Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there!

I have a 3 year old male ball who (big fat hairy surprise) is a super finicky eater. I've tried everything -- & I mean *EVERYTHING* -- to get him to eat F/T, but he just won't budge.
So I've kind of given in to his spoiled rottenness. But from all the horror stories I've heard about snakes getting mauled by their supposed prey, I refuse to put a big old rat in the cage with him. Instead, I've been feeding him multiple live mice more frequently.
He's seemed to do just fine with this. He finishes one off & instantly is ready for the next. He's never gotten even close to being injured, his weight and body condition are beautiful, & he's healthy as can be (I work at a vet & have him checked annually).
My question to all you experts out there is this: is this substitution ok for him nutritionally? Is eating multiple small meals more stressful or physically straining than the natural scenario of "a great big meal then sleep for awhile"? I'd hate to find out I've inadvertently caused him some harm while trying to protect him!
Any suggestions or answers are greatly appreciated!

-Tami*

I have a few that only will eat live. I only feed them mice. They do fine on mice. I have some that eat only ft mice. They wont eat rats. They do fine on ft mice. I have some that eat ft rats. They are fine. Give them what they will eat. Some will convert, some wont. Good luck. Rin

Not at all. If he wants multiple small meals thats fine. But I would suggest trying to get him switched over to rats. See if he will take a few weaned rats or one or two smalls. Normally when a snake gets mauled by a rat is when their owner puts a hungry big rat and leaves them in for a long period of time. I make sure my rats have eaten, and only keep them in for a half of an hour. If the snakes haven't taken them within this time, then they are going to wait until next feeding time. Good luck and hope this helps.

Id go with f/t rats or live mice, not live rats. My ball python that I loved so much was killed by a rat He was so sweet! I would never feed a live rat again... Thats my opinon.
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Got Balls?
1.0 Pastel BP (George)
0.1 Spider BP
0.1 Huge normal BP (Beladona)
0.0.1 Gray Banded king
0.1 7 foot Burmese
0.0.1 Red phase Eastern Hoggie
0.0.2 RES
0.0.1 Musk turtle
1.0 Cat(Higgens)
2.0 Dogs (Boomer,Buster)
1.1 Iggys (Bart, Lisa)
1.1 Beardies
0.0.1 Axthantic Red tail Boa
0.0.1 Prairie King snake
0.0.1 Savannah Monintor

are twice the size of mice, and in my experience FAR less likely to aggressively gnaw on a snake than the average adult mouse. Most of the balls I saw brought into my shop with severe injuriies had been attacked by mice, not rats.

As stated above, don't leave any live rodent in with a snake for very long, and keep a CLOSE eye on the situation!
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Brad Chambers

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

I've fed strictly live for the past couple years and have never had a bite. 99% of the "maulings" you hear about are from live rodents (rats AND MICE) that were left in with the snake overnight, for a week, etc. Common sense will help you avoid this. I feed live weaned rats as they are naive and non-aggressive -- and easily overpowered by the snake. The large adults just get multiple.
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

Thanks everyone for your input!
I may become so bold as to try weaned rats soon. I never leave them alone with him for long.. He's become so accustomed to his daily feeding ritual that he's usually prowling around ready to eat by supper time anyhow. Whatever I put in there isn't around very long!
In that case what I'm most worried about is the biting-back time once he's constricting. Since his aim is.. well.. sub-par. Which I understand can be a notorious BP trait(?). Although he's usually on or near the face, he does grab the occasional shoulder. Are little rat teeth any more harmful than adult mouse teeth?

(I'm so paranoid.)

Thanks again everyone!

-Tami*

I always feed my BP live rats. I've never had a problem. As a matter of fact just yesterday might've been the first time that my snake got bit back or attempted to get bitten back but once that rat was constriced it aren't going anywhere. I actually opened the enclosure and stuck a pair of feeding prongs (I think thats what they're called) and stuck that in the rats mouth and opened it's mouth so it couldn't bite down anymore until it was done. I keep a close eye on the snakes and leave the rats or mice inside the enclosure like 15 minutes and if nothing happens I take it out and try it again in a couple of days. I try not to leave it in too much longer and can usually tell by my BP whether or not they plan on eating. Hope this helps.

I have a male who will only eat live. He is an active feeder and will either strike or ignore the food item in the first 45 seconds after I put it in with him. Last week was the first time I was uncomfortable with the way he was holding the rat (he turned the wrong way at first and struck behind his body at it). When the rat looked like it was going to try to chew I reached in and turned it's head. Once the snake has struck and wrapped they are not going to let go to come after your hand, and certainly aren't going to move quickly... Actually I recall a video of a Retic getting surgery while eating because that way it wouldn't attack them and they didn't have to do more then localized numbing. Anyway, the rat didn't do any damage. Remember, the rat is quickly dieing and the snakes do have armor... I have never left a rat in the cage unattended for any length of time. I don't even put a top on my feeding tank.
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1.0 100% het albino ball python
0.1 normal Ball python
0.0.1 uromastyx (Styx)...he is a rescue

I'm with Jen here. I feed live and always have. Sometimes I may prekill a mouse or a rat if I know a specific animal "needs" it that way. The horror stories of feeding live is a little overblown if you have common sense with what you are doing.

Jason