What Should I Feed My Ball Python?
- Pre-killed mice or rats. Before introducing your snake to a new food, you should familiarize yourself with its taste. ...
- Reptilinks. While Reptilinks are a very easy way to feed your ball python, not all snakes like them. ...
- Whole rodents. ...
- Keeping a ball python in a high traffic area. ...
- Changing enclosures. ...
- Feeding a ball python at night. ...
What can I Feed my ball python?
As a general rule, do not feed your ball python any prey which is larger than the snake’s midsection. In the wild, ball pythons enjoy various prey, such as rats, mice, and birds. Males spend more time in trees, so they eat more birds than the ground-dwelling females, who eat more mammals.
What can I Feed my pet snake instead of pet food?
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. Snakes don’t need or crave variety.
What size mice do ball pythons eat?
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. Smaller prey is fine, but avoid getting food that’s too large.
Can ball pythons eat frozen thawed rodents?
Some ball pythons may refuse frozen-thawed 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.
What can I feed my ball python Besides rats?
What else can you feed a Ball python besides mice?Rats.Mice.Chicks.Hamster.Gerbil.Quail.Multimammate mice.Guinea pigs.
What's a python favorite food?
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.
Where should I feed my ball python?
0:276:45Should You Feed Your Snake in its Cage? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd the second reason being the worry that when you open your snake's enclosure. To go feed it ifMoreAnd the second reason being the worry that when you open your snake's enclosure. To go feed it if you're defeated. And as usual enclosure. Then it would associate that enclose your opening.
What do you feed snakes as pets?
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 can I feed my snake other than 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.
How often do you feed a python snake?
You don't need to feed a ball python every day. Generally, smaller or younger ball pythons need to eat twice each week, while larger ones usually eat once every week or two.
How do I know if my python is hungry?
You can tell a snake is hungry when it exhibits specific behaviors such as: Prowling the front of the tank, being more active, focussing on you whenever you are near the enclosure, flicking its tongue more often, and hunting at a similar time each day or night.
How can I tell if my snake is happy?
10 Ways to Tell Your Snake is Happy and RelaxedSlow Movements When Picked Up. While snakes spend most of their lives moving slowly, they can move faster than you think. ... Relaxed Grip When Handled. ... Little Hyperfocussing. ... Normal Eating Habits. ... Normal Hiding Behavior. ... Healthy Shedding. ... Good Air Tasting. ... Consistent Personality.More items...
Should I feed my snake inside his cage?
Spoiler: No. People feed their snakes in different enclosures for two reasons. The main concern is that a snake will go into "feeding mode" when you open and reach into their usual enclosure if they are fed in that same space. Then, once the enclosure's open, they may bite you after mistaking you for prey.
Can I feed my snake raw chicken?
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 snake should not eat?
Do not feed eggs, fish, insects, or other foods to snakes that do not have those items in their diet in the wild. Also, be sure to stick to a feeding schedule so that your snake doesn't overeat.
Do pet snakes feel affection?
Some snake owners feel as though their snake recognises them and is more eager to be held by them than by other people. However, snakes don't have the intellectual capacity to feel emotions such as affection. But this lack of brain power doesn't mean that snakes don't enjoy spending time with humans.
Should you feed ball pythons in their cage?
However feeding in the enclosure is not something that should ever be encouraged. You will have a much milder tempered and more predictable snake if you pick a feeding container and stick with it so that your snake only expects food when it is in that particular place.
How often should I feed ball python?
How 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.
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.
How do you feed a ball python live mouse?
8:2517:18SNAKES *LIVE FEEDING* TIPS & TRICKS.. MICE to RATS.. LIVE to F/TYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe'll get through these things all you get on to shake them nothing all you have to do is just theMoreWe'll get through these things all you get on to shake them nothing all you have to do is just the hit air. So as they hit the air they're. Open.
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 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.
What to do if your ball python is about to shed?
2. If your ball python is about to shed, then it won't be eating until it is all done getting rid of the old skin.
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 ball python not getting enough weight?
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.
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.
Can a snake eat a mouse?
Therefore, if the middle of his body is one inch wide, he should be able to consume a large mouse that is one inch wide without any trouble.
Risks
Diet
- 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 that you should onl...
Health
- 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.
Symptoms
- If your ball python is about to shed, then it won't be eating until it is all done getting rid of the old skin. Signs your snake is about to shed include an ashy appearance to their skin and milky eyes.
Causes
- 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.
Prevention
- If you've already explored the reasons for why your ball python isn't eating (and make any possible changes including the kind of prey offered or increased the temperature in the enclosure), there are some things you can do to get your snake to eat. But make sure you are feeding your snake in a feeding container (separate from his regular enclosure) and are covering that container with a …
Preparation
- If your ball still doesn't eat, try cutting the pre-killed prey open to expose the blood and entice your snake with the scent. 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 attr…
Treatment
- If you've tried all of the above tricks and your ball python still won't eat, get him checked out by an exotics vet. Your vet may recommend force feeding depending on how old the snake is, what his body condition score is, and how long it has gone without eating. Force feeding is simple, but you must be careful to avoid injuring your snake's fangs.