How much to feed a ball python? Feeding chart
| Ball python age and weight | Example of rodent weight and size |
| Hatchling ball python, 70-90 grams, firs ... | Mouse hopper or pinky rat (around 7-12 g ... |
| 100-150 grams | Mouse hopper and then change to small we ... |
| 150-200 grams | Small/weaned mouse/fuzzy rat (15-20 gram ... |
| 200-250 grams | Large/adult mouse or rat pup (20-25 gram ... |
What are the best tips for feeding a ball python?
The Best way to feed Ball Pythons in 6 steps
- Get out a frozen prey item (mouse, rat, soft-furred rat or other) in the morning. ...
- Leave the prey item to defrost until 8 or 9PM, or until you see your snake waiting with its head poking out of its hiding place. ...
- Put the prey item in a ziplock bag and put it in warm water to warm up for ten minutes. ...
What's the best time of day to feed a ball python?
Key points from this article:
- In many cases, the best time of day to feed a ball python is after sunset.
- These snakes are nocturnal and crepuscular in the wild, so they tend to have a better feeding response at night.
- But every snake-keeping scenario is different. So might have to do some trial and error.
How much should I Feed my ball python?
If you want to give your ball python a greater variety of prey, you can consider the following:
- Large crickets – this is usually reserved for smaller, baby ball pythons, and not adults.
- Chicks – they offer some variety and a more interesting form of prey for ball pythons. ...
- Quails – fowl is a good option to provide variety in a snake’s diet and quail makes a good-sized alternative to mice.
What are the essentials for a ball python?
What Supplies Are Needed To Care For A Ball Python?
- Appropriately sized front opening reptile tank like the Exo Terra tank with a mesh to secure the top. ...
- 22″ T5 HO D3 6% Forest UVB bulb.
- 90 to 100w halogen flood heat lights or emitters.Including a ceramic heat emitter, heat pad, heat mat or heat tape are also other options to maintain the heat inside the ...
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What do you feed adult female ball python?
What Do Ball Pythons Eat? Ball pythons, like other snakes, eat varying sizes of prey depending on how big they are. Smaller and younger snakes may eat large crickets, but should ideally be eating pinkies and fuzzies until they grow larger. Adult ball pythons will eat adult mice and rats when they get big enough.
What can I feed my ball python besides mice?
What else can you feed a Ball python besides mice?Rats.Mice.Chicks.Hamster.Gerbil.Quail.Multimammate mice.Guinea pigs.
What should I feed my 2 year old ball python?
Pet ball pythons are mostly fed domestic mice, rats and chicks. Just as wild pythons eat a variety of prey, it is important for your pet snake to have variety too. Mice and rats are the staple of a ball python's diet, but adding the occasional chick, quail, or young rabbit can provide enrichment.
What weight should I feed my ball python?
If you are not sure what size prey you should buy online, look for feeders that are 10-15% of your ball python's body weight. So for example, if your ball python weighs 400g, then you would buy feeders that weigh between 40-60g.
Can I feed my ball python fish?
While these snakes can and do consume birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles from time to time in the wild, for the most part, the majority of their prey items come from the rodent family. Boas and pythons will not eat crickets or eggs.
What do snakes like to play with?
Snakes don't enjoy many toys, but they do like having a long object, like a stick or branch, to wrap themselves around. If your snake seems uncomfortable or strikes out at you during playtime, give it some space or put it back into its cage.
What can I feed my snake besides mice?
The most popular pet snakes usually eat prey such as mice, rats, gerbils, and hamsters. Larger pet snakes also eat whole rabbits.
Should I feed My ball python live or frozen?
1:3513:20Con-Sub: Feeding Live vs Frozen Prey - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut I mean you can wiggle a dead mouse. So that it does wrap it but regardless it's generallyMoreBut I mean you can wiggle a dead mouse. So that it does wrap it but regardless it's generally accepted that it's more natural behavior for the snake to eat a live rodent as opposed to frozen thawed
Should you feed ball pythons cage?
