New snakes...mice or rats?

[MPwife10]

I just got two new snakes (about a week ago) and the old owner was feeding them small mice. My buddy who has a ball feels that those are to small for them and they might be underweight because of it.

Bella is my female and when I weighed her she was 500g and is about 3'3"...I say about because she was not liking me measuring her lol.

Jake is my male and he weighed at 535g...not sure his length yet though.

Should they stay on small mice or should I give them bigger? It's feeding day and I want to make sure they are being fed enough.

[lunasjy]

My ball pythons are on small rats before they are even at two feet so yes. I would up their food. Rats are healthier anyway. A bit more on the expensive side but I start feed rats as soon as the are done with hopper mice.

[Cowtipper]

Definitely small rats. Those snakes are big enough to be on them, and as the snakes grow, you just up the size of the rats.

[Tsanford]

I breed my own rats so I always have all sizes on hand. I start even baby ball's on rats that way they never have the taste of mice and there will be no issues switching in the future.

I'd say switch to rats, and at the snakes current weights they should be on Weanlings - small sizes rats.

[Mr. Misha]

Yep, small rats should be a good meal for them.

[MPwife10]

Thanks everyone for the help!

[Sauzo]

As others have said, rats. It's much easier to feed 1 rat vs multiple mice when they get big and the sooner you get them switched the better as some BPs get imprinted on a certain food item.

[MPwife10]

As others have said, rats. It's much easier to feed 1 rat vs multiple mice when they get big and the sooner you get them switched the better as some BPs get imprinted on a certain food item.

Bella got her first rat today and it looked way to big for her but its down and she is in her hide box now. Jake is working on his as I type this...keeping an eye on him like I did her since they are use to small mice.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Since you only had the snakes for 2 weeks right now your priority is to get them to eat and generally speaking feeding what was previously offered for 2 to 3 weeks is best (adult mice not small), once completely settled and eating for you, you can switch if you want to starting with a rat that is the same size than the mice previously offered and than go up in size.

The bottom line is to feed what works and is convinient for YOU, you do not have to feed rats you can feed mice if you want to, as they grow you only have to feed multiple which can be 2 to 4 a week.

One prey is not better or healthier than the other gram per gram it's all the same the only difference is how many are needed to feed an adult BP.

[ballpythonluvr]

Since you only had the snakes for 2 weeks right now your priority is to get them to eat and generally speaking feeding what was previously offered for 2 to 3 weeks is best (adult mice not small), once completely settled and eating for you, you can switch if you want to starting with a rat that is the same size than the mice previously offered and than go up in size.

The bottom line is to feed what works and is convinient for YOU, you do not have to feed rats you can feed mice if you want to, as they grow you only have to feed multiple which can be 2 to 4 a week.

One prey is not better or healthier than the other gram per gram it's all the same the only difference is how many are needed to feed an adult BP.

^^^^
This!