Reptile & Amphibian Forums

One of our beautiful females, born in '02 and already pushing 4 feet in length.

Mark Kennedy Reptiles

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Mark Kennedy Reptiles
No Mites Ever!!!

Not to start a controversy or anything, but it seems apparent to me by that pic that that kaouthia is..well...very obese. If she was born in '02 and already 4' long, she was definitely power fed. Her scales are pretty widely separated on her body and there's a very large size difference between her body and her tail, so unless she's about to lay eggs, seems like the food intake may need to be cut back. Again, like I said, I'm not trying to start anything with this, but I know that it is very unhealthy to power feed animals, much less to power feed them enough to get them to the point of where she is. If I'm wrong and just seeing it incorrectly, by all means correct me.
-Chance

You are right she does look very heavy in the pic! I have others here on the same feeding schedule that aren't that big. She ate 2 small rats right before that pic was taken, partly the reason why she looks so fat. I never feed them until they have totally passed the previous meal though. I don't know if a 1 year old snake could be "obese" but I agree with your thinking that she is overweight. I'll cut her back a little and thanks for bringing it to my attention.
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Mark Kennedy Reptiles
No Mites Ever!!!

Ah, well the rat thing may be why she looks like that. Cobras do have super fast metabolism and especially monocled juvie and subs seems like they are eager enough to eat every day if they could. I got my little male albino kaouthia last summer, and he was around 9 or 10" at that time. He's now getting up around 3' or so, and I'm afraid that when he was younger I may have power fed him a bit. But even with a moderate feeding schedule, they can grow really quickly. And I may have just been wrong about yours and she may just have the genetics to grow faster than some. She is a very beautiful snake though (she available?? lol, jk, though I do need a female albino), and reminds me a lot of mine with her peachy-orange coloration. How's her temperament and feeding responce? My guy will fly out of his hidebox..cage..or whatever if the smell of food wafts into his cage. He has also remained very aggressive during the time I've had him. My other adult kaouthia, which are all normals and w.c., are very non aggressive compared to him. Maybe it's just all the inbreeding with the albinos, who knows, lol.
-Chance

She is really calm and easy to hook handle. Our male on the other hand is very flighty. Ours all came from Bob Guerriere and I know his bloodlines are from the early or mid 80's. The male is dark burnt orange in color! When I clean their cages I leave food right outside their hide box. And they definitely know and expect it every time. One time I forgot to put her food in and she sat there hooded up watching me for half an hour until I realized it! lol Bob may have an '02 female available, if you are interested here is his email address.gaboon@atlantic.net
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Mark Kennedy Reptiles
No Mites Ever!!!