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?
Tempting Reluctant Eaters to Feed
- Don’t panic if your snake refuses to eat. ...
- Ensure that your husbandry practices are good, and that the habitat is set up ideally. ...
- Try feeding your snake at night, in low-light conditions. ...
- Experiment with rodents of different colors. ...
- Place your snake in a small container with a frozen-thawed rodent. ...
- Consider using scent-transfer techniques. ...
What's the best time of day to feed a ball python?
And the best time of day for feeding a ball python might be in the evening or nighttime hours. But temperature plays an important role as well. If the snake detects that the cage is too cool, it will likely turn down the meal.
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?
- They are named as they are because they can retract into a tight ball when felt endangered.
- Ball Pythons can be male or female, and as with many reptiles, Ball Pythons cannot be bred until they reach sexual maturity.
- Ball pythons have poor eyesight.
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What should I feed my 2 month old ball python?
Your ball python should eat weaned mice and young rats as a juvenile, and adult rats and several mice as an adult, supplemented with the occasional chick, quail, or gerbil.
What do you feed a juvenile snake?
Some eat warm-blooded prey (e.g., rodents, rabbits, birds), while others eat insects, amphibians (frogs or toads), eggs, other reptiles, fish, earthworms, or slugs. Snakes swallow their food whole. The most popular pet snakes usually eat prey such as mice, rats, gerbils, and hamsters.
What do baby ball pythons eat in captivity?
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 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.
How long can a juvenile snake go without eating?
A baby snake will begin to seriously starve after roughly a week without food — and once that baby grows into an adult, members of most snake species can comfortably get by for at least two to three weeks.
How do I get my baby ball python to eat?
2:104:10My #1 Tip for Getting Ball Pythons to Eat! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what i've found is that the very best time to get a ball python. To start eating if it's been offMoreSo what i've found is that the very best time to get a ball python. To start eating if it's been off feed is after it's shed.
How often do juvenile ball pythons eat?
once a weekHow often do ball pythons eat? Juvenile ball pythons should be fed once a week and adult ball pythons should be fed every 1-2 weeks.
When should I feed my new ball python?
First Feeding. Five to seven days after you get the snake home, regardless of if you are able to handle it or not, you need to feed it. I like to give it the same thing it has been eating before I brought the animal home because I find it to be much less of a hassle.
Can I feed my ball python crickets?
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.
How old is a juvenile ball python?
between two-six monthsJuvenile ball pythons are also between two-six months in age.
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.
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 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.
How many grams of mice can you feed a ball Python?
As your ball python grows, so too will the size of the mice you feed it. You can start by moving to small mice, which are usually between seven to twelve grams.
Is it scary to feed a baby ball?
If you have a cute new baby ball, feeding it will be both a bit scary as you want to know you’re doing it correctly, and fun to watch your new baby eat .
Do snakes have the same metabolism as humans?
Your snake does not have the same metabolism that you do. And, the older they get the slower it gets. You can offer food, but it just might not be hungry.
Can a stressed ball Python eat?
A stressed ball python is not going to eat even if it’s hungry. They can feel vulnerable right after they get ahold of some prey, so if they feel stressed or in danger, they won’t even consider trying to digest food.
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 to feed a ball Python?
How To Feed Ball Python. Feeding ball pythons is surprisingly simple. In most cases, all you need to do is put the prey in the cage and watch it go to town . Young ball pythons may struggle more to find the food. Make sure you place it near the ball python’s head, so it senses the food is nearby.
What do baby ball Pythons eat?
This is why you need to know what to feed a baby ball python. Baby ball pythons still eat only protein-based animals just like adult ball pythons do. The main thing to watch for is the prey is of the correct size. Pinky mice or fuzzy rats (babies of these forms) and large crickets are the typical diets for baby ball pythons.
How often do Python balls eat?
Adult ball pythons only eat every 10-14 days. The python will bite and wrap itself around the food, then proceed to swallow the prey whole. Over the next 48 hours, it will work on digesting the food, and you’ll see the lump in its body. During this time, don’t handle the ball python.
How long can a baby Python go without eating?
While adult ball pythons may go 3-4 months without eating and up to 6 months (though they shouldn’t), the baby ball python has no reason to go anywhere near this long. Every 5-7 days, you need to offer the ball python food. There are only two main reasons a baby ball python won’t eat.
How often do baby Pythons shed?
Baby ball pythons may shed up to once per week or more if they’re hitting a growth spurt. If your plan to feed them falls one of these days, they just won’t eat. Look for signs of shedding, which include whitening skin, glassed over eyes, and cranky behavior. Don’t help along in the shedding process.
Why do you put live prey near a ball Python?
