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Feeding question

R

RickGonzalez

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We recently adopted a real sweet heart. He was starting to show signs of shed when we picked him up. Naturally, in an effort not to stress him we left him alone for a few days until last night when I soaked him to help with the shed.

This morning we found his shed in the enclosure so I slipped out and purchased a small live rat, figuring he would be ready to eat. He hammered the thing almost instantly and choked it down in less than two minutes. I guess we are doing something right.

Anyway, he still appears to be in feeding mode. His is cruising the enclosure in the typical three bend strike position like he is looking for another rat. Is he still hungry? How many small rats can a 3.5 make ball eat in a sitting? I assumed 1 would be enough. I am uncertain on how regularly he was being fed in the past, he was an adoption.
 
Sorry miss type. How many small rats can a 2.5 foot ball python be expected to eat in one sitting? Is what I meant to type. lol
 
a second rat, as long as meals are not overly large, is fine if the snake is willing to take it.

Ball pythons are pretty good about not eating if they aren't hungry hehe. So your snake is unlikely to hurt itself unless you offer to big of prey in the first place.

But one rat a week should be good enough in general.
 
Thank you Willow. He is still patrolling the enclosure with his neck coiled in the strike position. Ill see how he acts tomorrow. Shedding and eating has really perked him up!
 
Im watching him closely today. Unfortunately, given his recent adoption by us. I can not be sure when he ate last. Judging by how fast this guy went after that rat I am assuming it had been way too long. I will probably hold off until next week if his sprung, patrolling behavior subsides today. Judging by the mess he made in his enclosure he was very active last night. Its nice to see him perking up the way he is.
gsrept said:
I would not feed more than one rat of correct size per week. this is more than enough for him.
Click to expand...
 
gsrept, in terms of correct size. I picked a rat that was about the same size as his thickest part. Is that the strategy you recommend?
 
I agree with Helen and Willow, a extra rat will not hurt them as long as they are not both too large for him. There are times when they wont eat for months and times they want two a week. As you get to know him you will better understand his needs.
 
Thanks for all the input everyone. He spent most of the yesterday dozing in his hide. However, the instant the lights went out last night he started patrolling the tank again in that typical coiled neck position. I am assuming that means he is still hungry? He was also watching us very intently when we changed his water in that same coiled, very alert position. His body language was such that I changed his water and would not allow my daughter to do it.

While he is new to us this is a deviation from the behavior we have seen so far from him. This past meal really seams to have woken him up. In your opinions does the behavior I have described make you think he is still hungry?
 
His behavior sounds perfectly normal.

The only way to tell if he is still hungry is to feed him again, but his actions do sound like a snake on the prowl.

You are not hurting him by letting him be hungry after a feeding, just because he is interested in more food doesn't means he is starving. You also wont be hurting him by giving him a second meal if he is still hungry. You gotta decide for yourself
 
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