0:276:45Should You Feed Your Snake in its Cage? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTo go feed it if you're defeated. And as usual enclosure. Then it would associate that enclose yourMoreTo go feed it if you're defeated. And as usual enclosure. Then it would associate that enclose your opening.
How do I know if my ball python is hungry?
Snakes will let you know when they're hungry. They will start prowling their enclosure and their tongue flicks will increase in frequency and number.
How Long Can ball pythons go without eating?
Smaller snakes tend to feed more often than larger ones, but species like the ball python can go for as long as two years without needing a meal.
What age is a ball python full grown?
three yearsAfter three years, a male will be full grown and should measure 2.5 to 3.5 feet. At the same age females should be approaching 4.5 feet. By five years, a female can grow as long as six feet, making them twice as big as males.
What can I feed my snake if I don't have mice?
While rats are a popular food source for some snakes, snakes will eat what's available to them.Insects. Smaller snakes, such as the garter snake, will eat a variety of insects, including crickets, cockroaches and insect larva, such as mealworms. ... Small Rodents. ... Eggs. ... Birds and Fish. ... Snakes and Lizards. ... Larger Mammals.
Can snakes eat scrambled eggs?
While most snakes can eat an occasional small egg without any negative health issues, we recommend avoiding it unless you own an egg-eating snake.
How long can a ball python go without eating?
Smaller snakes tend to feed more often than larger ones, but species like the ball python can go for as long as two years without needing a meal.
What can pythons eat?
Depending on the size of the snake, pythons may eat rodents, birds, lizards, and mammals like monkeys, wallabies, pigs, or antelope. One rock python was even found to have a small leopard in its stomach! Once the meal is consumed, pythons look for a warm place to rest while their food is digested.
What is the prey of a ball Python?
Ball Python Prey Selection: Prey Species. In the wild, ball pythons primarily subsist on rodents, but they may also consume birds or lizards on occasion. In captivity, commercially reared feeder rodents are the best choice, but you’ll still need to decide whether rats or mice make more sense.
How to feed a snake a frozen rodent?
If you intend to feed your snake a frozen rodent, you’ll need to begin by thawing it out. The best way to do so is by simply setting the rodent out on a few paper towels or newspaper sheets in a warm room. Wait to offer the rodent to your snake until it is completely thawed and no longer rigid.
How to feed a frozen thawed snake?
On the other hand, if you intend to feed a frozen-thawed rodent to your snake, you’ll need to start by gripping the rodent with a pair of long feeding tongs. Grip the back half of the rodent, so that you can present the rodent’s head directly to your snake.
How big should a snake be for prey?
In rare circumstances, it may even cause injuries to his digestive tract. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want any prey item you offer to be about 1 to 1.25 times the size of your snake at mid-body (although advanced keepers may be comfortable feeding rodents approaching 1.5 times the snake’s mid-body diameter).
What is the most interesting aspect of snake care?
Feeding is one of the most interesting aspects of snake care. Many keepers enjoy this aspect of snake husbandry, but others – particularly beginners – often feel intimidated by the entire process.
Can you feed a ball python a frozen python?
Frozen-thawed rodents are easier to store and handle. Some ball pythons may refuse frozen-tha wed rodents, but you should usually attempt to transition them over time. If you do have to feed your snake live prey, be sure to monitor your pet closely and be ready to intervene if the rodent begins biting your snake.
Can you use rats as a snake keeper?
However, you’ll likely want to switch to rats once your snake reaches maturity (if not before), as it may take several mice to satiate a large ball python. There are a number of other prey species available to snake keepers, including hatchling chicks and ducks, as well as gerbils, hamsters and other common rodent pets.
What do Python snakes eat?
Besides, they also eat other prey like large crickets, gerbils, chicks, and shrews, among other things. Ideally, it’s best if you feed mice and rats to your pet snake in the different stages of their lives. The size of the prey you feed your ball python mainly depends on a couple of things.
How to feed a live snake?
When feeding a live rodent, open the tank’s lid and drop it gently inside and let your snake do the rest. But make sure you don’t risk a bite from your snake, so don’t wave your hands in front of it. If you do, it might strike your hand first.
How to feed a thawed rodent to a snake?
