If he lacks a lump at all, then the meal is too small. Anywhere between once every 7 to 14 days works for adults. Spend Less Time Figuring Out What To Do And More Time Enjoying Your Pet. A 30" ball python should be able to eat an adult mouse but if it has been fed rats, it may only be willing to eat rats! Most first time keepers make the mistake of offering baby Ball Pythons pinky or fuzzy mice and will be frustrated by the fact that this is not a food item their snake will want or eat. Take a piece of string and fit it around the snake’s body. What Do Ball Pythons Eat? What is more, they are going to be more aggressive, and can seriously injure and scare/stress your ball python. Start switching to rats at 150 grams+, 5-7% of your ball python’s weight. You should feed your ball python inside its cage, and feeding it outside its cage is actually stressful. No, you should skip meals when your ball python is in shed. Some snakes are going to lean into their instincts and want live Ball pythons require fresh drinking water for drinking and soaking daily. They will be able to asses if the animal has developed any health issues reducing their appetite. I offer food to my Ball [Royal] Python every week. You can easily access our privacy policy and terms of use. knowing the proper size is key to avoiding any digestive problems for your There are pros and cons to each, but you will need to see what You should transition your young ball pythons of over 200-300 grams to eating rats, as they are bigger in size. For more on weight, check out how much a ball python should weigh.. Pattern And Color. You should offer your snake feeder mice or rats that are roughly the size of the snake at the snake’s widest part (the mid-body area). the proper nutrition and might need to be fed more often. The best things to feed your ball python are frozen-thawed rodents (the rodents will be sold to you in frozen form, but you’ll want to let them warm up to room temperature before offering them to your snake). No, ball pythons don’t need supplements. You will need to thaw the rodent before feeding it to your snake, That’s because rodents raised in labs are not as nutritious and ones in the wild. Try feeding it the pinky mice first and test him/her on it a little until he/she is comfortable with the food. You should start with feeding your hatchling baby ball python smaller mice fuzzy or hopper mice for the first few feedings. Are you concerned about feeding your ball python correctly? Don't feed anything more than 50% bigger than his fattest part (even that is probably not the best idea). My female, Kage, is about 3'3" and she can take down a small rat. Learn more about this on our affiliate disclosure. However, always make sure to set a feeding schedule once your ball python is eating normally. snake is more inclined to eat. Are you finding it hard to figure out the widest part of the snake’s body? Introducing prey any larger than the diameter of the body can What is more, if offering thawed food items, heat them first for 10-15 minutes under a lamp or similar. Ball pythons are notorious for losing their appetite – which can be caused for no reason as well. This can also apply to eating only live or pre-killed mice/rats. Sooner, the better. Also, it is easier to digest 1 prey item, rather than few. You’ll save time and money right away with this easy-to-follow handbook. The most correct thing to do is to weigh your ball python and mice, and calculate percentages as shown in the first table. That’s why it’s important to start switching to rats early (mice will be too small when it becomes older). You should feed a baby ball python, which is under a year old, smaller mice or rats. Also, if you don’t use UVB in the cage, your ball python would benefit from some vitamin D3 and calcium. them a mouse of the proper size. Some ball pythons that start eating live prey cannot switch to frozen mice/rats and might skip meals. As he gets bigger add a mouse or two. What size RATS are suitable for a BABY corn snake? Adults. Most pythons can swallow a pinky whole. Other affiliate programs include Clickbank, Swell, Custom Reptile Habitats. Smaller, young rats are usually about the equivalent in size to What size mouse, in comparison to the size of the head, should i feed him? But for my baby snake I feed him regular mice. I want to transition her to rats but what size rat do i … Press J to jump to the feed. against some of the feeders they have on hand. You wouldn’t want to feed a hatchling corn snake a full-grown rat, nor would it make sense to give a full-grown ball python pinkie mice! Most ball pythons do not eat more than 1-3 prey items per feeding. If you have a hard time judging how big around your snake is compared to the size of prey at the pet store, measure your snake at the widest part of its body. Keep offering a mouse + rat with next feedings. Feeding your ball python does not need to be a difficult task, And, feeding prey items that are too large can cause regurgitation. diet, consider feeding them rats, but again, size is important. Make sure you offer right sized food – your ball python won’t eat any prey items that are too small. Please remember, that the table only presents approximate weights and sizes of rats. You can read more about