Feeding Size for Age/Size estimate ?

Hi, I'm looking to purchase a Bulk buy on frozen rodents for a single Ball Python. We have not purchased the snake yet and are just Assuming it will eat the pre-killed frozen treats.. So if it doesn't, well we'll have a deal for some local hobbyist I guess !

What I'm looking for is an estimated # of weeks a baby BP will eat Fuzzy mice before it will move up the Size Chart of the available size rodents?
e.g.
1 fuzzy a week for 12 weeks
1 small mouse for 12 weeks
1 medium mouse for 12 weeks
Etc
Etc,

Hopefully one of you have a idea of what I mean and have a few minutes to type it out for me..:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BillinIndiana

Hi, I'm looking to purchase a Bulk buy on frozen rodents for a single Ball Python. We have not purchased the snake yet and are just Assuming it will eat the pre-killed frozen treats.. So if it doesn't, well we'll have a deal for some local hobbyist I guess !

What I'm looking for is an estimated # of weeks a baby BP will eat Fuzzy mice before it will move up the Size Chart of the available size rodents?
e.g.
1 fuzzy a week for 12 weeks
1 small mouse for 12 weeks
1 medium mouse for 12 weeks
Etc
Etc,

Hopefully one of you have a idea of what I mean and have a few minutes to type it out for me..:D

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Here is a general idea - not set in stone at all!!!!


first feeding - 2 months: 15g fuzzy rats
2 months - 4 months: 30g pups
4 months - 8 months: 50g weanlings
8+ months: 80g smalls

I'm with Ricky on this one. Ditch the mice, and follow his advice. (and it rhymed )

is it wrong that I use mice as "filler food" while I wait for my rats to breed?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BillinIndiana

Hi, I'm looking to purchase a Bulk buy on frozen rodents for a single Ball Python. We have not purchased the snake yet and are just Assuming it will eat the pre-killed frozen treats.. So if it doesn't, well we'll have a deal for some local hobbyist I guess !

What I'm looking for is an estimated # of weeks a baby BP will eat Fuzzy mice before it will move up the Size Chart of the available size rodents?
e.g.
1 fuzzy a week for 12 weeks
1 small mouse for 12 weeks
1 medium mouse for 12 weeks
Etc
Etc,

Hopefully one of you have a idea of what I mean and have a few minutes to type it out for me..:D

---

This would be considered underfeeding in most cases.

I have only seen one hatchling that was small enough that it required a mouse fuzzy as its first meal. Mouse fuzzies are far too small for 99% of hatchlings. Most normal hatchlings are either started on mouse hoppers or rat fuzzies and they move up in prey size VERY quickly. The generally accepted method of feeding is 10-15% of your snake's body weight. Most breeders feed their hatchling and younger balls on a 5 day schedule and adults on a 7 day schedule. With proper feeding your snake can easily double its weight in the first month or so and it isn't uncommon for them to reach 1,000+ grams by their first birthdays with proper feeding.

My advice is get yourself a digital scale and feed accordingly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AK907

This would be considered underfeeding in most cases.

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Yea, I'm just researching all this so My "e.g" was just an example.. When the Care Sheet said that a BP could thrive on just a Small Rat a week I just guessed that it was eating smaller stuff when it was younger for the sake of the post. I haven't gotten that far into the whole husbandry thing yet, but I'm getting there.

Quote:

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My advice is get yourself a digital scale and feed accordingly.

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Have one coming some time.. Funny something 10 hrs away has taken over a week to get here.. haha . The one I have coming goes up to 11lbs or 5 Kilograms.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rickys_Reptiles

Here is a general idea - not set in stone at all!!!!


first feeding - 2 months: 15g fuzzy rats
2 months - 4 months: 30g pups
4 months - 8 months: 50g weanlings
8+ months: 80g smalls

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Thanks Ricky... That's a better idea than what I started with !

Ever had a BP eat anything larger than a small rat? I'm guessing if you go by the 15% formula you have..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BillinIndiana

Thanks Ricky... That's a better idea than what I started with !

Ever had a BP eat anything larger than a small rat? I'm guessing if you go by the 15% formula you have..

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I am new to this myself, but my couple of months of lurking since I got my BP at the beginning of June has turned up that everyone is a little different with their adult BPs. Many that I have seen seem to stop at medium rats.

I'm a fan of the "by-weight" estimations.

I like to feed so that I can see a slight bulge an hour after feeding, after the feeder has been definitively swallowed deeply.

My adult girls get medium rats.

My adult males get small rats.

Everything up until then is estimation and guesswork.

Reason I'm asking is I found a place that does Free Shipping(in a certain range) if you spend $100 or more.. Sounded like a decent deal compared to another one that wanted $40 S/H on a $40 order..
It's American Rodent Supply http://americanrodent.com/

Are there any better deals out there? Like my name says I'm in Indiana