Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Not sure if this is the right board, but will post anyway.

Back in the end of May we acquired a "full grown" python. We were told it is full grown, but it is only about 3 1/2 to 4 feet long. They couldn't tell us if it is a male or female. We got it injured where it was trying to push the screen off the tape of the cage and broken through the metal screen and scratched its nose up. Then it started shedding, and it was just in bits and pieces falling off, not one long shed. We were told when we got it from the previous owner (who, by the way, was a teenager who didn't take too good of care of it, so his parents gave it to us) that it hadn't eaten since before Christmas, maybe even Thanksgiving.

When we got it, it wouldn't eat. I figured it was stress from moving, new environment and injury. I tried a couple of weeks later and nothing. Then I noticed the skin shedding.

Well, it finally finished shedding over the past weekend and today I offered it a large rat. This snake has only eaten live rats since the person before bought it. So, I offered it a live rat and it went after it immediately. It had the rat completely down within 15 minutes.

Now my question is, since it hasln't eaten in such a long time, when should I offer more food to it? I know I was told before that they normally eat every 2 weeks or so, but should I wait the two weeks, or offer something sooner?

Thanks.

First, have you looked thru pictures of various pythons online and seen any that resemble what you own?

Second, ball pythons are notorious for not feeding for long stretches of time (months) and being fine. I generally feed every 7 to 10 days and feel that gives the snakes enough time to digest before the next feeding and doesn't make them obese.

As for full-grown, ball pythons usually don't grow beyond 5 ft, and very rarely 6 ft.

Also, feeding live rodents is a very bad idea in my opinion. The rodent can do a lot of serious damage to a snake when it feels threatened or hungry, especiallly rats. Killing it before you offer it to the ball python is one option. Buying frozen rats and thawing them out in warm water is another cheaper option if you're ok with having vacuum sealed rats next to the ice cream in the freezer. If you have any more questions, please post them again. Best of luck. -Whit

well what i would do is feed it a mouse in a week then skip a week then start feeding every 2 weeks.just my thoughts i may be wrong

It is very helpful.