If you’re feeding a thawed rodent to your snake, then you’ll want to place it inside with a pair of long tongs. Here’s how to feed frozen mice. Place the head directly in your snake’s line of sight. Ensure enough room between the pair of tongs and the rodent so that the snake has sufficient space to bite the prey.
How to prepare a snake for a live prey?
Once you’ve chosen a suitable prey of the appropriate size, it’s time to prepare it. If you’ve decided on feeding live prey, there isn’t much to do. You’ll only have to make sure that your snake eats it. Ensure that there aren’t any bedding issues and that the prey’s fur is clean.
How to grip a thawed snake?
Once you’ve determined the appropriate size, you’ll want to use a pair of tongs to grip the prey if you’re feeding a thawed prey. Make sure you’re using a long pair of tongs. Before presenting the prey to your snake, it’s best if you’ve warmed it. Then wave the prey in front of your snake’s face.
What happens if a snake eats too much?
If it’s too large, your snake will refuse to eat. Even if it does manage to consume large prey, it’ll probably vomit it back. Though this doesn’t often happen, feeding a large prey might cause harm to its digestive tract. Select a prey that’s 1 – 1.25 times the size of your snakes mid area diameter.
Why is my snake not eating?
Illness is usually the most common reason why your snake might not be eating. They might not want to eat if they’re having problems with passing out their last meal. These constipation issues depend on meal size, the enclosed space’s temperature, or issues in the intestines such as intestinal parasites.
What do ball pythons eat?
Ball pythons are carnivores that hunt and eat small mammals and birds. In their native range in West and Central Africa, they prefer African giant rats, black rats, grass mice, weaver birds, and rufous-nosed rats. However, their prey is not limited to these animals, they will feed on any bird or mammal small enough to be swallowed.
How many rats can you feed a Python program?
4-5 adult mice, 1 medium rat, or 2 small rats ( 90-150 g) Every 21 – 50 days. The size of your python determines what size prey you should feed. A good rule of thumb is to feed prey that are is wider than the largest part of your python’s midsection.
How old are Python balls?
5 Years Old. Both male and female ball pythons are fully mature at five years old. Interestingly, they will continue to grow gradually for the rest of their lives. Your ball python should now be a consistent weight (unless it is being used for breeding) and your feeding schedule should not need to change.
How fast do Python hatchlings grow?
Hatchling pythons grow very fast! Females can grow up to 12 inches within a year and males can grow eight inches per year. To keep up with their growth hatchlings need to eat a lot. They should be fed a hopper mouse every five days for the first four weeks of their life.
How big should a six month old Python be?
At six months old your python should be between 20 and 27 inches and have a good appetite. You can now offer a larger prey item over longer periods of time. One rat pup or adult mouse every ten days works well for most individuals.
Why is it important to keep a feeding schedule for Python?
Sticking to a feeding schedule is important to accurately regulate your ball python’s weight. Schedules will help to make sure that your python will not go hungry, but also lets you easily keep track of and adjust the amount you are feeding to prevent overfeeding.
Why are there so many ball Python morphs?
They use their unique and irregular color patterns to help them blend in with their environment, this is one of the reasons why there are many natural ball python morphs. Their ambush-style hunting strategy and slow metabolism let these snakes go for weeks or even months between meals.
How to stop a ball Python from eating rats?
Gradually reduce scenting as your ball python is eating rats for few times in a row. #2: Make sure to warm rat prey in warm water/under the lamp to elicit feeding response. #3: Experiment with rat colors, ball pythons might have preferences. Stick to same color when switching, or try to experiment if needed.
How old do mice need to be to eat Python?
Larger mice will be around 1-1.5 months old. 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. Please use a digital kitchen scales like this to measure prey’s weight and your ball pythons weight (monthly).
How to get a ball Python to wiggle?
Wiggle the prey item, to spike your ball python’s interest. Grasp a prey rodent on the back and wiggle until your ball python constricts. Once it constricts, keep wiggling a bit longer so it can constrict harder. Wash your hands after handling prey items, before you start feeding your ball python.
How much does a mouse weigh in Python?
