Ball Python Feeding Size

Hi,

So for the past 3 weeks since I've had my ball python, she's had 2 meals with me. When I got her the person I bought it from said she was 300 grams. I bought a small rat from the pet store because that's the smallest step up from adult mice. The mice were only like 20 grams so I think I've been under feeding her. Do you think if I fed her a small rat it would be too big of a meal?? It says on the package it's 40 grams, but I'm not sure if she's grown at all since I've gotten her from 3 meals. If pictures are needed let me know and I can provide them. The reason I'm asking this is because today's feeding day and the pet shop has no more mice only rats till next week.

Here's the snake's widest point: http://imgur.com/bLxNArf
Here's the small rat: http://imgur.com/raL8x8O

at 300 grams, I'd think she would probably be okay with a rat pup. My little girl is only 115g and takes fuzzy rats with little or no bulging in her belly. I would think yours could handle a 40g okay.

If you go by the feeding rule, saying prey weight should be between 10 and 15% of the snakes body weight, your prey weight for a 300g snake could be 30-45g.

Sweet, thanks! She took it down no problem! She went right back to her basking spot after feeding, only thing is, she has a little bulge in her stomach area. Is that normal?

Yes, it will take her a while to break it down and start digesting. It's best to not bother them for 24-48 hours after they eat.

You'd be surprised how big of food a snake can eat. General rule is 10% of body weight or thick as the thickest part of the snake. With that said, I have all of my guys stuff that has made them look like they ate a football afterwards and I almost have to roll them into their warm hides :rofl:But a couple days later and they are out and cruising. My advice though is if you feed an extra large meal one time, the next time you feed a smaller than normal meal. This adds variation. I do this to my gals all the time and I even try and vary up the food items. Give em a rat one feeding and then a mouse the next. This really only works on my small BCI as I haven't found anywhere local to get quails for my big BCI girl. I think I found a guy local for rabbits but i'll have to check to see how small of rabbit I need to get to compare to a large rat. Anyways, if it was me, I would try and get your BP switched over to rats asap as it seems some BPs will imprint on a certain pretty item and you don't want that to be mice especially when he gets to 3-4' and needs like 6 mice per feeding.

Agreed. I've heard of people purposely keeping their BP on mice to keep the size smaller as more of a pet, but I prefer mine to be on rats. The first time I gave my spinner blast a small rat, he looked like a miserable stuffed sausage. gave him a weaned the week after and he looked at me like 'that's it?' Lol

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Lol yeah they do love to eat, well until they get older. Then they like to make the owner upset by going on hunger strikes lol. Lucky for me I got 2 boas who also love to eat so nothing gets wasted as I feed only fresh killed.

I have a 200g killer bee who is eating approx 28g prey once a week.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

You'd be surprised how big of food a snake can eat. General rule is 10% of body weight or thick as the thickest part of the snake. With that said, I have all of my guys stuff that has made them look like they ate a football afterwards and I almost have to roll them into their warm hides :rofl:But a couple days later and they are out and cruising. My advice though is if you feed an extra large meal one time, the next time you feed a smaller than normal meal. This adds variation. I do this to my gals all the time and I even try and vary up the food items. Give em a rat one feeding and then a mouse the next. This really only works on my small BCI as I haven't found anywhere local to get quails for my big BCI girl. I think I found a guy local for rabbits but i'll have to check to see how small of rabbit I need to get to compare to a large rat. Anyways, if it was me, I would try and get your BP switched over to rats asap as it seems some BPs will imprint on a certain pretty item and you don't want that to be mice especially when he gets to 3-4' and needs like 6 mice per feeding.

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Hahaha sounds like your snake has quite the personality :) thanks for the info!! He did look like a football after I fed it to her but now it's been 15 hours since she's eaten and it's gone down. Should I just not handle her for the next 2 days? I normally wait around 32 hours. Even when I handle her it's only for 10 mins. I don't like to stress them out.