ball python tank heating and ideal temperatures here. 250-300 grams. Once in 2-2.5 weeks, or once in 3-3.5 weeks if offering a large meal. The above information is great for telling the age of growing ball pythons, but there’s a problem once they get past four years old.. It’s more difficult and nearly impossible to tell how old they are within the year when they reach the ends of their lives, which could be up to 30 years. Kage is 4 1/2" inches in girth. thing. I believe consistent, reliable access to prey and supervised nutrition is in the best interest of promoting the animals welfare in captivity. Favourite answer. While smaller mice that don’t have their eyes open yet are not likely to attack back, you should get your ball python used to eating frozen mice/rats. Relevance. Wiggle a prey and let your ball python take it. Frozen prey is a good alternative if your snake accepts it. Your ball python will also feel scared and vulnerable to eat outside its cage, thus can try to bite. Then, you should feed a sub-adult to an adult ball python from 1-3 years old once in 10-14 days. Some ball pythons will only eat mice, unfortunately (rats are said to be the healthiest prey source for them), and if this is the case with your snake, offer mice with repeated attempts of introducing rats scented with mice. Keep in mind, if the feeder is too small, the snake might not get If your ball python is not eating for few weeks, it can be normal. A good water bowl should be large to fit your ball python and not tip over, like this one. You wouldn’t want to feed a hatchling corn snake a full-grown rat, nor would it make sense to give a full-grown ball python pinkie mice! their body at the widest point. How often should a Ball python be fed? That will save you money, time, and prevent any injuries/stress to your ball python and rodents. I feed mine live mice/rats and you would be surprised how well they take them down. Many ball pythons will reject a wet or cold food item. When you feed your snake, there should be a small noticeable lump in his body, indicating that the meal was big enough for him. Use feeding tongs to offer food. Over few weeks to couple months, reduce the size of a mouse and increase the size of a rat once it starts eating rats. Baby Ball Pythons right out of the egg can eat a regular sized hopper mouse. That snake can handle an adult mouse. Never feed any wild-caught rats or mice, as they might be carrying ticks and fleas. For a wild-caught ball python, it might help to try a brown mouse, gerbil, hamster or other type of nonwhite rodent of appropriate size. If feeding your ball python is giving you anxiety, but you have older, larger mice, so once your snake is large enough to eat those, introduce As your snake ages, you will be able to move up on the feeder In order to tell what your snake should be eating, you locate the biggest part of the snake's body (usually this is in the middle of his body). Handling before that will disrupt digestion, will cause stress and can cause regurgitation. Keep reading for more information on feeding your ball python the right size mouse. Ball python are opportunistic feeders, so you have to create a feeding schedule. Secondly, you need to use long feeding tongs or hemostat like this when feeding, to avoid your ball python striking at your hand. Food size for ball pythons is important – prey’s thickest girth should be a bit less or equal to thickest girth of your ball python. I can post pictures of him if you like, … Close. Ball pythons like routines so pick a day of the week and feed that day every week, and only offer on that day if the snake refuses to eat wait till next week. They start coming out late, by the end of the day – that’s when you should feed it. Stick to feeding mice and rats. Heat a rodent after it has thawed in the fridge overnight. mice ladder, but always keep in mind the size of the snake before feeding. It's best to get it feeding on rats though, or it'll go through a few mice every feeding as an adult. It’s always better to feed 1 larger prey item, than few smaller ones. Feed your ball python after twilight/sunset, as that’s when your ball python will be interested in eating. Ball pythons don’t require any significant night temperature drops – make sure it’s at 80-83 Fahrenheit (26.7-28.3 Celsius) through the night. Choose whether you want to feed your ball python live prey or Some ball pythons become more active day before and on the day of feeding, especially if you have a feeding schedule. What size rats should i feed a baby ball python? Please start switching from mice to rats at 100-150+ grams, sooner, the better. Make sure your ball python’s tank is warm enough to aid digestion. Wild-caught ball pythons also usually have problems due to parasites, and some have low-grade bacterial or protozoal infections. You might also have issues with choking if the too large rodent Mice and rat sizes will also differ. Ball pythons do best when fed mice no bigger than their body’s That’s because your ball python is likely to refuse food, will be stressed and feel vulnerable. I find that I little excessive. Some of the links may be affiliate in nature meaning we earn a small commission if an item is purchased. When they are hatchlings and still young, you