Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've got a 1 year old carpet python, I choose not to over feed her with 2 rats a week, I dont like the idea of pumping food in my animals system just to have her grow huge and mate her. I personally view it as a tad bit immoral BUT at the same time I would love to have her grow slowly and naturally to her potential size. Here is what I do, I feed her 1 rat a week with a one week fast every month. Will she still be as big as another snake that is being fed twice a week every week??? If she will be but that it takes 3 or even 4 years then thats fine by me.

What are ur thoughts??

The feeding schedule we keep is feeding once every two weeks. One to two rats a piece for our carpets. They fast about every other month now since the economy has gotten so bad. It does not hurt them that much. It is better to feed moderately, but they will let you know when they are hungry. Cruising the cage and looking around intently will most of the time mean they are hungry or there is an issue with temperature. Mostly our carpets just lay around. They move to thermoregulate and drink water and not much else. My female is a real joy. She was trained with a hook and has relaxed so much with age and handling that she will crawl right out onto my arm or hand now with no problems. Your feeding schedule is a good one. Different people use different methods. No one methed is a perfect one. Let's put it that way. Good luck.

I Feel its incredibly important when trying to "max" your carpet, to over feed in the first year, and steadily drop that to about 10 days then on to two weeks.

I personally feed all mine every 4-5 days, no problems what so ever and huge growth, all depends on what you want.

From What you described, I would suggest a once a week meal.
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Pat
"You keep WHAT in your freezer?" "Mice. And rats. If that bothers you, I can call them 'cows' instead."

1.1 Ill never tell...
1.0 100% het granite ij
0.1 granite ij
1.0 Jag 50% het granite
.2 striped coastals (Baylin)
1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
1.3 Jaguar carpet pythons (Australian addiction reptiles)
.2 Tiger Carpet (Dave prada HCQ with Baylin tiger)
1.2 centralian carpets
1.1 Irian Jaya carpets (boa cabana)
1.1 Jungle carpets (Futo)
1.1 Guyana Red tail boa
1.1 Water pythons Liasis fuscus
1.0 Brazilian rainbow boa
.1 Pitbull Wolfe mix

Ok well here's my question then

Its already been 1 year that ive been feeding her this way, 1 rat a week with a 1 week fast period. Will she get to her maximum potential but it will take longer? Or I have i actually stunted her growth???

One Rat a week? as in small? so you feed her a small rat every two weeks? I don't think its bad, or not enough, somethings work better for other people, perhaps upping it to feed every ten days.

it shouldn't effect her negatively at all, all depends what you want to do, but don't try to pump them up too fast, you could cause a crap load of internal issues.
-----
Pat
"You keep WHAT in your freezer?" "Mice. And rats. If that bothers you, I can call them 'cows' instead."

1.1 Ill never tell...
1.0 100% het granite ij
0.1 granite ij
1.0 Jag 50% het granite
.2 striped coastals (Baylin)
1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
1.3 Jaguar carpet pythons (Australian addiction reptiles)
.2 Tiger Carpet (Dave prada HCQ with Baylin tiger)
1.2 centralian carpets
1.1 Irian Jaya carpets (boa cabana)
1.1 Jungle carpets (Futo)
1.1 Guyana Red tail boa
1.1 Water pythons Liasis fuscus
1.0 Brazilian rainbow boa
.1 Pitbull Wolfe mix

No I feed her a 200 gram rat every week, then on the 5th week she fasts. I am hoping that I dont over feed nor underfeed my snake , I just want to make sure that she will still get to her potential maximum size.