I think this guy is crazy, but I am now curious...

[SD_Reptiles]

Wow, that was WAY too much response. You give me very little credit - I don't really lack that much knowledge. Anyone who has been to my house knows the pristine conditions in which all of my animals are kept. I'm not buying a book. No way! I have gotten info from friends who breed balls, fellow keepers, and internet sources.

I said over and over again that she is nice and round, not triangular-shaped. I never intend to feed her every few months. That's definitely not the point. I believe that I feed her plenty and that she is not being neglected by any means. I am just in no hurry to get her to breeding size.

Of all of the ball pythons I have had, only two were babies - the rest were adults. This one and the other one that I have now are the only babies I have ever owned. My adults never went off feed. Of course, I never owned males and females simultaneously (only females/females or males individually), so maybe breeding wasn't on the mind.

I have heard that feeding certain exotics on a not-perfectly-regular schedule can actually be beneficial. I don't have papers to back this up, but it has been learned from talking with other hobbyists. I do not think that the growth rate is changed by not feeding on a set schedule. I feed my spiders pretty much on a "needs it" basis...some of my Ts haven't been fed in months if they are nice and plump.

Yeah I know a little long sorry about that. I was not trying to say you know nothing about the animals you keep. If it came out that way that was not what I was going for sorry about that. Im not in a hurry to bump them up to breeding size either. I could but I dont. I have an 06 female that should have been ready to breed by now but she isnt. She might go this year maybe not. Just because I want to breed her Im not going to power feed her to get her up to size.

My first ball pythons is a male still have him. When I only had just him. He would go off feed if it was to breed or just a kind of hibernation thing. I dont know but he did stop eating too. Even with no females around. I'm new to keeping T's so I cant say anything about that. I offer food to them once a week. Every Wednesday when I feed most of the snakes. Growth rate I dont really think has anything either to do with a set schedule. It has to do with the amount of food they eat. More they eat the more they will grow. The schedule Again with the in the wild crap. They are designed to go without food for periods of time. Thats what happens in the wild. If they are eating on a regular schedule the will grow on a more consistent pace. If they are fed here and there. They will grow a bit here and a bit there.

Im no spider expert in any way. Or even a snake expert. But cant really compare them. Other than being in the exotic pet category thats about all they have in common. Again I wasnt trying to say you know crap about the animals you keep. Or that you dont keep them the way they should be kept. I was just trying to get my opinion on feeding out there. And a little info on how I have been keeping my ball pythons. Like I said if it works for you and your animals why change it. If its not broke dont fix it I guess.

I was sharing my experience with keeping ball pythons. I have feed every few days. I have fed every few months. What works best for my animals and myself is every 5 to 7 days. I wasn't saying you Have to stop what your doing and do it my way or anything like that. Well again this turned out long again so take care have a nice day and all that.