Feeding plan for hatchling ball? Sound good or need tweaking?
I recently purchased a baby ball python from a breeder in my area. She hatched May 11th and was 81 grams when she got home. A few days after I got her I offered her a fuzzy rat which she didn't even acknowledge as prey. A few days later I got her a mouse hopper which she took quite well. I noticed it didn't really make a bump in her tummy but it could have just been a small hopper, I didn't weigh it.
After some looking around online I am planning on keeping her on hoppers till she is around 100 grams then switching to rat pups. My main concern is getting her feeding reliably before I try to make the switch. Does this sound like the best plan? Once she is reliably taking rat pups I will switch her to f/t rat pups from there. Someone else on here suggested going ahead and trying to get her to take a small adult mouse? Is this too large?
I also considered getting both a rat fuzzy and a hopper today and keeping them in the same container on the way home to 'scent' the fuzzy. My adult bp will gladly take care of whatever she doesn't eat.
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Re: Feeding plan for hatchling ball? Sound good or need tweaking?
I think your plan sounds good, I think keeping the pup and hopper together for senting could definitely help the transition. I would offer the rat pup again, personally, I have never had issues getting hatchlings to switch, I actually start all of my hatchlings on rat pups and try to avoid feeding hoppers unless they refuse to eat after multiple feeding attempts. Hoppers just seem too small to me, and I feel I get better growth the sooner I get them eating rats.
Re: Feeding plan for hatchling ball? Sound good or need tweaking?
Hopper until the animal is 100 grams is what I would consider underfeeding.
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Someone else on here suggested going ahead and trying to get her to take a small adult mouse? Is this too large?
No it's not too big your BP is capable of taking a small adult.
When it comes to switching the sooner you are without waiting for a certain age or size the better of you will be, right now get 3 to 5 consecutive meal in her and once established switch soon as you can.
The key is to feed a prey equal the girth size to hatchling and juvies.
Re: Feeding plan for hatchling ball? Sound good or need tweaking?
My way, 3 feedings on asf's, 3 feedings on rat's then they go to f/t rats seems to work.
Some take f/t sooner some not, just depends on the animal.
You know,
The best laid plans of mice and men....
Re: Feeding plan for hatchling ball? Sound good or need tweaking?
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Originally Posted by
purple python
I think your plan sounds good, I think keeping the pup and hopper together for senting could definitely help the transition. I would offer the rat pup again, personally, I have never had issues getting hatchlings to switch, I actually start all of my hatchlings on rat pups and try to avoid feeding hoppers unless they refuse to eat after multiple feeding attempts. Hoppers just seem too small to me, and I feel I get better growth the sooner I get them eating rats.
She took the scented rat no problem last night. Will I need to continue scenting them for awhile or?
Re: Feeding plan for hatchling ball? Sound good or need tweaking?
I don't think you need to keep scenting. Try the rat then if it doesn't take it then scent it again. I have rarely had an issue switching from the hopper mice to the rat pups. I think usually it's just about getting the snake familiar with eating and the little hoppers trigger a response with their quick movement's. (Jmo)
