Obesity - How can you tell if your snake is obese?

[zendragondrew]

Is there a head to body ratio you look at? Does it vary a lot by species?

I've been feeding my Eastern Garter what I judge is an ample amount, but I'm inexperienced and want to stop before it's too late if I'm over feeding her.

I give her three (3) pinkie mice a week and sometimes give a few bits of fish fillet during the middle of the week. She's about two (2) feet long and maybe two (2) inches thick in the biggest areas. Think she's too big or moderate?

3175

Here is a recent photo.

[katach]

I don't have any experience with easterns, but that sounds a bit thick to me. Please correct me if I'm wrong as I am used to our little NW and our slender framed Pugets. I feed 2 pinkies a week and a worm or one chunk of fish mid week.

[zendragondrew]

To clarify when I say "a few bits of fish fillet" sometimes in the mid-week I mean about the size of one pinkie and it seems much less solid than a mouse. About the equivalent of a bite for a human. I'll split it into two or three pieces to easily fit in her mouth, seemed like an OK snack.

Still, I've just been going by advice of a few friends. I don't want to overfeed her, but also don't want her to be uncomfortably or unhealthily hungry.

[kibakiba]

She does look quite fat... I'd cut down on the pinkies. Even my fat girl, Mama, doesn't get to eat that much.

[zendragondrew]

OK. Might consider putting her on a diet for a while. Maybe two pinkies a week with no snacks for a set amount of time.

[kibakiba]

One pinky would be fine, with a fish or worm snack in the middle. I'm pretty sure they'd eat themselves to death if you let them, but your snake wont be starving with just one pinky. Besides that, pinkies are kind of high in fat... They're what I feed to the babies that are underweight, or otherwise underweight snakes. The rest get worms with a pinky treat now and then.

[katach]

I would cut back to 2 pinkies per week and cut out the mid week snack for a bit. Not sure what a good exercise program would be, but I think some out of tank time would do her some good as well.

[kibakiba]

Bathtubs filled with warm water are good for exercise... Just don't leave her unattended for any amount of time, though.

[katach]

Thanks Chantel. I was thinking some water aerobics too, but didn't want to be really wrong. :)

[d_virginiana]

Hm.. Two inches does seem a bit thick. I feed my adult eastern about every other day, but only small amounts. Usually, he wouldn't get fed as often, but I also have a young one so she gets fed more often and he gets a snack whenever she eats. But most of his food is either fish or worms, which goes through their digestive system a lost faster than mice.
He never really stops moving and gets a lot of out-of-cage exploring time, so he's stayed pretty thin. He's also pretty big for a male; about 25 inches long. Once the baby is grown she'll probably only get fed once a week, since she seems to be pretty sedentary and I think she'd have a tendency to get chubby if I fed her more often :p

[Mrs N1ntndo]

what is considered grown. Mine are 5 months now and I feed about every 3 days or atleast try to. They havent eatin in a bit but I try still. Also I read the part about the bathtub for exersize. How deep should the water be. I would put some rocks on the btoom for them to climb on if needed but the water should be how deep?

[kibakiba]

I stop feeding as often after 3-4 months, but still more than the adults. Then they hit 12 inches is when they get "adult food", but that takes 2-3 years for a NW.

[Mrs N1ntndo]

cool. I have Easterns.

[zendragondrew]

Thanks for all the good info! Think I'll cut it down to 1 or 2 pinkies a week, if I go with one I'll try to get her some fish or worms during the week. I'll keep her out of tank exercises up and I'll try the bathtub too. I was worried the faucet water might be dangerous for her because of chemicals. How deep should it be?

What kind of worms should I get? I've never fed her worms, only mice and fish.

[guidofatherof5]

Night crawlers- Lumbricus terrestris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbricus_terrestris) Buy these at Walmart or bait shops or dig them from a safe area(No fertilizer or pesticides)

This worm isn't sold in stores but can be found in leaf clutter and just under the surface of the soil.-Rosy-tipped worm (Aporrectodea rosea) | OPAL (http://www.opalexplorenature.org/Rosytippedworm)

Be sure not to buy anything called Panfish worms, red wigglers, trout worms, compost worms. These are toxic to garter snake
Eisenia fetida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenia_fetida)

[snakeman]

Your snake looks fine.you are feeding her the right amount.its a growing snake.

[zendragondrew]

Night crawlers- Lumbricus terrestris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbricus_terrestris) Buy these at Walmart or bait shops or dig them from a safe area(No fertilizer or pesticides)

This worm isn't sold in stores but can be found in leaf clutter and just under the surface of the soil.-Rosy-tipped worm (Aporrectodea rosea) | OPAL (http://www.opalexplorenature.org/Rosytippedworm)

Be sure not to buy anything called Panfish worms, red wigglers, trout worms, compost worms. These are toxic to garter snake
Eisenia fetida - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenia_fetida)



Thanks, but in NYC there are no Wal-Marts or baitshops and Central Park is my only option to dig up nightcrawlers, think I might rouse some suspicious by digging there. I'll stick to the mice for now I suppose.

Snakeman - You really think so? I don't know, I figured it would be hard for me to tell since a fat snake would still look skinny to me. I believe she may be shedding soon as she's staying still for the most part and moody when I try to take her out of the cage.