Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A coworker has a ball paython about 3' in length who appears to be healthy, happy, and pretty friendly. Her son doesn't do anything with the poor guy and she's been the one taking care of him for a few years now.

They want to give him away, and I've offered to take him. What concerns me, they say he will only eat live mice. If anyone has any tips or pointers on how to help switch him over to F/T mice, I'd be very grateful. My brindle rat does great on F/T's and it's not only much safer for the snake, but so much easier to keep a stock of food supply on hand for a couple of weeks.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Bill

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1.0.0 Rottie/Malamute/Sheppard "Bear"
0.1.0 Tabby "Cuddle Butt"
0.0.1 Brindled Rat Snake "Templeton"

The best way to switch is to set the snake up properly, leave it alone for 1-2 weeks, thaw out a mouse/rat, make sure the mouse/rat is WARM, then offer it on the end of some tongs. If it doesn't take it then set the mouse/rat part way into the hide and leave it alon for an hour or so.

I have switched balls from live mice to F/T mice then to F/T rats just by doing nothing more than this. The most important thing to have when switching balls is a hard head. I have the attitude that I'm not going to let any snake tell me what to feed them.

However make sure that the snake is set up properly. An improperly set up snake may never eat and can eventually starve to death.

Thanks, great advice! I talked to my local herp dealer and they said basically the same, give him time, he'll eat as long as conditions are right, and I'm patient with him.

I don't know much about ball pythons as I've never dealt with them much. I'd never really thought about getting a ball, but this guy seems like such a sweetheart, and I'd rather take him in and know he'll be taken care of than for him to go to some idiot that just wants a snake to scare people with.

My brindled rat's gonna be jealous tho!

Bill
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1.0.0 Rottie/Malamute/Sheppard "Bear"
0.1.0 Tabby "Cuddle Butt"
0.0.1 Brindled Rat Snake "Templeton"

Try switching it to small live rats first and then to frozen rats. Figure its easier to thaw one little rat than three mice! Cheaper that way too.

My rex rat gets rather indignant when I take out the snakes instead of paying attention to him. lol!

~jenny
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1.1.1 normal ball pythons (Cindy, Darwin, and Periscope)
1.0 rex rat (Scurvy)
0.1 bunny (Spazz)
2.1 betta fishes (Vicious, Killer, and Butters)
2.2 great danes (Shasta, Odysseus, Merlot, and Watson)
1.0 fat fuzzy mutt (Smokey)
1.1 cats (Thidwick and Turtle)
2.0 horses (Buddy and Sam)
1.0 goat (Billy Jack)
2.25 chickens (Jacques the rooster and his harem)

but what I really want is more ball pythons!

Thanks Jenny!

I think the people who have the ball now are trying to take good care of him...but said he's only eating one mouse a week .. I have to wonder if that's enough for a snake his size. If I end up with him, on the way home, I'm gonna take him by my local herper and get him checked out. They're great people and really know snakes.

That way I can make sure I get him off to a good start and keep him healthy and happy. I'll also post pics of him after I get him home

Bill
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1.0.0 Rottie/Malamute/Sheppard "Bear"
0.1.0 Tabby "Cuddle Butt"
0.0.1 Brindled Rat Snake "Templeton"