Pretty much exactly how I feel. Though I havet tried keeping food available at all times (don't see anything wrong with it, just havent tried it).


The first 10 years or so I kept snakes I fed them the generic pet store book way... 1-2 pinkies/fuzzies twice a week and 1 mouse/rat once a week. The snakes grew, but not at an impressive rate and they never attained the level of strength and muscularity that I noticed in a few other captive animals and some wild snakes I came across. I had also picked up some bit of nonsense from someone that had me thinking smaller meals were better as they were easier to digest... blah.

once I upped the size of prey (big enough to leave a bulge that stretched the skin a little) and offered food again around the time said buldge begain to dissappear I noticed the snakes growing faster and ending up more muscular looking.

I suppose I still feed "full grown" adults on a somewhat moderate basis compared to some others, but I offer neonates-yearlings basically all they want and the results are fantastic. I had a pair of black milks go from hatchilings to over 4' by the 18 month mark by eating 2 rodents every 3-4 days. now as adults at 2.5 years old and 5.5ish' long they are getting 2 small rats every time the gut buldge goes away (10-15 days).

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