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#1788194
BooByVu
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Growth problem? 
Hi. I bought an albino burm about 8 months ago. She was 18 inches when I got her. I am feeding her weekly but it seems she is not growing as fast as a burm should. It has been awhile and she has only grown a foot or so. Is something wrong with her? I feed her prey items about the size of her girth. She has a great feeding response and rarely skip meals. Only during sheds. Any ideas or is this normal?
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07/09/08 09:36am
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#1788554
Mangrovian
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Message To: BooByVu In reference to Message Id: 1788194
Growth problem?
That is about 1.5 in a month,not too bad, sounds like you are doing everything right.you might want to try every 3-4 days.Snakes that get fairly large benefit from a little extra food.Genetics might play a part in growth,along with inbreeding over time and albinism has its own drawbacks as well.
Hope i helped,
Mangrovian.
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07/09/08 02:35pm
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#1790810
Flicker3123
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Message To: BooByVu In reference to Message Id: 1788194
Growth problem?
I just wanna make sure I under stand you correctly, you bought her 8 months ago and she was 18", now has she only grown a foot since you got her? and how long is she now?
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07/11/08 01:53am
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#1791002
BooByVu
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Message To: Flicker3123 In reference to Message Id: 1790810
Growth problem?
I tried to measure her yesterday before i fed her. She’s about 3 and a half feet. Thats about 42 inches. I know I said a foot but thats what it seems like. Ive seen year old burms that are well over 4-5 feet. Her temps and humidity are right and she sheds in one perfect piece everytime. She ate 2 mice yesterday. I dont know why but I cant get her to eat rats either. I even tried rubbing a mouse on a rat pup....Is it cuz the mouse is white and rats are black and she can tell? Sorry so many questions but I just wanna make sure nothing is wrong with her.
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07/11/08 09:06am
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#1791104
Burmsr4me
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Message To: BooByVu In reference to Message Id: 1791002
Growth problem?
that is your problem a burm will never grow off of mice. most burms can eat rat pups from birth, you have to get it switched to rats asap, our find baby rabbits try baby rabbits if you can find them small enough. but your burm cannot survive on mice.
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07/11/08 11:35am
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#1791362
Alf
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Message To: Burmsr4me In reference to Message Id: 1791104
Growth problem?
I hear ya on the switch over, one of my burms wouldn’t switch from mice. For the longest time I’d have to thaw a couple rats and run down to a local pet store for a live mouse weekly. I would feed the live mouse and then hand feed the f/t rats as he was finishing up with the mouse. I did this till he was around 6’, then one day one of my other snakes didn’t take a f/t rabbit and for the hell of it, I gave it a shot with him and he switched over ever since that day. Just be patient and try different options, you’ll find something that will work for you. I’ve had babies that will take f/t 2 days out of the egg and some that won’t touch f/t or a rat pup, but will take a mouse everyday if you let them. Not all burms are the same, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes it’ll take some time. Hope this helps, keep us posted on your progression.
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07/11/08 03:10pm
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#1791501
BooByVu
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Message To: Alf In reference to Message Id: 1791362
Growth problem?
Ok, Im going to try with hand feeding the rat pups first. I have a fresh batch of rats that are perfect size for her come feeding day. How do I go about doing this? When she eats the mouse I stick the rat in her mouse as she finishes?
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07/11/08 04:49pm
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#1791545
Alf
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Message To: BooByVu In reference to Message Id: 1791501
Growth problem?
Yes, as she’s finishing with the mouse gently guide the rat into her mouth. Don’t wait till it’s too late though, when she opens her mouth wide to take in the mouse’s hind legs is when I was doing it. She should clamp down on the rat and you should be all set. Hope it works for you.
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07/11/08 05:25pm
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#1791906
Flicker3123
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Message To: Alf In reference to Message Id: 1791545
Growth problem?