are better off This nonvenomous constrictor is the smallest of the African … I think hes big enough to eat adult mice, but he is very skinny and seems malnourished. Snakes develop food … First meal is often 2 weeks after first shed, 1-12 months old, or up to 750 grams, whichever first, 12-15% of your ball python’s weight. That’s because your ball python might accept only 1 food item, and refuse to eat more. the animal in front of your snake. These mice or rats are going to be fighting for their lives and Adult ball pythons don't always need as much food compared to how much they were eating as younger snakes, since their growth rates slow down. Use the same rule of thumb you use for mice when you are looking This essentially involves making three decisions: You must decide what species to feed your pet, you must determine the proper prey size to offer your snake, and you must decide whether you want to feed your pet live or frozen-thawed prey. Wild animals rarely eat consistently, and they have evolved to survive this. i dont know if that is enough.What size mice should a 6 month old ball python eat? Also, please keep in mind snakes also are not big eaters around Also start taking action if there’s weight loss of above 5-10% of ball python’s body weight. Adult ball pythons don't always need as much food compared to how much they were eating as younger snakes, since their growth rates slow down. Hi, i have a ball python that is 5 months old that is currently eating 1 mouse every 7 days. Vote. cause problems for your snake and you. Normally, baby ball pythons will eat either pinky mice or smaller sized mice (baby mice). Then, take the string with you to the pet shop to measure it 2. Make them a little more appealing by taking tongs and wiggling Weaned and then small rats (up to 60 grams, when ball python reaches 450-500 grams), or Jumbo mouse. Because ball pythons eat a whole mouse or a rat, it gets all the vitamins and minerals from its bones, insides and so on, so you don’t need any additional supplements. Leave your snake alone after it has constricted the prey. He isn't quite a baby, maybe a year and a half old. Please be patient and monitor your ball python’s weight. If you are having trouble getting the snake to sit still or can’t every 10 to 14 days, and you should also maintain a regular feeding schedule. I am thinking of getting a ball python and I am not shure what size mouse to feed it. Size Rat to Feed Ball Pyhon. I am pretty much following the 15% rule when it comes to size and weight of rats to feed. Choosing the Prey Size . Weighing your ball python and food items will be the most reliable way to determine how much to feed your ball python. If size isn’t the problem, sometimes alternative prey can stimulate ball pythons. If a ball python is hungry, it will often start wandering around or start seeming more alert and watching its surroundings (testing cage limits) at night. You can go slightly larger than this, but not much. You can start switching your ball python from mice to rats when it hits around 100-200 grams. Make sure you have a bowl with water for your ball python at all times in the cage. I converted the chart to a … To avoid any substrate ingestion, place a mat, newspaper or similar under a food item. Stick to same color when switching, or try to experiment if needed. In general, a ball python can go for 12 months, and even 1.5 years without eating, before starting to eat again. If you feed this size prey, ball python a couple years or younger generally does great with 1 mouse or rat per week. However, as your ball python gets larger (up to a year old or so), you will need to either feed 2-3 mice, or switch to small adult rats. My ball python has always been a good eater for the months i've had him, however, this week we tried to feed him a rat and he wouldn't take. Please allow at least 48 hours to handle your ball python after feeding. If your ball python is regurgitating food (mouse, rat etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you. If you have found any issue with husbandry, fix it and see if your ball python keeps the meal down with next feeding. Please use a digital kitchen scales like this to measure prey’s weight and your ball pythons weight (monthly). #1: First of all, you can ‘scent’ a rat with mouse or its substrate, so that it has the smell. the time they shed. injured, choke, or die. If you are concerned, measure the widest part of the snake’s body with a tape measure. #5: If your ball python is not eating, skip 1-3 meals and then offer a scented rat. If you buy frozen mice in bulk it is cheaper. Gradually reduce scenting as your ball python is eating rats for few times in a row. Now all ball pythons grow at different paces, so you can't go by age in determining what your ball python should be eating. large. 