• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

New Ball Python

C

CornCrazy

New member
Joined
Feb 14, 2003
Messages
99
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
57
Location
Tennessee
Hi everyone...
I adopted a ball python yesterday. She is on the thin size because she has been neglected by her previous owner. This is my first BP, so I am a little unsure as to how to go about fattening her up (how often and how much to feed her). I fed her 2 F/T jumbo mice and she ate them very greedily. I didn't want to feed her anymore than that for fear of making her regurge. I was told it had been several months since she had eaten, by the way. Normally, I would have waited to feed her for a few days, but she is so pitiful that I just had to go ahead and try to get something in her.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 

Attachments

  • ball python2.jpg
    ball python2.jpg
    120.2 KB · Views: 312
Last edited:
The way I would approach this would be to wait 10-14 days before offering another meal, so as not to shock her digestive system, which hasn't had to work much in recent months.
After the next feed I would just go with a 7 day feeding schedule and continue to offer 2 large mice at each feeding.
Occasionally if you have an extra small mouse left over from feeding other snakes, let her have it.

Keep in mind that it may take 2-3 months before you really start seeing weight gain. I've heard this referred to as the three month rule. A big change in diet often takes three months to result in visible change, whether trying to put weight on a snake, or trying to slim one down.
It's best just to maintain a steady pace when putting weight on rather than being tempted to power feed her in a sense to speed the process. The weight will get up to normal with time on a steady diet.

Good luck with her.
 
Thanks for the advice Clay!

I really appreciate it. I will go with your recommendations and see how she does. Hopefully I got her in time to save her. I've seen snakes look worse, so at least I know I have a chance. Just the fact that she ate for me is a good sign.

Thanks again!
 
I have another question...

My ball python is eating well. It has still not had a BM, though. I got him/her on June 14th. When should I expect a BM? I am figuring that its poor starving body is simply using up everything it can get to try to gain weight again. When should I become concerned?

Thanks in advance!
 
It's been 15 days today, so you should expect at least a small BM pretty soon. If nothing else the urates and hair will need to be expelled.
With her being thin you will be able to tell if it looks like she is having trouble. If you get concerned you can soak her in slightly warm water to engourage her to go.
 
Thanks again!

I have seen some urates, but nothing else. I will continue to keep a close eye on her. I have moved her to a much bigger enclosure than she had (maybe not volume-wise, but it has more ground floor) so hopefully exercise will help her as well. I will keep you posted.
 
OK...so it's been a month. I had seen more urates (atypical looking large white marbles), but still no fecal material. Today I put her into the tub to see if it would stimulate her to have a bowel movement. It didn't seem like it was going to work so I got her out. A couple of minutes later, I heard a big "PLOP" onto the floor! This is going to sound gross, but I didn't know a snake could have such HUGE hard poop. It looks like a dog's BM! I am really glad I soaked her! She's got to feel MUCH better. I am relieved that she finally went! Thanks Clay for all of your help and advice!
 
I wouldnt worry to much. She does look a little on the thin side, but not to bad.
Just give her 5-7 days to work the first 2 mice through, and then you may want to try an appropriate sized rat (just weaned should be ok).
I feed my balls every 7-10 days, and have a few that will refuse at times.
 
realvenum...

Thanks for the suggestion. I have now had my BP for a month. She is doing pretty well except I was getting worried about her not having a BM. I do not have to worry about that anymore (as you can see from my previous post) YUK!

She is eating quite well. I've not been having any trouble getting her to eat the F/T jumbo adult mice. I did order some small rats which should arrive on Thursday. I'll see how that goes over with her, then.

Just out of curiosity, when she gets back to her "ideal" weight, what size rat should I feed her? I'm not used to feeding a snake quite as big as her. I only had colubrids until I got her and they do good to eat the jumbo mice.
 
sorry

I thought this was just posted and without looking at the responses, I posted my thoughts.

Glad all is well.

P.S. I have some balls that will not take a dump more often than monthly regardless of how much they eat.
 
No problem...

I am always happy to get more suggestions.

It's good to know that it is not uncommon for them to go a month without having a BM. I won't worry so much next time. Is it always the consistency of dog poop, though? I am used to the more liquid poops of my colubrids, so I was QUITE surprised by what came out of my BP today!

Thanks again!
 
Just out of curiosity, when she gets back to her "ideal" weight, what size rat should I feed her? I'm not used to feeding a snake quite as big as her. I only had colubrids until I got her and they do good to eat the jumbo mice.
Click to expand...
For my full adult balls, around 2000g, I usually feed 100-150g rats. The size varies a bit, but I normally use what Rodent Pro labels "small rats".
If I were using jumbo mice, I would feed 2-3 mice per feeding to a large ball.
 
Thanks...I ordered some small rats from RodentPro. They should arrive tomorrow. I have been feeding her two micee per feeding these last couple of times. She seems to always be hungry!

Anyway, I thought you would all like to know that I took her stool sample with me to the clinic today to run a fecal. It turns out my poor BP has pinworms (Oxyurid)! I wasn't sure about her weight, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to treat her. I just weighed her and she only weighs 1600 grams even though she is an adult. I wish I had weighed her when I first got her...or maybe I don't really want to know how skinny she was then!

Anyway, hopefully she will put weight on better once I get rid of the pinworms! By the way, I posted a picture of a pinworm egg just in case anyone is interested in seeing what one looks like.
 

Attachments

  • pinworm egg.bmp
    185.6 KB · Views: 150
Update...

Well, I've had this girl since June 14th so I thought I'd post an update on her. She is doing great...eating and gaining weight. She still isn't in perfect condition, but I am pleased with her progress.
 

Attachments

  • cyrano8 30 03.jpg
    cyrano8 30 03.jpg
    103.6 KB · Views: 133
And here is a really neat close-up head shot...
 

Attachments

  • cyrano in water 8 30 03.jpg
    cyrano in water 8 30 03.jpg
    61.2 KB · Views: 125
A healthy adult ball python can eat small rabbits. I usually go by weight. I feed around 1/5 of the snakes body weight. My baby bp is at 216 grams so she is getting one small rat every 5 days. You'll be able to tell when it's not enough. A lot of times if the prey is too small they will take it tail first. At least that's how it's happened with me and many others in the past. Good luck with her and glad things are going well.
 
sorry bout that doofus post. I'll learn to use the forums correctly one day.
 
WOW...I never thought that even an adult BP could eat rabbits. When you say small rabbits, exactly how small are you talking about. I fed her an adult rat for her last feeding, and it seemed plenty big enough for her.

I have been feeding her 2 small rats, but happened to have the one large one, so I decided to try giving it to her.

I never intended to get a BP, but couldn't stand to let her suffer anymore at the hands of her previous owner. I am probably going to adopt her out or sell her after she is back in good shape. I really don't have room for her. :(
 
rabbits..?..

I've never had to feed any adult bp a rabbit before...they've done just fine on rats. (not quite sure what the point would be, either, unless you get them cheaper than rats for the same size) But really, CC, it all depends on the size of your bp. Don't try to start feeding it pigmy goats just because someone does. Stick with what is best for the size of your ball currently.

Sounds like you've come a long way with her since June so you must be doing just fine. Good luck with her continuing good health and growth!
 
Back
Top