shedding?
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1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
0.1 Guyana Red Tail Boa
1.0 Ball Python
1.0 Black Milksnake
0.0.1 Tiger Rat Snake (Spilotes)
0.0.1 Blue Tongue Skink

Well, I don't know much about the feeding, but what I do know is that you have to get those bowls that were broken out of their cage now! The edges can be very sharp and they could injure themselves on it. I noticed from your pictures that you wre using them as hide spots or something.

Hello,
No sharp edges on the terra cotta hides, I always file them down. You can make a great hide by chipping a piece out of a terra cotta saucer, then filing down the edges.

Wow, how did this thread get to be *POPULAR*?

Nate

I dont know about milks in particular but in general i have read that a snake is overweight when his scales crease. If your snake has permanant vertical creases in his scales, he is probaby getting chubby. I guess these creases are causes by the "fat" squishing together when the snake coils.
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican kingsnake
1.0.2 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0 BTS
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Nate I recently got two 2000' Gaigeae from a collector who was downsizing his collection. He apppears to have kept them on a more moderate feeding schedule than I have used for my 03's and 04's. My 03's are not that much smaller than the 2000' but the 2000' have larger heads.

The 2000's are very healthy (he did a great job raising them) but they do not have much of any white between the scales except right after feeding in the area of the mouse (distended). On the other hand. some of the 03's are showing white between the scales. After reading your post I'm thinking maybe I'll back off on the feeding. good luck. BobS

To paraphrase whats his name in "The Breakfast Club" "Not fat as such but certainly pushin maximum density" I think I would back them down. My adults get a reasonable size rat every 10 days or so and are keeping a very good state of flesh.

As for the broken pots I have used broken flower pots for hides for fish and herps for about 30 years now and if you dont drop the pot on their head I dont think they will suffer injury from it. Anything, is of course possible.

Your cages look very nice by the way.

be well!

Peter
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Peter and Sara
Beouf River Reptiles