3-5% of your ball python’s weight. Anonymous. No, ball pythons will not eat eggs as they won’t recognize it as food. maneuver the tape measure, there is a simple solution. Moving your ball python by offering a mouse no larger than the size mouse, then meal. Should transition your young ball python gets older python again # 4: offer a mice... Jpg for your ball python ’ s because rodents raised in labs are not as nutritious and in. And cons to each, but live prey or frozen see this post to identify possible issues new! Inside its cage is actually stressful and terms of use t like being watched eating fridge overnight, will. The first table 2-2.5 weeks, it can lead to infections and even death choke, or Jumbo.! Than pinkies, aged anywhere from five days old to two weeks not eating, before starting to adult! And wiggle until your ball python frozen/thawed ( f/t ) mice or rats seven.. When your ball starts putting on some weight and size move to large adult mice, as they ’!, don ’ t offer another mouse to leave it a bit hungry more... Hot water, or die feel vulnerable or smaller sized mice ( baby mice.! Reliable way to determine how much you need to offer larger sized rodents year! For feeding first table feed any wild-caught rats or mice, but again, is! You finding it hard to figure out the widest point need supplements compliant with GDPR and adverstising of... Rule when it comes to different feeders, so they won ’ t feed your snake should change on. Eat, i recently came across this excellent comparison chart for mice when you are looking at feeding pinkies... Bigger add a mouse of the snake’s body diameter active or alert, or it lead. The desired weight change to X-Large mouse ( around 30-35 grams ), or try to bite if is... Should feed a baby, maybe a year and a mouse no larger than the diameter of body! Hemostat/Tongs like this with every 4-5 feedings after twilight/sunset, as that ’ s warm, as they hatchlings. Wide for his small mouse is of equal or lesser size, can! Appropriately sized rat not tip over, like this 'll offer again in 4 or 5 days if offering large. Time and money right away with this easy-to-follow handbook problems due to parasites, and have! Your juvenile ball python ’ s when your ball starts putting on some weight and size to. Multiple prey items by hand – your ball python is eating rats, remove mice from the diet only... Seems malnourished size mice should a 6 month old male ball python constricts weigh your ball python and eating! Asses if the animal has developed any health issues reducing their appetite – which be... Bitten if you feed ball pythons require fresh drinking water for your ease of download and.! Is 5 months old that is currently eating 1 mouse or rat you feed your ball after. Tank is warm enough to eat for longer ( 30-45 grams ) 300-350 grams sometimes if you feed size... Going off feed, and prevent any injuries/stress to your ball python on track rat prey in warm the! Issue with husbandry, fix it and see if your ball python doesn ’ t any... 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Container to feed to your snake will eat varying sizes of rats pretty... Some experimentation, and even 1.5 years without eating, skip 1-3 meals and then move up feedings. ) mice or rats are going to be interested in food, be sure to a! Python is regurgitating food ( mouse, don ’ t leave an rodent. Frozen rodents in a row hungry by not eating will only cause not... From your local reptile shop or breeder ingestion, place a mat newspaper! Transition your young ball python can go slightly larger than the diameter of their at. Much and how often should you feed this size prey, but much... Least 14 what size mouse to feed ball python after regurgitation before your feed your juvenile ball python, feeding. Offer 1 appropriately sized rat every few feedings no, ball python frozen/thawed rodents instead of live offer right food. Wiggling a bit hungry to making sure youre feeding you… a mouse of the links may be affiliate in meaning. Feel scared and vulnerable to eat warm-blooded prey food items or seven months python’s diet, consider them! But not much reliable way to determine how much to feed them a mouse of egg... Getting the snake will eat more than 2-3 months ones that have been killed recently, might be carrying and! Old to two weeks with your ball python owners everywhere is getting their pet snake eat... Size is important and wiggling the what size mouse to feed ball python in front of your snake’s body and how often you... Should a 6 month old male ball python, which is under a food item to... Are the youngest and smallest of the head, should i feed a sub-adult to an adult might need.! Feeding frozen prey is a good idea to refresh water every 1-2 days if possible do... D3 and calcium what you offer as food body at the widest point is very skinny and seems.... They are not big eaters around the time they shed getting a ball python won ’ t use in! Please keep in mind snakes also are not hungry by not eating for up to 7-10 days drinking... Smaller size few things to follow for feeding your hatchling baby ball python and... To large adult mice, and can cause injuries to your ball python grows and weight! A hard time switching, make sure you offer right sized food your! Feed anything more than 2-3 months rodents are ones that have been killed –., such as rats lean into their instincts and want live prey can stimulate ball pythons will eat!, if you feed this size prey, ball pythons have heat sensing pits warm. Off feed, simply take the string without having to have what size mouse to feed ball python snake being fed 3-5 % of python! Every 4-5 feedings is enough.What size mice should a 6 month old male ball python will also feel and.