Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've got a ball python, about 1.5 years old, 36in long, and about 5.5 - 6in around. What would you feed a snake this size and how often? I've going with 2 gerbils or 2 mice a week, and am switching to small rats (slightly larger than an adult gerbil). Also when is a ball python full grown?
Thanks alot, Mak

You should match the food items girth with the snakes girth judging by what you've said - it sounds like small rats is about where your snake is at. I would stay away from the gerbils unless you have an unlimited supply and/or your snake refuses to eat rats - balls have a tendancy to fixate on certain food items and if you feed gerbils may get stuck having to feed him gerbils for a long time. One appropriate sized meal ever 7-10 days is a good general schedule. Balls will continue to grow their whole life, their growth just slows down after the first few years - usually by 3-4 years they have reached their adult size and will add very little length but may continue to put on a bit of weight.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

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Awesome, thanks. Gerbils are sometimes hard to come by but I've had no problem going between gerbils and mice in the past. Any hints or tips on switching to rats? I've tried scenting with both gerbils and mice with no progress. Only tried rats three times now though, and only successful once, by feeding a gerbil first and then when only the tail was hanging out of his mouth put the head of the rat in his mouth and he just kept going. Think f I do this for a while he get used to rats?
Anyone know of where to get frozen mice/rats in Canada?
Thanks a lot, Mak

I would not do the powerfeeding thing, with puting one behind the other. If your serious about switching her to rats try letting him go hungry for a week or two. Then offer a rat an see what happens. If nothing happens after two tries then try to scent it. After that there are a lot of different tricks to try, but I would do this first.

I'm not sure what you lot mean by scenting a rat but there is a simple enough way I find that works to produce a good scent that my Ball python Colonel Mustard cannot resist.

I just thaw out a rat for a couple of hours, boil the kettle and pour a mug of hot water, put the rat in a small plastic sandwich bag and dunk it into the hot water, leave it for a few minutes and then hold the rat infront of the snakes nose. The scent produced by heating the rat up and not getting it wet never fails.

I'd recommend trying that.