Feeding question.

[cweimer4]

I dont know what category this fits in, Husbandry or this one so mods can switch it if need be.

HOWEVER tomorrow is feeding day for my male ball python Hes around 2 feet in length Ill attach a pic to kind of give a perspective on how big he is. Ive been feeding him small feeder mice, i dont know all the names for all the mice, mouses, rats, whatever you wanna call them. But i dont know if i should move up in size.



im 6ft 3 so my legs are kinda long. i guess. its the only pic i have of him and i havent got around to measuring him exactly. But juding by the picture and me saying right around 2 feet what do you think i should be feeding him?\






EDIT: And while were all here lol, can someone clear up whats the difference between a rheostat and a thermostat???? Dont they do the same exact thing?

[dreese88]

I would, personally, feed that snake 2 adult mice per meal if he would take them, but one adult mouse would suffice most likely. Weight would be a better measuring stick than that picture for me.

A rheostat is, essentially, a light dimmer. When you set it, what you're doing is controlling the amount of power what ever you're powering is receiving. They are ok, but are not the most reliable and also don't adjust automatically with any changes in ambient temp

Thermostats you can set to a certain temperature and when your heating device warms up the thermostat probe to that temperature, the amount of power received changes(or cuts off completely in the case of on/offs). When the probe gets colder, the stat gives more power to the device.

[cweimer4]

Poo, I dont have a scale :/.... Ill try one aduly mouse tomorrow and see how it goes. How much bigger are adult feeder mice rather then baby feeder mice Big difference?

[iCandiBallPythons]

Baby bp's a few weeks out of the egg can take a smaller adult mouse fine no problem, IMO I would try to get him established on rats, it will make life alot easier when he gets big. IMO its a pia to feed a ball multiple prey items at once.

[cweimer4]

Im not good with knowledge on the rodents. Arent rats bigger? So instead of an adult feeder mouse feed him one medium sized rat? Ah! im so confused Im sorry for being annoying. Just trying to make him as happy and as healthy as I can.

[iCandiBallPythons]

Md rat is way larger than an adult mouse, rat pups are around the size of an adult mouse. I judge the average size food item by the widest point of the snake (girth)

[cweimer4]

So a rat pup it is!!!!... I think? haha.

[iCandiBallPythons]

Posibly a small rat, honestly I'm better with python weights than lengths.

[tsshields]

So a rat pup it is!!!!... I think? haha.

Sorry i just saw this thread. IMO honestly your guy looks prolly double what my bp is and mine is downing Weaned Rats which is one step up then a rat pup... He is a picture of mine so you can kinda see the difference.. Im gonna start offering two weaned rats just cause i have a lot of them from ordering two many lol... but yea go with a weaned that pic looks like it can handle it no problem.

I have seen guys on here feed there 300g a small rat and they say they do fine...

Mine is about 200g so a weaned possibly two weaned is perfect until bigger


this gal is only 210 grams top right

[j_h_smith]

I think you would be fine with what's called a rat weanling. This is a rat that has just been weaned from their mother. Slightly larger than a large mouse, but not by much. If that's too large ask you rat supplier. If it's a pet store, then maybe you can take the snake into the store and ask.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith