Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok a 400 gram male ball python takes a small rat every 2 weeks??? is that under feeding? the small rats at my pet store are a good 4-5" in length so i duno....Some people say the larger the meals the more likely the snake will refuse meals int he future....My bro just wants him on rats so hell be used to them but im just no sure how often to feed them to him....He is only 32" and 400 grmas approx. thank you
Jake

Ok, if you feed your snake a small rat and 5-7 days later he's active and out "hunting" that means he's hungry, feed him again. IMO according to the size you described, I would think he should be eating a small rat a week, but again you need to take your cues from your snake, if he's a slow digester once every other week is fine too. You don't need to get a bigger prey item, but you may need to increase frequency of feeding.
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Tosha

3.5.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.1.0 Siberian Husky (Kita)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
5.4.2 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

n/p
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Larry Walker

"Some people say the larger the meals the more likely the snake will refuse meals int he future."

If you mean by "future," 6 months or a year down the road, I haven't seen or been shown this. I've heard people make the statement that it could happen, but I haven't seen any evidence of this happening. If you mean that next week he won't eat, that may be true. HE'S NOT HUNGRY!!

Try this... get a small rodent cage. Buy an small rat (just weaned). Offer the small rat to your snake. If he's hungry, he'll eat. If he's not hungry, he won't.

If he eats, then you can go buy another rat next week.
If he doesn't eat, put the rat in the small rodent cage (with food and water) and try offering it to your snake again next week.

Repeat As Needed

Good Luck
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Larry Walker

thanks