Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've got a very healthy, happy ball python about 34 in. long. At her thickest, she's probably as big a round as golf ball, maybe a little bigger. I've had her for about 7 months. She's a great feeder and will take 2 F/T medium mice every week to 10 days if I let her. Question is, is this too much food? Any advice?

Definitely not to much food, maybe not enough food. Have you tried her on rats? We feed our babies 2 mice a week. I would try her on 2 small rats a week and keep her at that until she wants more. You never know when she will take time off food so its best to give her what she wants within reason.

J&J REPTILES

How do you make the switch from mice to rats? Any pointers?

And, any advice you care to give on feeding a new juvenile blood python I just got a week ago? She's maybe 12 in. and not interested in eating yet. Ate last on 11/15 before she left her previous home. Live rat pups, I was told. I tried a live mouse yesterday, which she couldn't have cared less about. How long might it take for the feeding response to kick in? Temps are around 80-85 degrees. I've got her in a 20-gallon tank with a hide box, heating pad underneath and a 50-watt halogen light above. I shut the light off at night. I've been misting the tank once a day.

Thanks!

Switching from mice to rats can be easy or very hard it depends on the snake. Try offering her a small weanling size f/t rat and she if she takes it. If she doesn't try rubbing a rat on a mouse to sent it and that should work. If it doesn't work at first keep trying.
Bloods are illegal in Maine where we are so we have not worked with them , but from what we do know on them keep them humid with some sphagnum moss to hide in and offer live rat pups as food. Bloods love rats and that is what they want. Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. I'll give rats a try.

By the way, why are blood pythons illegal in Maine but not ball pythons?

Glad we could help.
Almost everything in Maine is illegal.

yes, my males is only half that length and he eats three mice at a sitting, i should probably be feeding him more by his next shed. if you can get her to take rats, it would be much easier for the both of you! ball pythons looks pretty plump as far as snakes go, so she might looks chubby if you feed her what she should be getting, and that's ok. Slim balls are almost always underfed.
good luck!