Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone,
I went to our local Herp Show last weekend hoping to pick up a Bearded Dragon and Ball Python. There were hundreds of Bearded Dragons but only a hand full of Ball Pythons. I chose a male who had just turned a year old on September 2nd which is my husbands birthday so he got some points there. The breeder had the parents there and they were nicely colored and not too big. I also received the chart she made from the day he hatched to present, listing all of his feedings (or refusals) including what type of food was fed or refused and how it was offered. His weight throughout the year, and when he shed. He is a fussy one, refuses most of the time looking at the records. He's gone from 77 grams at hatching to 250 grams now. He's only eaten on his own 9 times in the last year, ate "with assistance" 18 times, and refused all of the other feedings. I'm a bit nervous about my ability to get him eating regularly, but will do my best. I breed my own mice, but not rats. Hoping to get him eating the mice, but will buy some rat pups or fuzzies if need be. I named him Slytherin. I had him out last night and it took him almost an hour to uncurl and start exploring. Once uncurled he explored all over. Hopefully he worked up an appetite!

Saying goodbye to his sister at the show, she was bought by a nice girl who seemed very pleased with her. Slytherin is on the left, sister on right.

Typical pattern, nothing special, but he's beautiful to me!

Last Picture

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Lyns Lair
Frogwatch USA
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose Snake (Wilbur)
1.0 Yellow / Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (no names yet)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Tank)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
2.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frogs (Chompy & Gimli)
0.1 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

I would say stick with the rats as they will be a better meal when the snake does decide to eat. No mice unless you have to.

What size rats would a 1 year old 250 gram BP eat? Why are Rats better than Mice?
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Lyns Lair
Frogwatch USA
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose Snake (Wilbur)
1.0 Yellow / Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (no names yet)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Tank)
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
2.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frogs (Chompy & Gimli)
0.1 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

generally rat pups would be a good place to start, then up to just weanned rats or really small small rats. The bone structure is better in rats and I heard that provides more calcium and substance for the snakes.

I'm curious, too. Is there a rule of thumb for selecting feeder mice/rats?

Chris

I think it is generally a little larger than the roundest part of the snakes middle. When the snake eats the meal you should be able to see a bulge, if no bulge food item might be on the small size. If it is too large they won't eat it so don't worry about that.