Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have some important questions that I think you all can answer better than a ball python book (or at least, I hope you can). I just got these 2 and want to make sure they're healthy (rescues).

I'm looking for a general opinion on the following questions, and would greatly appreciate it!

1) How much should a healthy just-turned-3 and an almost-turned-4 ball python weigh & measure lengthwise?

2) How much food should each be getting? The best the pet store had in frozen (the snakes have never had live) is medium mice. Is one apiece once a week enough?

3) What size cage is sufficient for ball pythons? The one they came with is 30 x 29 x 26, approximately. It's a great wooden cage with a ceramic socket, so I'd definately prefer to keep it.

Thanks!

i too am a somewhat beginner to pythons but i will answer the best i can, some of these other people on here answered a couple for me a few days ago......my adult male ball eats 2 large mice a week, so i guess 1 medium rat would be about equivalant..... aslo ball pythons need to be kept seperatly, i recently rescued a female and put her in with my male and she wouldnt eat over the 5 weeks she was in there so i got on here and asked a few ?'s and i learned that a female might starve herself in the presence of a male, especially this time of year as it is breeding season (from what i am told). But my male is in a homemade wooden cage that was previously used to house 2 specaled cobras (not mine-a friend's) that measures 32 inches w 32 inches deep and 4 feet tall, i put the female in a 40 gallon breeder critter cage and she seems to have plenty of room.....anyways that is what i have been told, so take it or leave it, i'm sure someone else with more knowledge and info will answer a little better for ya soon!! GOOD LUCK!!

Well, these two (both males) have been together for almost 3 years now, and both are feeding fine and seem completely normal and calm together. I hear from as many people that they are fine together as I hear that they should be separated, so I'm inclined to leave them the way that they're used to.

I'm going to start another thread about this later, but right now I really want to know about measurements & feeding.

Thanks!

>>1) How much should a healthy just-turned-3 and an almost-turned-4 ball python weigh & measure lengthwise?

Males will generally be smaller than females and if they are eating mice instead of rats then they tend to be leaner too. A 3-4 year old male could be anywhere between 3 and 4 feet long and weigh about 1000 grams.

>>2) How much food should each be getting? The best the pet store had in frozen (the snakes have never had live) is medium mice. Is one apiece once a week enough?

I would think your snakes should be able to handle 2 adult size mice or one small rat a week. If your local pet store doesn't have the appropriate size look online for a good supplier.

>>3) What size cage is sufficient for ball pythons? The one they came with is 30 x 29 x 26, approximately. It's a great wooden cage with a ceramic socket, so I'd definately prefer to keep it.

30 x 29 x 26 sounds ok for one, but it does not sound like it would be big enough to properly house two adult balls.
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Tosha

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

Can you please recommend a few good online suppliers of frozen mice/rats?

Thanks!

When you sign in to Kingsnake just take a look at the top section and instead of hitting forums, click on Breeders/dealers/stores There are lots of feeder dealers there and you can select for what works for you, price, locality or what ever works best. Also you can check out your local reptile society they usually have people that are breeding their own mice/rats and are willing to sell off their extras.

PS.... I know you aren't too concerned yet with keeping them together but if one gets sick they both will get sick and that means double vet bills. Just one reason you might want to get an extra cage.
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Nita Hamilton
4.13 Normal BP's, 1.0 Het Orange Ghost BP, 1.0 Het Pied 1.0 50% poss Het Orange Ghost BP's

"It's a great wooden cage with a ceramic socket"

I gave up on one similer to that for two reasons.

1)There was never enough humidity(Between the combination of the light bulb and the cage being made of wood)..

2)I got tired of worrying about the animal crushing the bulb.

Best of luck to you.
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Charles Glaspie