Here are my thoughts:

Does a ball python feel spoiled? What makes a gerbil a better food source than a rat or a mouse...they are smaller than a rat, which could be a big, expensive problem when your females are 3,000 grams. Multiple gerbils would have to be used instead of one rat. I want the best for my snakes as well, but honestly, gerbils are expensive because they produce fewer smaller litters, are usually fairly bad parents (forget to feed babies, etc.) and they have a strong tendancy to pair bond. Which means they don't do as well in multiple female to one male situations as a rat or mouse would and can't be mass produced as easily. They are not more expensive because they are a good food source for snakes, but because they aren't.

Also, one rodent does not fit all snake species, as a result feeding methods may vary depending on the prey item chosen. Check out this chart:
http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp
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Thanks,
Amy
My Boids

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