I totally agree with the other 2 sorry I didn’t reply sooner worked all day, My burm is 10 months old and on the larger large rats close to jumbo and is 5’ so far, all of my snakes eat Rats as they are a better prey item mice mainly consist of fur and bone so I hope you will have an easier transition to rats so you get the most outta your Burm and she will be alot happier!! Take care of yourself and your Baby and hope to hear progress real soon!!
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07/11/08 10:37pm
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#1794394
BooByVu
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Message To: Flicker3123 In reference to Message Id: 1791906
Growth problem?
Ok, so I guess me keeping mice around isnt gonna be too helpful. Might get rid of a mouse colony and start a new rat colony. Since all my other snakes eat rats fine except my burm. Wow, theres actually no point breeding mice anymore other then a snack for my tegu....Thanks all. Im going to be trying to chain feed my burm for the first time tomorrow. Wish me luck! :) Ohh one more question, has anyone had their burm regurgetate while trying this? that is my only fear that she will spit out the mouse if I stick anything near her...
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07/14/08 12:31am
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#1794403
BekahBear
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Message To: BooByVu In reference to Message Id: 1794394
Growth problem?
i known another thing you can try to get your burm on rats. its not pretty but it sure does work. take the mouse and brain it (cut open its head to expose the brains) and rub the brains and blood on the rat. i don’t know why but the smell of the brains seems to triger the feeding response. and since your burm seems to like the mice vs rats this should help. i had to do this to rats and rub it on a rabbit before feeding when i had a burm that would not make the switch. with that snake it took about 4-5 feedings doing this before she would make the switch. now she takes rabbits no problem.
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07/14/08 12:41am
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#1794635
BooByVu
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Message To: BekahBear In reference to Message Id: 1794403
Growth problem?
That does sound really nasty.....and kinda weird to do....and mean....but if i HAVE to....then I will...
Anything to get my burm growing...I think Ill go ahead and try to stick a rat pup in her mouth first and if it doesnt work, Ill try with the brain idea in 5 days. Gosh why cant she be like my other snakes and just eat everything? hehe owell, half the fun in keeping the snakes are the problems they give anyways. Thanks for the ideas!!
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07/14/08 09:52am
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#1794802
BekahBear
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Message To: BooByVu In reference to Message Id: 1794635
Growth problem?
yeah, it is pretty nasty. i was grosed out by the idea when someone on another forum told me it to try it when i was having a problem switching a burm to rabbits. it did the trick though when everything else i tried failed. if you can get your little guy on rats by chain feeding by all means go for it. i wish you luck in getting her switched over :D
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07/14/08 12:35pm
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#1795288
Burmsr4me
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Message To: BekahBear In reference to Message Id: 1794802
Growth problem?
you can also take the mouse and put it in a small animal vented cage or a tuppleware container with holes and place it in the cage then put in a rat. the smell of the mouse will trick the snake into eating the rat.
are you feeding live or prekilled or F/t
i hope f/t
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07/14/08 06:29pm
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#1796102
BooByVu
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Message To: Burmsr4me In reference to Message Id: 1795288
Growth problem?
I will try all these one or all of the methods depending on which works first. Ill start with the chain feeding first cuz then I dont have to cut any heads open hehe. Im feeding prekilled. i do the whole pinch the ear and pull the tail thing. I use had some F/T but my tegu ate them all and my mouse colony is just now doing a little better.
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07/15/08 11:17am
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#1797105
BooByVu
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Message To: Burmsr4me In reference to Message Id: 1795288
Growth problem?
Well guess what?! it worked! was much easier then I ever thought. She just ate the mouse and the rat right after. In 5 days, Ill try with the rat first and if not, might chain feed again. But I really think this did it! thanks guys!
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07/15/08 10:36pm
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#1797139
Alf
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Message To: BooByVu In reference to Message Id: 1797105
Growth problem?
Glad to hear it worked for you, it actually sounds harder to do than it is. Hopefully your burm will be on it’s way now.
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07/15/08 10:54pm
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