Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 4 baby ball python on f/t rats, 1 on live and one not eating. The one on live was sopost to be eating f/t rats when shipped from the breeder, but the ball isn't interested in f/t and I am just happy she is eating. I really don't like going to my rodent breeder just for a few live baby rats, but until I get the ball switched to f/t I have no choice. I can house the fuzzies in one of the tubs of the rack. I want to house as many as possible for the one of live (maybe 2-the one not eating) w/ out buying to many and having them die on me. I also don't want to buy not enought and have to be going back and fourth to my rodent breeder. I won't be supplying food or water, just a warm place for them to stay before there eaten. What should the temps be, low 80s? My rack is from the low 80s (cool side) to 91-92 warm side). I offer my babies 3-4 meals a week. I just want to know how long can a fuzzy survive w/ out food or water and at what temp should they be at? ......to much detail for just two questions, but any help would be great, thanks.

Kyle

First you're feeding them way too often. Once a week is PLENTY. They don't need to be fed 3 or 4 times a week. Second... if you want to keep fuzzies alive for more than 24 hrs.. you have to provide some type of nourishment in order to keep their glucose levels up or they slip into Anaphylactic shock and die otherwise known as Diabetic shock because their insulin levels are too high due to their metabolism. If you watch mother rats.. they're generally feeding their pups every hour or so throughout the day... The reason your babies might not be interested in FT is because you're feeding them too often... back off on the feeding to once a week and try that.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
3.5.3 Leopard geckos (2.0 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 0.1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short), 1.0 Rainwater Albino (Mycah), 0.4 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, Rain and Aris) and 2.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas, and Mystic))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
3 cats (Ashe, Sahara and Hercules)
6 Fish (4 Red Danios, 1 Cardinal Fish, and 1 Tiger Barb)
8 Ramshorn snails
"And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!"

I do not feed all of them 3-4 times a week, just the ones that want that much food. I offer food every 5-6 days for the picky eaters. If you want your babies to gain weight then you should feed often.

No... You don't.. each baby should be fed ONCE every week.... I raise boas thank you. I've raised pythons in the past....Feeding ANY baby more than twice a week can stress out their system due to the influx of TOO much food. If they were in the wild they'd be lucky to be getting a meal every 2 or 3 weeks.. or even months.. especially ball pythons who are designed to go for long periods without food as long as they have water. Offering food 3 or 4 times a week can be as harmful as not offering food. Ever heard of Hepatic Lipidosis also known as Fatty Liver disease? Its caused by too much fat cycling through the liver.... it can be fatal or it can severely shorten the lifespan of a ball python which have been known to live 20 to 30 years... You're not giving your snakes enough time to clear their system before you feed them again. You should always wait to feed until they've bathroomed from the last meal you gave them.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
3.5.3 Leopard geckos (2.0 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 0.1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short), 1.0 Rainwater Albino (Mycah), 0.4 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, Rain and Aris) and 2.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas, and Mystic))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
3 cats (Ashe, Sahara and Hercules)
6 Fish (4 Red Danios, 1 Cardinal Fish, and 1 Tiger Barb)
8 Ramshorn snails
"And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!"

Look it up.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
3.5.3 Leopard geckos (2.0 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 0.1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short), 1.0 Rainwater Albino (Mycah), 0.4 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, Rain and Aris) and 2.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas, and Mystic))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
3 cats (Ashe, Sahara and Hercules)
6 Fish (4 Red Danios, 1 Cardinal Fish, and 1 Tiger Barb)
8 Ramshorn snails
"And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!"

I don't know about rats... but I took some fuzzy mice to a pet shop once and some of them were still alive the next week when I returned to supply them with more mice. I was amazed. I also felt very bad for them. Sniff. But whether rats would do this or not, I wouldn't purposely put them through it. I think that even feeders deserve a decent life till they die. Oh, and even though I'm no snake expert... I don't think that fat snakes are healthy snakes.

Just my 2 cents.
MissHisssss.

not true at all i have a 8 month old diamond python she eats every 7 days she eats 1 fuzzie rat and she weighs 167grams.a fat snake is not a heathy snake my snake is at the right weight my vet said for her age and size. and shes a slender snake. what you are doing is power feeding and that shortens the life of the snake. snakes should be fed one good size meal once every 7 to 10 days.