Feeding Opinions (1 pic DU W)

hey everyone!
was just wandering through some threads in here and came across a person talking about switching their ball from 2 mice to one rat/ wk. i know feeding multiple items isn't any different for the ball (still once a week) to a single larger item so i'm thinking of just feeding Aza mice from now on if possible. currently she's eating 2 medium rats every week or so and i was wondering how many mice (if even possible) she should take to remain healthy and happy. opinions? stick with 2 rats or switch to mice?

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../azanewpic.JPG

(as a reference point to size the aquarium she is in is a 40 br.)

thanks all

-billy

Why would you be switching to Mice? If she's eating rats now... its just easier (IMO) to continue feeding her Rats. It would take quite a few Mice to replace what she's getting with two rats.... and if you ever wanted to turn back to rats in the future... she may get "addicted" to the mice... They're imprint feeders, and mouse feeders just seem to want mice... and only mice.

Just my eight cents..

wow...two medium rats a week is a pretty big meal. I would think one would suffice (although she does look great! :) ). Anyway, unless you're having issues finding rats, I would stick with them.

Most ppl ask the "switching from mice to rats" question...I prefer Rats. mice are just so small.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nathanledet

mice are just so small.

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Yet plenty big enough for even a large ball python when fed weekly.

Most ball pythons in captivity are wayyyy overfed.

-adam

hehe maybe i should stay away from Petco. their adult mice would feed babies.

My currently 944 gram female eats two medium mice a week - and still gains on average 100 grams a month. Sometimes all they have are small mice available and she still gets just two.

wowee OK i stand corrected. Thanks for the info. i have learned today :)

My Bp is fed 1 small rat weekly (Just switched her over) Mice I think are just too small. And when I fed mice my snake just seemed to be too hungry just 2 days after feeding 1 mouse. I tried feeding 2 mice per feeding once... and my snake just ignored it (I feed f/t) and she went into her hide and fell asleep.... 1 small rat a week is fine with my snake. And when she gets older I think my snake will be bale to take either 2 small rats or a medium rat. I also think the reason why a lot of snake are over fed is because they syart to show signs of being hungry a few days after being fed. Maybe because in the wilf on average a Bp only moves 15ft a day (so I've been told, but still not too much) but when we hold our snake they tend to slither more. Thus using up calories more than they would if they were in the wild.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sapphire7

My Bp is fed 1 small rat weekly (Just switched her over) Mice I think are just too small. And when I fed mice my snake just seemed to be too hungry just 2 days after feeding 1 mouse. I tried feeding 2 mice per feeding once... and my snake just ignored it (I feed f/t) and she went into her hide and fell asleep.... 1 small rat a week is fine with my snake. And when she gets older I think my snake will be bale to take either 2 small rats or a medium rat. I also think the reason why a lot of snake are over fed is because they syart to show signs of being hungry a few days after being fed. Maybe because in the wilf on average a Bp only moves 15ft a day (so I've been told, but still not too much) but when we hold our snake they tend to slither more. Thus using up calories more than they would if they were in the wild.

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I think that it is highly unlikely that a ball python eats 52 times a year in the wild ... catching prey when you have no arms or legs ain't easy ... I have about 20 adult ball pythons that eat mice and they are doing fine ... I also have about 100 adult females that are very large and eat not much more than a small rat per week.

Sooner or later, over feeding will lead to fasting.

-adam