>>I have two small questions.
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>>First, I have read that Balls will stop eating during the winter, should I continue to offer food every week or switch to every other week or so?
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If your ball is still eating, offer every week. If he refuses 3 weeks in a row, I'd offer every two weeks. Everyone will do this a little differently, but that is one reasonable approach.
>>Second, I have read that I should offer a rat that is the size of the thickest part of the snake but the head and neck are so much smaller than the thickest part of the body. What should be the rule of thumb?
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Many people will say the girth of the prey should approximately match the girth of the snake. Others will say the prey should be up to 1.5x the girth of the snake, and others will say feed a prey item that weighs 20% to 30% of the snake's weight. The head and neck are narrow but will stretch dramatically to feed and any of those guidelines ought to work within reason for the average bp, but if you're feeding small I would increase prey size gradually rather than dramatically.
>>Third, This question is sort of about feeding. My Ball, Hank, has eatten only a few rats in the last 2 months but has not gone number two at all in the same time. Should I be concerned. My girlfrind says that I worry too much.
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>>Thanks
>>Kevin
Your girlfriend is right. Snakes have much slower metabolisms than humans. As long as he doesn't appear to be constipated (with a lump just shy of his tail that's not there normally and doesn't move within a week or so of appearing), he should be fine. If he does appear constipated, a few soaks in tepid water and some manual massage ought to fix him right up.