Weaned and then small rats (up to 60 grams, when ball python reaches 450-500 grams), or Jumbo mouse. 500-750 grams. Small rat (60-70 grams) or 2 adult mice, or up to 10-15% of your ball python’s weight if under 2 years of age, 750-1500 grams. Small-medium rat or 2-3 adult mice (60-100 grams).
How long does it take for a Python ball to switch?
Most ball pythons don’t have any issues switching, and accept rats straight away. Others might have an issue switching, and it can take weeks to months to get back on track. Please be patient and monitor your ball python’s weight.
Can you heat up a ball python?
Most ball pythons won’t accept food unless it’s warm, as they have heat sensing pits that help detect prey. Thaw frozen rodents in a fridge overnight, and then you can heat them in a bag by inserting in hot water/under a lamp. Heating a thawed rodent to 100-105 F (37.7-40.5 C) is ideal for your ball python.
Can Python eat rats?
You should transition your young ball pythons of over 200-300 grams to eating rats, as they are bigger in size. Please note, that most ball pythons get used to eating only one type of prey, and will have issues switching to something else. That’s especially true once your ball python gets older.
How much do ball Pythons eat?
In the wild, adult ball pythons eat only an average of 10x/year, and even snakes in the most naturalistic enclosures with the best care will still “fast,” usually during cooler times of the year. Young adult females around 1000g are particularly notorious for this — a phenomenon called “the Wall.” Males also tend to fast for a limited amount of time during breeding season.
How to tell if a snake is obese?
It’s difficult to tell whether a snake is obese, but not impossible. An imaginary cross-section of a healthy ball python would look a bit like a melted Hershey Kiss, round on the sides with a gentle peak at the top (the spine).
Should you feed a snake outside of the enclosure?
Should you feed outside of the enclosure or inside? Inside! Many snake keepers claim that feeding a snake inside its enclosure will create a phenomenon known as “cage aggression.”. This should not be a problem as long as the keeper uses a paper towel roll or snake hook to alert the snake before handling.
Do feeder rodents have vitamin D?
Some studies have revealed that commercially-bred feeder rodents are deficient in crucial nutrients like vitamin D, which in turn negatively affects the health of the snakes that eat them. There is a risk of developing nutrient deficiency over time even when you buy your prey items from the best breeders.
Do wild animals eat?
Wild animals rarely eat consistently, and they have evolved to survive this. However there is a significant gap between “surviving” and “thriving,” and so as snake keepers we must find a happy medium between respecting the way an animal’s body has evolved and providing adequate nutrition. I believe consistent, reliable access to prey ...
Do ball Pythons eat feeder rodents?
Although as obligate carnivores ball pythons should get all of the nutrition they need from the animals they eat, the nutrition provided by feeder rodents is often inferior to the nutrition provided by the prey that ball pythons would consume in the wild.
What to feed a ball Python?
If your ball python continues to grow and reaches above 500 grams, you’ll need to start feeding it a diet primarily consisting of small rats as mice will no longer be large enough to satisfy its nutritional needs.
What do ball Pythons eat?
We’ll also explore a few other common questions pet owners have about feeding ball pythons. Let’s get started. Ball pythons primarily eat a diet of mice and rats, although they will sometimes enjoy eating other feeder prey like chicks, hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs.
Why is it important to stay away from ball Python?
First, ball pythons swallow their prey whole, so baby ball pythons can’t physically handle eating anything wider than their midsection.
How much food should a ball Python eat?
At this point, you’ll want to offer food every seven to 10 days.
How many grams of Python do you need to feed a ball?
Ball Pythons Around 350 to 500 Grams. When your ball python grows as large as 350 to 500 gram s, it’s time to graduate it to weaned rats and jumbo mice. At this stage, you’ll most likely only need to feed it every 10 to 14 days.
What are some good prey for a feeder?
Other feeder options you may want to offer include chicks, quail, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, and multimammate mice. Feeder prey is offered either live or pre-killed, but most people prefer to stay away from living prey.
How long does it take for a Python baby to shed?
It’s important to let your baby ball python shed its skin (usually, this happens within the first five to seven days) before trying to feed it. Once it sheds completely, give it the first feeding.
