Getting my BP on rats

I'm planning on getting my 8 month ball python on rats, but I'm not sure what size to feed him. His girth is around 4 - 4 1/2 inches around. I've been feeding him adult mice, what size rat would be equivalent to that?

Also, do you know of any cheap online stores to buy frozen rats? Most of them are super expensive I guess because of the dry ice, but I really need to buy them online because my local pet stores/reptile stores are always either out of stock/don't have the size I need.

Need answers!!

If he's on adult mice I'd say rat weanlings. Unfortunately all the online carriers are about the same price wise due to the high shipping cost

Rodent Pro or Mice Direct are good suppliers. Buy in bulk and shipping doesn't feel like such a hit. As far as size, no two suppliers will be identical. One might call a 3 week old rat a weanling, others might call it a fuzzy. I follow the body width rule - prey items should be at or slightly smaller than your snake's widest part.

This is a pretty good chart: http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...seRatChart.jpg

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Originally Posted by shadowsnakes

Rodent Pro or Mice Direct are good suppliers. Buy in bulk and shipping doesn't feel like such a hit. As far as size, no two suppliers will be identical. One might call a 3 week old rat a weanling, others might call it a fuzzy. I follow the body width rule - prey items should be at or slightly smaller than your snake's widest part.

This is a pretty good chart: http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...seRatChart.jpg

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Actually the prey should be equal to or just a little bigger than your snakes widest girth. It should leave a little noticeable lump.

I used to follow that reasoning until my male pied began refusing anything larger than himself. This is also the snake who refuses anything unless it is live, plays with mice before eating them, and insists on striking every rat on its behind. Strange snake. :rolleyes: