best starter snake?
- Thread starter Heppy
- Start date
fishnthings said:
It wouldn't be so rare if people would actually take care of them properly. Most of mine average about 12 feet, but I've seen bigger ones. Red tail boas do have the potential to reach 15 feet if cared for properly, and for that reason alone they should not be considered for a first snake.
Ph0etus said:
Size is not always a sign of health in snakes. "Power feeding" will maximize size but will also abbreviate lifespan, often directly due to fatty liver. A conservative feeding schedule will keep size managable and your snake healthy.
good point. I just took my largest tegu into the vet...I got him a couple months ago WAY overweight (nearly 15 lbs). He's only a year and a half or so old and alread 4 ft. long...so basically full grown.
Turns out he has a bad liver...surprise...Looks like his former owner stuffing him daily with high-protein high-fat food has severly shortened his life span.
He sure is big though!
D4MI4N said:
I'm not talking about power feeding. What I'm saying is a healthy and well cared for snake will reach it's full size.
Yeah, if you strickly limit the amount of food the snake gets it will stay a more "managable size", but when we purchase a snake, or any animal for that matter, we should have thier best interest in mind and not our own. I understand what your saying and I agree with you, but someone who is new to snakes may take it the wrong way. I've had to deal with way too many people who think that because their snake can survive a few months inbetween meals means that that's only as often as they should feed it.
For most snakes one meal a week will keep them good.
one small meal a week is more like it. most large snakes do good on once or twice a month. i feed my king once a week, but he is only a year old, so i will probably slow down once he hits a larger size.
One small meal a week, or every other week, or once a month will give you a snake that looks like ****.
Yeah, some snakes have slower metabolisms and require feedings less often, but even large snakes should be fed more than once a month.
Yeah, some snakes have slower metabolisms and require feedings less often, but even large snakes should be fed more than once a month.
