the dangers of overfeeding

[drache]

this morning I had a realization
it was about illness afflicting my snakes and the fact that it comes in two broad categories:
those the snakes had when I acquired them and those I caused by overfeeding them
Sammy will probably forever have bad sheds because of that surgery scar - a direct result of obesity
and Drache is once again on antibiotics, because that lump came back with a huge pus-filled abscess, we needed to drain - all of this started after his bout of overeating
it's really hard to find a balance
after all - it's so satisfying when they eat without fuss
and then there is the fact, that compared to an animal that needs to get fed twice a day, snakes are so low maintenance, that I often feel like I must have left something out
my vet tells me that regardless of the species, obesity is one of the primary causes of pet heath issues
after all my poor snakes have had to suffer due to my motherly urge to feed, I've learned to curb that urge

[ssssnakeluvr]

I don't think one bout of overeating in going to cause problems. overeating becomes a problem when you are feeding the snake several times a week as much as he/she can eat. when they start getting fat then you start getting problems. snakes were designed to eat larger meals less often than other animals.

[Stefan-A]

Garters are probably especially tricky since they seem to have a much faster metabolism than most other snakes.

[Loren]

Not sure how much you are feeding, but I personally get good slow and steady growth with my garters with 1 or 2 food items per feeding, 1 feeding per week. The really long and slender ones like my ribbon might get 3 rodents per weekly feeding, as its mouth is fairly small for its very long body, as well as any garters that need fattening up. Little babies- maybe every 5 days is better.
But I feed only rodents, which seem to be a little bit more long lasting of a meal. Fish seem to go through them a bit faster in my experience.
Garters that appear nice and thick might get fed less than this, maybe 1 meal a week, or 2 items at once, but every 10 days or so.
But I dont breed either, so my adults dont need as much fattening up.
Garters definitely do seem to have a fast metabolism, but once they get to the point of nice and fat, I think its best to back off a bit, unless breeding. Garters in the wild seldom look quite as fat as many garters I see in captivity.

[Stefan-A]

My garters, at least the '07 ones, get one 1.5-2 gram pinkie twice a week. Right now, that's about 10% of their body weight. All my snakes seem constantly hungry these days, so over-feeding is definitely something I'm looking out for. I fed the adult just a couple of hours ago, but she has already started cruising in front of the door when she sees me. The feeding responses I've been seeing this last month, have been insane. They get absolutely hyper when it's feeding time, the twins are even striking at the tongs now and the adult doesn't seem to connect the smell of food with the actual food items, she just blasts past them when she comes up to investigate. edit: I'm trying to rephrase the last sentence so that it doesn't seem like there's something wrong and she's trying to escape. :D I'm prepared to bet my left nut that it's a feeding response. She only gets that way when it's feeding time and I doubt she's just excited to see me.

Then again, I have no idea how all your garters behave at feeding time. Maybe my snakes have been abnormally calm until now. :D

[reptileparadise]

Then again, I have no idea how all your garters behave at feeding time. Maybe my snakes have been abnormally calm until now.

Let me give you an small impression...
Remember this? Everyone laughing because I'm feeding her with gloves?
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/Kousebanden/DSCF0807Medium.jpg

Well, this is the reason...
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/filmpjes/th_moordthamnophis_converted.jpg (http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/filmpjes/?action=view&current=moordthamnophis_converted.flv)

[Stefan-A]

Okay. :D That was a feeding response?

Here's one of the incidents I managed to capture on video. At least partially, I missed the part when she was outside the terrarium.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/web/P1000208.avi

[Lori P]

Hey. She looks like ME at mealtimes. LOL!!

[Zephyr]

Garters in the wild seldom look quite as fat as many garters I see in captivity.
I have one exception: Cremepuff, my big garter from last year, was a VERY plump individual. I'm thinking he/she had prime rodent real estate in the compost heap I found him/her. Also, I failed to catch a 4ft garter who had taken residence in another compost heap about... I'd say 30 yards away. This one was also very plump. Maybe it's from rodents, or from a constant supply of worms, I don't know.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

hahahaha my female garters do the same thing yours is doing in that video EVEN IF IM NOT OFFERING FOOD hahaha

[reptileparadise]

Yes Stefan, it was a feeding response! (you could see her fooddish in the background)
For some reason, she always tries to eat my fingers. Even when they dont smell like smelt. Changing the waterbowl is also very hazardous!