what to feed ball python besides mice

What Can Ball Pythons Eat Besides Mice?

• Pre-killed prey. Aside from mice, many snakes, including ball pythons, will eat a variety of other prey, including rats,...
• Fish. Despite their name, ball pythons do not eat fish. Their digestive system is modified for rodents, not fish.
• Birds. Although their main diet is rodents, ball pythons also eat a wide variety of birds. They...

Full Answer

Can ball pythons eat mice and rats?

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.

What do ball pythons eat in the wild?

What ball pythons eat. In general, the youngest, smallest ones eat small frozen feeder mice or rats. Larger ball pythons typically eat larger mice or rats. Selecting prey for a ball python. As a general rule, you should select a rodent that is 1 to 1.25 times the size of the midsection of your snake.

What is the best mouse for a ball python?

Mouse hopper and then change to small weaned mice, or fuzzy rat (10-20 grams). You can start switching to rats Small-medium rat or 2-3 adult mice (60-100 grams). If ball python is over 2 years of age, calculate 5-7%

Can I microwave food for my ball python?

Don’t use a microwave to heat food items, as it will cook its insides and can burn your ball python when it eats it. It will also lead to bacterial growth and tissue deterioration.

Can ball pythons eat anything other than mice?

Ball pythons can eat only rats or mice for an entire lifetime, but they also love to spice up their diet in captivity and feed on other rodent species such as hamsters, gerbils, and other exotic breeds. Young ball pythons should only be fed with large crickets, fuzzy mice, and pinky mice until they grow into adults.

What human food can ball pythons eat?

Snakes can consume human food like eggs, poultry, fish, pork, and beef when they are unprocessed. This means that the food should be given in its basic and raw form. You cannot give fried or saucy food to your snake as there are already other ingredients in the food that may make your snake sick.

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.

Can I feed my ball python eggs?

Boas and pythons will not eat crickets or eggs. They are carnivorous animals and should be consuming appropriate-sized rodents for proper nutrition. That is the basic fact of owning one of these types of snakes.

What else can I feed my snake Besides rats?

What Else Do Snakes Eat Besides Rats?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.

Can ball pythons eat mealworms?

Feeders: Crickets, roaches, mealworms, waxworms, superworms, or other invertebrates. They can also eat small rodents of appropriate size, but offer these sparingly, if at all.

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 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.

Can I feed my ball python crickets?

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.

Can I feed my ball python a toad?

Can You Feed Frogs to Pet Snakes? Although some pet snakes will eat frogs, it's best to only offer them thawed feeder animals like mice and rats. While you technically can feed wild frogs to pet snakes, this is highly inadvisable for a few important reasons.

Can a ball python eat a bird?

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.

What do Python ball pythons eat?

What ball pythons eat. In general, the youngest, smallest ones eat small frozen feeder mice or rats. Larger ball pythons typically eat larger mice or rats. Selecting prey for a ball python. As a general rule, you should select a rodent that is 1 to 1.25 times the size of the midsection of your snake.

How much does it cost to feed a ball Python?

Cost of feeding a ball python. The annual cost of feeding a ball python can range between $100 to $150.

What to do if your Python ball isn't hungry?

Maintain a comfortable temperature, avoid disturbances, and watch for signs of shedding and illnesses. If your ball python isn’t hungry, they won’t eat. You can remove the food and try again later. How to encourage your ball python to eat.

Can snakes eat prey?

Snakes are predators, and in the wild they’re used to catching their own food. Your pet snake, though, will be fine with fresh pre-killed or even frozen rodents (you’ll need to thaw them first.) It’s safer not to feed your snake live prey. Live rodents will be scared and can bite your snake.

Can you feed a ball python?

Common Concerns Feeding Ball Pythons. Ball pythons are excellent pets for people who like snakes. They’re relatively low-maintenance, they’re small, and they’re clean. But they have dietary needs that are very different from a cat or dog. As a new ball python owner you’ll need to know what to feed your snake, how often to feed it, ...

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 long to wait to offer a rodent to a snake?

Wait to offer the rodent to your snake until it is completely thawed and no longer rigid.

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.

What questions do new keepers have about feeding their snakes?

One of the most common questions new keepers have relates to the frequency with which they should feed their snake.

Which is better, frozen or thawed rodents?

You’ll ultimately have to decide which type of prey to offer your pet, but frozen-thawed rodents are typically the better choice for a variety of reasons, including:

What animals can you feed a ball Python?

As they grow and reach different stages of their lives, the prey’s size should also change. Besides rats and mice, you could also feed the following prey to your ball python. Guinea pigs. Hamsters. Chicks. Multimammate mice.

What Do Ball Pythons Eat?

Mice! Ball pythons love mice that vary in size. 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.

What Makes Your Snake a Reluctant Eater?

Ball pythons are known for having long starving periods, so it’s not uncommon to pass reluctance to eat as normal behavior. But most of the time, if your pet snake isn’t, it’s a red flag. It could, for sure, mean that something is wrong. Here are some of the things that might be making your snake a reluctant eater.

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.

How to feed a ball Python?

You will need to feed your ball python by offering a mouse/rat with feeding hemostat/tongs like this. 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.

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 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 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).

What happens if a Python ball is hungry?

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. Some ball pythons become more active day before and on the day of feeding, especially if you have a feeding schedule.

How many prey do baby Pythons eat?

Baby ball pythons will get full from 1 small sized prey, but an adult might need 1-2. Most ball pythons do not eat more than 1-3 prey items per feeding. That’s why you would have to offer something larger, such as rats.

How long does it take for a Python ball to digest?

Leave your ball python in its cage so it feels safe, and don’t handle for at least 3 days to let it digest a meal.

What do snakes eat?

Most snakes eat lots of mice and rats in the wild. But if you want to offer a more varied diet, there are pet snake food alternatives available. Fish, worms, amphibians, and eggs are suitable for most snakes. Larger mammals, such as chicks and baby rabbits, offer variety. However, the ‘alternative’ snake foods are snacks rather than staple foods.

What snakes eat chickens?

Which snakes eat chickens? Only large constrictors like Burmese pythons, reticulated pythons, and similar can eat chickens. However, any sufficiently large snake could eat small chickens/birds.

Can Snakes Eat Earthworms?

Some pet snakes eat lots of earthworms, like garter snakes. They are commonly regarded as a snack rather than a full prey item.

Do Pet Snakes Eat Eggs?

Many snakes eat eggs. The most well-known are egg-eating snakes, which have developed an adaptation to allow them to eat bigger eggs. Through evolution, they got rid of their teeth. Instead, they have spurs on their spine to crack eggs after they swallow them.

Do Snakes Eat Amphibians?

Amphibians, like frogs and toads, are a favorite food of some snake species.

Do juvenile snakes eat one food?

According to Molecular Ecology, this has a basis in the natural world. Juvenile snakes will often start on one kind of food before switching to another as they age. This adaptation is useful as the snake may be too small to eat what an adult might eat.

Do snakes eat insects?

Insects are less of a general treat. Rather, only some snakes will eat them. But those that do will enjoy them. The garter snake is a species that can eat insects, among other things. Many snakes will eat insects as a snack, but not as the primary source of their food.