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Desert Reptile   The_Thunderer   JackAsp

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#1743344 Desert Reptile View Profile	Baby Feeding I have a small Baby Gopher Snake, what do I get to feed it so it will eat and thrive? It is probable only a few weeks old by it’s size
05/22/08  04:36pm
#1743611 The_Thunderer View Profile	Message To: Desert Reptile   In reference to Message Id: 1743344  Baby Feeding I would try and stick with rodents. For this baby, I would give it a pinky. If it is large enough, give it a small fuzzy. The typical rule of thumb is to feed an item that is less than 1.5 times the widest part of the snake. If in doubt, 2 small meals are better than one that is large or too large. Good luck with this one!!! Is it Wild Caught?
05/22/08  08:48pm
#1743704 JackAsp View Profile	Message To: The_Thunderer   In reference to Message Id: 1743611  Baby Feeding When they’re that young, I endorse cheating on meal size a bit. That’s partially because newborn mice have very little calcium in their bones and become progressively more nutritious as they mature. And it’s also partially because they’re so squishy that if their head is a little bit too big it’s just crush while the snake swallows them. They contain a lot of fluid, too, and will shrink rapidly when digestion starts. You ought to be able to start with the biggest pinkie you can find. And when he’ll eat two of them then go ahead and move right up to fuzzies. I’m not saying that you should always try to give him the biggest meals you can for his whole life. Just in the early stages, when the mice don’t even look like mice yet. A baby should be fed at least once a week. No "usually every Saturday, but I had to work so I’ll get him tomorrow... okay, maybe Monday." Every seven days is the minimum, and that’s if he’s filling up. Every five days is actually ideal, and if you go for a five-day schedule then even if you’re a day or two late sometimes it’s still within the week. Giving him all he wants as often as he wants is powerfeeding, which is bad for their longterm health despite the impressive growth speed you may see from it, but giving him all he wants every 5-7 days, letting his system "rest" a little bit before each meal, is perfect.
05/22/08  10:31pm

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