Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok, i have a 2 year old ball python, thihng is she is very small for her age,

when i first got her she was a "assisted Feeder" snake and as a result her growth seems to be way behind, ive now got her feeding quite regulary.

she is now measuring in a 27" long and at the fattest her width is prob an inch to inch and a half. so she is quite thick boddied. problem is, as she has grown...her head has not! she has a really nice body but only the head of a yearling still (have compared this to a true yearling snake and it is so)
thing is now i have her feeding i want to finally try and get her upto ideal weight and size.

she refuses to take more than one meal a week (which at the minute consists of 3 large mice) but is still hungry 3 days later, plus buying 3 large mice works out pretty expensive to feed seeing as i HAVE to buy f/t. i was wondering what i should /could be feeding her on? a friend of mine sugested small rats but surly a small rat would fit in her mouth, like i said she has only a yearling sized head. and advice would be appreciated thanks

I would not feed more than once a week. I think she cant take the small rat. I have some very small snakes taking them without trouble. I also have an 1800 gram ball python eating jumbo rats (not weekly...but she would if I offered her)

i have a yearling ball python, who eats like a champ, has taken a item every time i have offered it. i feed him a baby rat (f/t) once a week he has no problem handling it, i have feem him adult mice twice and he wouldnt take them it took several tried to get him to take them, then he looked as though he could not move, so i switch to baby rats close to the size of a mouse, and i would have to say the snake eats 100% better on the rats.

If she is eating 3 mice, you can easily give her small rats that are between 55g and 100g. You will be amazed but yes she can eat it. Heck, a 96g snake will easily down an sm adult mouse so trust me your girl can eat a small rat.
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Nita Hamilton
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Ball Pythons

what i am classing as a small rat is a rat that should be approx 6/7 weeks in age.
if you look at the picture il place now, this is her, ive put the dish in for comparason, please realise that this dish has a 3" (inch) diameter.
also note the small head size. do you still think the should be able to manage?

Even after looking at the pic I'm sure it could take a small rat. You need to realize that a snakes head is built in such a way that it can take a prey item three or more times the size of it's head. I'd give it a try.

Quig

I agree. She should be able to take rat pups easily, if she is eating three large mice. Rat pups are about 2 1/2 to three weeks old. My yearling ball python eats rat pups without any problem and she's only about 230g.

I've got some babies from may that already eat small rats, not pups, actual small rats. A little pastel I got this year weighed in at only 68 grams when I bought him and he ate a huge mouse for his first meal which was intended as a teaser to see if he was hungry.

Cole

The head of your snake looks perfectly proportional to me. That's just the way ball pythons are. I have a four year old thats about 42 inches with a head no longer than an inch and a half and he eats medium rats like popcorn. Snakes are especially amazing creatures when it comes to eating. So drop a small rat in and watch what happens.

Steve

ok then. no harm in giving it a try i suppose.
i guess the worst that can happen is she gets it half way down, decides its too big and gives me it back.
ok then il give her a try, thanks alot for the advice all