Quick eating question

[glassitis]

Well all is good with my new ball python,he got his/her way and got an under tank heater with controller,tank temps are around 80 deegres now.
He ate yesterday and I read that they might not want to be handeld after they have eaten,but to my surprise he loves it I think.

I just checked on him 5 minutes ago and opened the lid and he just slitherd right into my hands.
He felt warm and I think thats why he was actualy slithering around instead of just curled up into a ball in the box.
I just got down holding him for about 10 minutes and nothing realy went wrong,infact he was probably made I put him back!

Now he just ate a good sized white mouse yesterday,the mouse bairly is visable in the snakes belly?
Should I feed him/her somthing bigger next time?

The snake had it all in his mouthand down his throught withen 5 minutes,but usealy there is a easly noticeable thing inside the belly of the snake.
Mine is around 22"-24" long,how often should it eat?
I was figuring 1 a week woulden't be bad for it,would twice a week be better,like a mice ever 3 days or somthing,or just 1 big thing like a smal rat every week?
Thanks guys!

 

[cka]

jmho I'd just keep doing EXACTLY what you're doing...

sounds like you got a nice little ball python. As long as he has no probs as far as you holding him (regurges or stops eating) after he eats then I wouldn't worry, but thats generally the exception, not the rule. I'd keep him on the same feeding schedule he's on, or switch to a similar sized rat. Remember these snakes thrive in the wild going weeks or months w/o food and do just fine. Our 01 and 02 balls eat 1 thawed small rat/1 adult mouse every 10-14 days and weigh 780/416 gms. We'd like to have the female big enough to breed in 05 but it's no rush. again jmo here and enjoy your bp

 

[glassitis]

Thanks

Thanks cka!
So basicly a mice every week should be fine untill the snake gets around 3 foot maybe?
I think my snake could probably eat 2 mice a week but I cant read snakes minds yet,how do I know when he is hungry?

My mom lied my snake so much that they named him samson or sam,not a bad name although I could probably come up with somthing better.
Thanks

 

[cka]

no prob...

there are all kinds of different opinions on it; I just prefer not to rush my snakes along and keep 'em a bit " leaner" lol. Some snakes always seem hungry, and will eat til they look like lil sauguages hehe. Just isn't healthy. pic is our male, and he's not skinny by a long shot. small thawed rat usually every 14 days, sometimes sooner. Peace Josh

 

[glassitis]

Nice...

Nice looking snake there!
I can tell it could be realy diffacult to tell ball python apart from one another,mine is close to that but yours has like almost perfect scales with no marks/little spots/or anything,great looking snake!
He must of had a pefect shed!

 

[Adam Block]

The reason for not holding your snake after is eats is because it can cause them to regurg their meal, not because the snakes don't like it.

Moving them around a lot or holding them for 2-3 days after feeding is not a good idea even if your snake doesn't seem to mind.

As for meals. A gram weight would give me a better idea of the size rodents to feed. Just born Balls are fine with weaned mice and then of course go up from there. A rule I guess you could use is to feed a meal that's about 10-15% of the snakes body weight.

So your 200 gram baby ball would get a 20-30 gram feeder or about the size of a small to med mouse.

Good luck!

 

[glassitis]

Thanks for the info,that makes sense I guess.
I am kinda wondering if some people's ball pythons only eat live?
My snake doesn't seem to into eating dead crap,it makes wierd movments with it head,basicly shaking his head no ever time.
The frst time I put in a live mouse though he atleast strikes it and or eats it.
It would be nice to get it to it dead prey just for the fact that they cant bite or fight back,just got to get him to eat it.

There are some snakes that just feed on live,like at are pet shop they have some type of blood python that says on the cage "only eats live prey!"
Although I read that blood python are aggriseive,and can get pretty good sized.
I prefer ball pythons as they are one of the smaller constrictors,or maybe the smallest?
They have a cool type of behaiver,I mean they can tell you stuff with there body,they look up to you when your moving around,they can even move there head in a circle just following your head,it seems like they have good eye sight but I read the oppisite.

Mine I have only had for around a week and it is awesome!
In that one week he has eaten a mouse,been realy freindly around everybody,there has been 5-6 different people besides me that has held it,and they almost diden't want to give it back!
I just love the sense of humor,what ever it is it makes me laugh,hen I see him doing what ever it is he is doing in the cage,as I am typeing I have the ball right around my arm just chilling,balls are awesome!

 

[Adam Block]

Well I always feed dead rodents. Here's the reason:

If you were hungry you of course would want to eat. I'm sure a nice steak would do the trick for you.

Now picture somebody taking the roof off your house, dropping a cow in and putting the room back on. Same thing but not really what you had in mind when you were thinking steak dinner.

Some snakes really want live but you can switch them. I don't know if you said if the snake was WC or CB but I would try dead mice or fresh killed on the end of a pair of tongs. I only tell you this cause you said the snake was striking, this sounded more a self defence then a feeding responce.

Sometimes we think we shouldn't do something for the wrong reason. Like feeding while in shed. While some won't most will feed while in shed. The reason you shouldn't is if the snake eats and makes a big lump, the shed can get stuck on that lump. If the shed can go down and the meal can't come up, now what?

 

[glassitis]

Thanks.
Well to tell you the truth I have know idea if my ball is a cb or wc,but I would put a good guess on a captive breed because it seems way to freindly,it realy likes people.
It has no problem around people,it could be a realy tame wild cought ball but who knows,I realy don't care because he is awesome!

 

[Sand&SunReptile]

Very nice looking snake.
Looks like your feeding methods are working well for you. I personally like to feed my snakes once weekly. That is by no means over feeding, or power feeding. It is a nice even feeding schedule. The every 14day feeding schedule is usualy reserved for adult snakes, who are no longer growing.