how much should I feed my ball-python I am feeding two mice a week he is about 32" long and about 2years old

Question

I have had my ball python for about three weeks now. I got him from a friend of mine. I just think he is cool. I have wanted one for a long time, I have also looked at alot of care sheets, but they really don't give the info. I am looking for. I am feeding him two mice per week.(The regular sized ones you find in the pet stores) I am afraid to start him on rats. The thickest part of his body is about 1 1/2 - 2". He is eating just fine, but I fed him yesterday and it looked like he was looking for more. Is he being greedy, or does he need more food? Is it better to feed more smaller prey or to give him one larger prey. I just want to add he looks very healthy,not to fat,definatley not to thin. ( I am not sure if it's a boy or not,a friend of mine who had a ball said it was a boy). Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

My kenyans can eat mice(and there very small snakes dont get nearly as big as ball pythons)

..you need to start on rats..probly once a week...maybe a rat and a mouse. you'd be suprized what a snake can eat..maybe even rabbits if hes big.

Answer 2

People really should learn do do their RESEARCH

A prey item appropriate to the size of the snake should be fed at each meal. Ball pythons are constrictors - they coil around their prey and suffocate it. Only stunned or prekilled prey should be offered to avoid severe injury to the snake.

Gerbils are the initial prey of choice, although dark-colored mice or ham­sters might work as prey items in a reluctant eater. Some snakes do not recognize red-eyed white mice as a food item. Rubbing mice with a gerbil can impart the scent of the gerbil to the mouse and aid in converting the snake to a mouse diet. Frozen mice are available. As the snake gets larger, small rats are ideal.



Feeding Guidelines

First 2-3 years (18-36 inches long): feed every 7-10 days
Older snakes; feed every 2-3 weeks.


If you try to feed your ball rats , make certain that the rats are not to big for your snake.

Answer 3

Two large mice a week is fine. You may want to go up to a weaned rat or three mice, but it isn't necessary. Balls eat only a few times a year in the wild and they eat African soft-furred rats which is about half the size of a typical pet store rat. Balls are also very good at regulating their nutritional requirements meaning if you feed it large items too often, they will stop eating for perhaps months until they feel the need to eat again. I feel it's better to feed them smaller meals more consistently like once a week. Oh, and it's not true about Balls not bulking up unless you feed them large food items. I know of a breeder that has some VERY large Balls (4000+ grams) that he feeds only mice.

Answer 4

He's only a little under 3 foot so I say two mice is enough if you want you can try 3 mice. But he's not big enough for rats.
My brother has raised snakes and he would feed the smaller ones like yours 2 mice a week and sometimes the snake wouldn't eat but 1 and his bigger ones around 4 foot and up got a rat.

Answer 5

Most snakes are opertunistick feeders meaning they will eat continually if there is food. There are actually reports of a snake eating so much that its stomache ripped. Be carefull not to overfeed it. 2 mice a week should be fine but it might not be nessecary. I feed mine one rat every 2 weeks and it lived a long happy life. Remember snakes can go long periods of time without eating. Ball pythons acctually hold the recored for longest time without eating. One lasted 46 months without eating! it was not healthy but it did live that long. One other thing to keep in mind is that heat efects thier metabalism. More heat=faster dijestion=more food. Less heat=slower dijestion=less food

Answer 6

he is definately big enouph to have small and maybe even medium rats. Feeding him larger prey in sequence will cause them to bulk up. Small diameter is caused by feeding small prey. A 2 inch snake can swallow a 2.5 inch prey. A small rat when consumed actually gets down to about 1 to 2 inch in diameter. They actually compress down to about the size of their own head. It is better for him due to the fact it is less stress to consume one large meal than two small ones. It has less effect on the acids in the digestive system. Sounds like he is a good eater though.

Answer 7

try feeding it a larger mouse or a small rat. feed it the same amount. wen it starts to not eat the food, dont freaak out. start feeding it every other week and eventually once every few months

Answer 8

I have a python who is the same breed, size and age as yours. We feed him 2 large adult mice a week and he is satisfied with that.
If you need help with him, go to veterinarypartner.com - its amazing and might be able to help.

Good luck! Balls are so dear :)

Answer 9

you need to feed him a rat a week...he's too big to eat mice!! make sure you or your rat provider kill the rat in the most humane way possible before you give it to your snake, or it could harm it.

Answer 10

balls can consume quite alot but you need to up your food size.
start feedind it small to medium rats, offered weekly. when they have had their fill a ball may go up to 3 months beteween meals.
keep fresh water daily in a large bowl. mine ate 7 mice in 10 days, once i got her body weight up, i moved her to rats. try rodentpro.com for a cheap source of food. good luck.