Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had one of my Ball Pythons for 4 years, the other for only 2. It's the latter that has always given me a hard time about eating.

Well.... tonight I found out what he wants....

I did a reptile removal call at a lady's house tonight, and while I didn't find the offending snakes, I did point out that the bird's nest that was right at her door might attract a snake. That was it - the birds had to go, she said. She didn't know who to call to take the baby birds, but I suggested calling the local wildlife rehabbers. She wasn't sure they'd come out and take them, since the Momma bird was still hanging around.

So, I offered to take them, and I'd call the rehabbers myself. But, I also told the lady that if the rehabbers didn't want them, they might become snake food at my house. Sure enough, the local rehabbers were swamped with other cases at the moment, and told me that if I could "recycle" them via my snakes, to go for it. (Boy was I surprised that they didn't jump my case for that suggestion.)

I am well aware, though, that baby birds usually carry parasites, so I planned to freeze them after a quick death. BUT, I started thinking about Spectacle (the python), and wondered if he was wanting a chicken dinner (actually, in this case a robin dinner - 5 of them). I hesitantly offered one via long tongs, and WHAMMO!!! I was already planning on giving him some deworming meds this month anyway, to see if that helped his apetite any...

So, I guess I need to find a source for frozen chicks. I'll look around. But, at least I know what the little bugger wants!!

--Bonnie

I know someone here that has had a pair of BPS for 22yrs...well, nearly 23 years. Obviously these were wild caught things that many years ago.....but she lived on a chicken egg farm and the BPs readily took chicks. Maybe that is the way to go.
I am personally gonna try rabbit kits first. (as I have them already to breed) but if that doesn't go I am heading for chicks as I am sick to death of GERBILS
-----
Sonya

Congratulations! But, uh, I think you just violated some federal migratory songbird law or other. If those baby birds had been non-natives like starlings or English sparrows you'd be in the clear. But ssshhhh. We won't tell.

My experience is that some pythons like Burmese love birds and given the opportunity really prefer them over rodents or rabbits. And I had a Haitian boa that got fixated on chicks once. I guess you can be glad your ball python didn't choose gerbils as the preferred menu item. A drawback of the bird diet is that it produces looser and smellier stools than does a rodent diet.

-Joan

>>I've had one of my Ball Pythons for 4 years, the other for only 2. It's the latter that has always given me a hard time about eating.
>>
>>Well.... tonight I found out what he wants....
>>
>>I did a reptile removal call at a lady's house tonight, and while I didn't find the offending snakes, I did point out that the bird's nest that was right at her door might attract a snake. That was it - the birds had to go, she said. She didn't know who to call to take the baby birds, but I suggested calling the local wildlife rehabbers. She wasn't sure they'd come out and take them, since the Momma bird was still hanging around.
>>
>>So, I offered to take them, and I'd call the rehabbers myself. But, I also told the lady that if the rehabbers didn't want them, they might become snake food at my house. Sure enough, the local rehabbers were swamped with other cases at the moment, and told me that if I could "recycle" them via my snakes, to go for it. (Boy was I surprised that they didn't jump my case for that suggestion.)
>>
>>I am well aware, though, that baby birds usually carry parasites, so I planned to freeze them after a quick death. BUT, I started thinking about Spectacle (the python), and wondered if he was wanting a chicken dinner (actually, in this case a robin dinner - 5 of them). I hesitantly offered one via long tongs, and WHAMMO!!! I was already planning on giving him some deworming meds this month anyway, to see if that helped his apetite any...
>>
>>So, I guess I need to find a source for frozen chicks. I'll look around. But, at least I know what the little bugger wants!!
>>
>>--Bonnie