Reptile & Amphibian Forums

im about to buy 3 female ball pythons. The breeder says they are eating live fuzzie mice. I was wondering i could switch them to rat pinks (more cost effective) right when they get to me, and what they eat after that. Im going to buy from rodent pro, so they are cheaper anyway. I am also wanting to know when i should step up to bigger rats...do you think they could take bigger rats within 20 feedings? i was thinking i could buy Rat pinks(20 feedings), step up to fuzzie rats(15 feedings). Then rat pups(10), then weaned(how ever many it takes). then finally small rats?

In answer to your first question it is most likely that a ball currently eating mouse fuzzy's could step up to rat pinks immediately. Unless it is an unusually small hatchling, a ball can eat rat pinks as its first meal. In general, feed your ball a prey item that is about the same size around or a little bigger than the snakes largest girth. In young rats their heads are the biggest part of their body so go by how big around the head is. That is the standard advice, but in reality you don't have to worry about a ball eating something too big for it. If it is too big, it wont eat.

In terms of switching between rice and rats, my experience is that that the really young balls are pretty easy to switch.

Laura

A ball python should NEVER be fed rat pinks. WAY too small for a meal, unless you want to feed them 6 or so. BEFORE you go ahead and buy three balls, please do some research on them. Also, Laura, no offense, but your advice recently has been off, do some research yourself before passing on incorrect information to people who are in need of correct info.

You really have to judge the size meal to the snake look at the mid section of the snake and get a mouse or rat preferrably that matches that size. I would try to get your snakes swithed to rats A.S.A.P. not only is it more cost effective but they grow much faster.

I personally start my aniamls on rats.

From fuzzy rats go to chubbies or weanlings then on to smalls etc..

Bryan

www.exoticballpythons.com

thanks but i have 1 female already and i only fed her 1 fuzzy then adult mice. She has been eatng medium rats since the beginning of october.