Feeding?

What do you guys feed a roughly year old ball python? I'm just wondering if I'm feeding enough.....

How big is the snake?

Well, not sure in weight. Don't have a scale. Maybe 28" or so.

Generally you can feed a snake a prey item the size of the largest part of the snake's body. Your snake would probably eat adult mice or small rats. After the snake eats, can you see a bulge in it's stomach? If not, you can increase the size of the prey. It's typically better to feed 1 large prey item than a bunch of smaller ones.


Karen

RE: "It's typically better to feed 1 large prey item than a bunch of smaller ones."
I'm not sure that I unconditionally agree with that statement. True - a larger prey item will help a growing snake add girth, but too large is BAD and potentially deadly.

I'm not sure that I unconditionally agree with that statement. True - a larger prey item will help a growing snake add girth, but too large is BAD and potentially deadly.

I didn't say feed too large a prey item. What I meant was if a snake can eat 4 large mice it's better to feed one rat than 4 mice. Do ya get it?

I would just use an adult mouse...See if it makes a "lump" If it does not then feed a larger prey item like a rat wean or pup. Just use your best judgement and get that lump. Always use a smaller item if unsure. A 28" BP is a fairly good size snake if weight is in all the right places...Your probably ok with a rat pup...

I'm thinking I'll go get a scale tomorrow just to know the weight for my own purposes.

I was thinking about jumping to rat pups, it's just there's no place around here where I can get live ones, and I dont think my pythons are going to touch anything f/t. I once had one of my pythons kill a mouse, and then refuse to eat it. I tried feeding that to the other snake, which it refused, but then knocked back a live mouse.

I'm thinking next feeding time I might feed a live, and then follow it right up with a f/t, and try that for a few weeks to get them accustomed to f/t since I cant get rat pups.

Thanks though.

Here's a way that worked for me to get my snakes to take frozen/thawed mice and/or rats.

I get the snake used to taking the mouse or rat out of my hand or tongs. I dangle the mouse or rat by the tail after I've stunned it. After the snake is taking the prey item from my hand every time I switch over to frozen/thawed and offer it to them the same way. So far I've only had one snake that refused the frozen/thawed after that.

I would feed it young rats as long as they are not bigger then it's girth. If so I would feed 2 to 3 mice it's hard to tell as long as you feed it once every 7 to 10 days you will be okay. It just depends on how fast you want it to grow and how big. If you over feed larger prey early it is harder on them and will take years off the life span. You would much rather have a firm musclar snake then a fat over feed snake. It's better especially if you breed it's easier on them. Don't rush anything, but it's hard to say without seeing the snake. Everyone has different ways they do things but that's how I do it.