Make sure you place it near the ball python’s head, so it senses the food is nearby. Live prey is always better and will be easier to feed to the snake. When live prey moves, it attracts the attention of the python and activates its hunting instincts. Live prey also has a powerful scent.
Can a baby python handle large food?
They can’t handle large food as well as adults can. It’s much more likely for a baby to choke and regurgitate than it is an adult. The size rule applies to baby and adult ball pythons alike, but for babies, this is a hard and fast rule with little wiggle room.
What Do Ball Pythons Eat?
Ball pythons are carnivores, and need to be fed meat on a regular basis.
How Often Should I Feed My Ball Python?
Ball pythons can grow surprisingly quickly when they are well fed. At the same time, ball pythons can be lazy, and some specimens do seem to get a little overweight.
What Size Food Should I Give My Ball Python?
When selecting a prey item for your snake, the easiest process is to think of the circumeference of the item. This should be no larger than the fattest part of your snake. Thus a hatchling may need tiny mice, while larger adults may eat adult rats.
Should I Feed Rats or Mice?
Whether to feed rats or mice is a contentious issue in ball python circles. In truth, for small pythons it can be easier to feed very small mice.
Frozen Vs Live Food for Ball Pythons
There are two traditional ways to feed a ball python; either giving them live rodents to catch and kill, or providing dead animals that are bought frozen.
What About Uneaten Food?
Uneaten food is bad news. A live rodent, as discussed, can bite and nip at your snake. But even frozen food left in the cage for long periods isn’t good news; it can quickly go off in the warmth of a ball python cages and smalls rancid!
How Should I Actually Feed My Ball Python?
Once you’ve selected a suitable prey item, next you need to actually feed it to your ball python. Here’s the process I use…
Ball python feeding schedule
Although there is no standard size of prey for each age of the snake, you should always strive to feed the ball python a rodent that is as big as its body’s largest width. The rule of thumb is to slowly increase the food your python eats as it grows larger. Frozen prey is the ideal meal for your snake.
Can I handle Ball python handling before feeding?
When you bring the snake to your home for the first time, you should make sure it settles in first before you handle it. A new environment is quite stressful for the ball python. Ball pythons are generally shy and secretive pets, and exposure to a new environment can disturb them.
Ball python feeding tips
When it comes to feeding ball pythons, you must understand your pet’s unique feeding habits. Ball pythons come in several morphs, and their feeding habits can be highly individualized.
Ball python handling after feeding
After feeding your ball python, it is essential to wait 24 to 72 hours before holding him. In warm temperature, the snake may digest a small mouse in two to three days. If the ball python still exhibits a huge food bulge after the three days has lapsed, give it more time before handling.
Ball python feeding during the breeding
The breeding season may bring on a fast in female ball pythons when nearing the laying time. On the other hand, when the male pythons smell an ovulating female, they may take a fast that lasts for over six months. However, you should only assist feed the ball pythons if their fasting hiatus goes past six months.
Obesity problems in ball pythons
Just like other animals, snakes that eat too much can experience health problems.
Frequently Asked Questions on Ball Python Feeding
When you are buying a pet snake for the first time, it is crucial to ask your breeder the following questions:
How often should I feed my ball python?
How Often Should You Feed Your Ball Python? Your snake may be the best one to answer this question for you but typically an adult snake (over one year of age) will eat once every 10 to 14 days. Younger snakes should eat more often since they are still growing.
What do Python snakes 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. Some ball python enthusiasts feel strongly ...
Why can't my snake eat?
Aside from major medical conditions, snakes can refuse to eat for a multitude of reasons. Being too cold is a common problem for many pet ball pythons, especially in the winter months, but is easily corrected by providing a heat light. Intestinal parasites can cause your snake not to feel well or not gain weight.
Why won't my ball python eat?
Stress is an often overlooked reason why snakes won't eat. New enclosures, other snakes in the enclosure, or too much handling can cause your ball python to get stressed out and not want to eat. Differences in prey will also cause a picky snake to stop eating.
How to get rid of snakes in front of ball?
Using long tongs, hemostats, or feeding forceps to dangle and wiggle the food in front of your snake can also be helpful, especially if your ball prefers eating live prey. Soaking the pre-killed prey in some warmed low or no-sodium chicken broth can help add an attractive scent to the food as well.
Why is my snake not feeling well?
Intestinal parasites can cause your snake not to feel well or not gain weight. An annual fecal examination is recommended to screen your snake for a heavy burden of pinworms, coccidia, or other intestinal parasites that may need to be treated with dewormers. 2.
Do Pythons eat mice?
Adult ball pythons will eat adult mice and rats when they get big enough. Some ball python enthusiasts feel strongly that you should only feed various life stages of rats throughout your ball python's life and never offer any insects or mice.
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.
