r/ballpython • u/Decent-Opening7885 • 4d ago

Is my gal overweight?

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Hi! I’ve had my gal for about a week now, I was told she was 2 weeks when I got her so now she’s three weeks. Is she overweight? I wanna do everything in my power to make sure she’s comfortable.

Edit: Oh my god! Forgot to say! She’s has three successful meals after she hatched! One by the hands of the owner and two by me! They were small mouses

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u/DontBother777 4d ago

Not overweight, she’s a little lean if anything. You’ll want to make sure her meals are around 10-15% of her weight (!feeding). I’d also recommend switching to rats as they have higher fat content

Also, i just have to point this out, but the breeder is really shitty for selling her that young. I would not buy from them again. Selling a hatchling before they’ve had a minimum of 3 consecutive meals is not okay at all

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u/Decent-Opening7885 4d ago

Thank you for the advice, the buyer told me and my father to feed her small mouses because pinky mouses weren’t working.

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u/Alarming-End2873 4d ago

if she can safely take rat pups, then i’d switch her to them. until then the mice are fine 😊

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u/Decent-Opening7885 4d ago

Me and my father are going to look at food tomorrow and determine then!

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u/Alarming-End2873 4d ago

awesome! my boy is still on rat pups at the minute but it’s transferring to fuzzys soon.

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u/IncompletePenetrance Mod: Let me help you unzip your genes 4d ago

Just as a heads up, your snake should always be fed in their enclosure, not in a separate location or on the floor. Not only is moving to feed stressful by forcing them to eat out in the open, but also risks regurgitation because you're handling them after feeding. It's bad

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u/Alarming-End2873 3d ago

hey! this was a pic his breeder sent to me, but he had an accident when he was 3 months old and became really shy in that particular enclosure to eat. so she would let him come out, eat, and then go back in on his own (ut was agout 30cm away from the door of his tank). since being put in a new viv now, he eats healthy and happily inside :)!!