Hello, I just got a 9ft burm from the reptile show this weekend and need help on what
to feed him. The guy I got him from said he feeds him large rats and sometimes a rabbit. Are large rats ok or should I use rabbits? Thanks.

Of course the rule of thumb would be to use the largest possible prey item. IF the largest rat doesnt seem large enough, then a rabbit would probably be the best thing. You can feed a prey item the same size or slightly larger than the largest area of girth on the snake. Good luck....Lyn

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Warmest Regards from Lyn

Thanks Lyn

My girl Mable eats mice, Guinea pigs (as a treat), baby bunnies, rats ... darn near anything that I offer her. A good rule of thumb (with any species or size of snake) is feed prey that is no bigger then the space between their eyes. Yes, you will feed more - a couple a day or more and 2x a week. But you'll have a healthy, happy snake.

My Mable eats about 2-3 week old baby bunnies a feeding and is fed 2x a week.

First you are answering a post that is over a year old.
Second you are confusing the rules for feeding lizards and snakes. The rule of feeding a prey item the size of the space between the eyes is for lizards, not snakes, and is regarding the size of the insects used as feeders.
The basic rule for feeding snakes is to feed them a prey item about the size of the snake's body at the widest point. You also do not want to feed a snake daily or even several times a week. They are not geared to feed that way. Their systems are based on eating a large meal and then digesting it for a while. To feed too often keeps their digestive system working too hard and is not healthy for them.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

With all due respect (since I don't know you) - you feed your animals your way and I'll feed mine my way. Since our vet (who is herp spec.) gives them a clean bill of health at every visit says they're the healthiest and biggest that he's seen in 30yrs practice - I'll stick to my method. But thank for yor imput.

Well with all due respect to you, if I see something posted on this forum that is ill advised or incorrect I will point out that fact. I have kept a several different snake species for a number of years. I also spend a great deal of time researching as well as communicationg with various keepers and breeders of different species.
What you are advocating is known as powerfeeding. It will cause the snake to grow very fast. It also seriously shortens their life expectancy by several years. You stated that you have a burmese that is barely a year old and is already 12ft long. This growth rate is due to powerfeeding. Your advice to feed something the size of the distance between the snakes eyes and to feed multiple times a week is incorrect, period.
If you doubt what I am telling you, please do a bit of serious research into snake husbandry. You will find what I am saying to be true.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Guinea pigs (as a treat) 0_o uh, just feed them the same as rats... they are the same size basicly. If the burm is 12 ft, feed it rabbits, no mice. THat would be just a waste of money lol. Feed it some xxxl Rats, Guinea pigs, or heck feed it a 5 pound rabbit. Its a Burm it will eat it. Feed it once a week.

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Have you told your vet how often and what you are feeding? Powerfeeding can cause some serious long term ill effects, which is actually quite sad.

Merlin is correct, this is direct from Susan M Barnard's Reptile Keepers Handbook, she is one of the leading herpetologists in the world and was at one time the senior herpetologist at zoo Atlanta:

"Feeding activity of reptiles is less frequent in older animals, during the winter months, breeding season, when the animal is preparing to shed, and during other stressful times. The type of reptile being fed (e.g., snake, lizard, chelonian, crocodilian) are other factors that determine feeding activities. Fro example, among the four types of reptiles, there metabolic rates differ greatly. Many giant boids and large crotalids have slower metabolic rates than most colubrids and elapids. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that reptiles in the former families would be fed less frequently and , as a rule of thumb, they should be fed about one-half the number of items of those in the latter group"

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan