Reptile & Amphibian Forums

After her last two feedings, my ball python has been very active in her enclosure (climbing, exploring). This is not a new enclosure for her.

Normally after a feeding, she hides in one of her caves and I don't see her for a day. She strikes at the pre-killed mouse within thirty seconds, so I'm assuming her appetite is great.

Is she still hungry? (1 medium mouse, every five days for an '07 female ball)

Also--- I found her a few days ago "squished" underneath her water dish. Today, after her feeding, she had her head under the water dish.

Is this normal?

Being a new ball owner (since May), am I being paranoid? I welcome your theories...

I'm attaching a pic of her hanging out on top of her cave after the feeding.

0.1 '07 normal ball python
1.0 '07 amenalistic (red albino) cornsnake

0.2 English bulldogs
0.1 piebald dachsund

she looks pleanty big enough for a rat crawler--- I've got an 08 baby eating small rat crawlers once a week---
Rat crawlers are just weaned, and able to move around--- about the size of a large mouse.

try a large mouse if you can't get rats--- but sounds hungry to me-- thats how I know its feeding week--- I look over and see 30 heads-- its time for rats....

She's cute!
And I don't know about the water dish thing--- i've seen mine do some bizzare things too... if she's not stuck- i wouldnt worry...

~Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

Burying herself in substrate could be a sign that the humidity is too low. She could be burying herself under the water dish where there would be condensation so that she can get moisture. I'd mist the tank a few times with a spray bottle. Otherwise, yeah. What Beth said. Keep feeding 'er.

-K

I misted the enclosure... we'll see what she does tonight.

Thanks ---

A medium sized mouse is too small for a hatchling ball python...I was feeding adult mice to my baby balls I bought last year in May... Try adult mice at least, or rat pups...the girth of the rat should be the same or a little smaller than the girth of the largest part of an unfed ball python...
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PHLdyPayne

When I convert over to rat crawlers, should I continue to schedule feedings every five days?

Previously she was on a six-day schedule, but I decided to go on the five-day because it seemed she was hungry.

I'm afraid that if I overfeed, it may cause her to go off feeding.

Rat crawlers? How much does your snake weigh? My 07s are eating rat weanies! Rat pups are about the same size as mice - you might want to start there first.....

Sounds like she's very healthy and happy, and you have nothing at all to worry about. Don't be afraid to upgrade the size of her meals. She can handle it.

my 07 babies will not eat rats of any size. they pound adult mice like they are going out of style though

I was just feeding my hatchlings last night, as they nailed one f/t pinkie rat after another, thinking how easy it is to start babies on not only rats, but f/t. I don't have thousands of babies, so I'm definitely not the best example, but I don't understand at all where the idea comes from that baby balls are such bad feeders. At this point, I've gotten about 45 babies started right on f/t, and only 3 had to be coaxed with live mice. And that was only because I didn't feel like waiting for them to get with the program.