JCP Feeder Q? + Update

[loud]

Wanted to share a few more pictures and updates of my Jungle Carpet Python. Things are going really well, and I think I've fixed up the last of my mistakes (heat tape orientation relative of the enclosure, and feeder sizes). That said, I do have a quick question about feeders that I hope can be answered given the information/pictures that I have!

Somewhere in a previous thread, either here or on another site, someone mentioned that I should be feeding something much larger than rat pinkies. So I eyeballed the thickest part of the snake, took a picture of him with my hand for comparison, and then headed to the exotic pet store to buy some feeders. Came home with a few frozen rats that are either fuzzies or pups. I'm thinking pups, actually, because they're very close to around 3" in length.

My question - are rat pups an appropriately sized prey to be feeding a baby snake once a week? Or should I be going smaller? I want to say that it's within 1.5x the thickest part of his body, but it's pretty startling how far he has to stretch to accommodate the prey size. Also, it's been 48+ hours since he's fed, and there's still quite a noticeable bulge in his stomach.

Some really bad cellphone pictures to show scale -

http://i.imgur.com/iarKZhQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/jJrNVWZ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XaqDVrN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bx9FAE9.jpg

"More?"
http://i.imgur.com/LDYwG2P.jpg

(please note: the heat tape is resting against the wall and not the tub. After I changed the orientation, the tape was too long so the extra part was just propped up. Surface temperatures on that side are completely fine and virtually unaffected!).

[loud]

For the general update - he's doing really, really great. Temperament is stellar, I have absolutely no complaints. I don't remember the last time he nipped me, and actually got to introduce him to two of my roommate's friends when they came over on separate occasions. Both times they actually reached to pet his head (suddenly and without my okay), but he did not react at all. One of them held him for 5-10 minutes and really, really had fun handling him and actually wound up getting a corn snake very recently.

Outside his enclosure he likes climbing into my hair to nap, or just falling asleep in my hands until they go numb and I have to move him. I know snakes don't "enjoy" being handled, but he tolerates it very, very nicely.

Took a few new pictures with the off camera flash

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/14076896864_9a5ca09817_z.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/13889795619_21741d8843_z.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/14076897134_daecd9be3c_z.jpg

and a friend (who actually owns a JCP by the same sire) asked me about his enclosure, so I took some snapshots. This was right before cleaning, though, so the water bowl isn't really filled and the climbs haven't been cleaned.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/13889816910_0e7af3a1c9_z.jpg

He doesn't use any of the hides unless he just ate...
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/14076404895_0c380b79b7_z.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7454/14096457643_6aee07c045.jpg https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/13889788377_7f7683631e.jpg

His second favorite perch, after the ladder
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5346/14053297406_7f7683631e_z.jpg

[loud]

Also, he likes to give kisses and then perch in my hair. On most days the only reason why I wear a pony tail or a bun is for him to feel more comfortable!
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14076404675_6fd88acb32.jpg https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5504/13889788587_e39f1ed29f.jpg

Bonus snake-stache picture
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7329/13889789927_a3924866be_z.jpg

[Terranaut]

Everything looks good. Food size, enclosure ect. Enjoy.

[jpsteele80]

Food size looks perfectly fine and exactly where it should be, beautiful carpet btw

[EL Ziggy]

Everything looks pretty good. That's a really nice carpet. Keep up the good work! Oh, and nice snake-stache :)

[sharthun]

Enclosure looks very nice and so does the snake!:)

[loud]

That's a relief to hear - thanks so much everyone!! Definitely good news, though I guess the bad news is that I was really underfeeding him before! Glad that mistake has been corrected, which is another reason why I'm so grateful to this forum and everyone here.

Really enjoying this guy and want to do my best for him, including enclosure and care. Glad that the enclosure looks good, too! He really likes his perches and climbs, and it's a lot of fun watching him inside his tub.

Thanks again!

[Lankyrob]

That size food every week should be fine, I tended to mine every week for the first year and then every two weeks thereafter. I was feeding prey 2-3x the girth of the snake.