how much to feed?

[Scott E.]

i have a wc female eastern who is about 3 yrs old, with 2 litters under her belt. She is about 25" long. She will eat and eat and eat, and then eat again the next day if we let her. She can eat 12 pinky's in a sitting and still ask for more. How much should we be feeding her? I think that 2-3 pinky's every few days is plenty. our male, same age, half the size, only eat 3 or 4 a week. I guess her name is fitting, Miss Piggy...

[guidofatherof5]

Some of them can be real eaters. 12 pinkies for a 25" long snakes seems to be plenty.
I think your idea about 2-3 pinkies sounds good. Miss Piggy may not agree.

Come on Scott, give the girl 4 pinkies at a feeding Without that extra one she'll waste away to nothing.

I have a few big radix female(36 inches long) that would stuff themselves everyday if I let them.
Legless Pigs they are.

[Selkielass]

Bigger mice maybe?

[Scott E.]

I try to buy bulk pinkys in a size that both of them can eat. I may have to buy two sizes. These are the large pinkies also, just under the fuzzy's. Maybe I will look into rat pinkys.

[Mommy2many]

I would say try bigger mice, if she'll take them. My big girls will pound at least half a dozen each day if I let them. When I feed larger prey, they can sit tight a few days

[Holly]

Yeah, I think they would eat until they would burst if you let them! Have you seen the pictures on the internet of what some big snakes try to swallow?

[infernalis]

Bigger mice maybe?

I would say try bigger mice, if she'll take them. My big girls will pound at least half a dozen each day if I let them. When I feed larger prey, they can sit tight a few days

When I order, I always get 2 bags of the fuzzy/hopper size mice.

My big females, The flame, blackneck & 2 easterns all eat 2-3 fuzzy mice per meal.

in the end it will cost you less to just buy the larger mice.

[ConcinnusMan]

True. And many snakes that eat 2-3 pinkies per meal will readily take fuzzies cut in half. Fuzzies and pinkies cost me exactly the same - $1. But a fuzzy can be cut and is like 2 pinkies.

If your garter is well nourished and has good weight, a gut full of rodents ONCE every 7-10 days is plenty! You can always give them an occasional snack of fish or worms if you can't stand to wait that long.