Feeding?!

Hey everybody,
I just bought my first BP at an exotic animal sale yesterday. I'm really excited about it and I've already made many of the necessary purchases. However, I did not get a chance to ask the man when was the last time that the BP had ate. He is very young. Does anyone have any advice on when should I feed him? Thanks.

Feed the ball python a rodent(mouse or rat) that is equal in size to the snake's girth.

Also, I would recommend leaving the ball python alone for a week before attempting to feed. It will give it time to settle in and adjust to it's new environment.

Dont be dissappointed if it wont eat for a while,i have mine almost 2 months now and she hasnt eaten,but she seems to be doing well, (lost a little weight but it has stopped now)
They can stop eating for months,i was worried at first but i learned to relax.Leave it a week or so before you try and feed if she doesnt feed after a week leave it another week and try again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by newsnakeowner

Hey everybody,
I just bought my first BP at an exotic animal sale yesterday. I'm really excited about it and I've already made many of the necessary purchases. However, I did not get a chance to ask the man when was the last time that the BP had ate. He is very young. Does anyone have any advice on when should I feed him? Thanks.

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If at all possible contact the vendor and ask what this snake was eating (rats or mice) and what method (frozen/thawed, pre-killed or live). If that's not possible, then pick whichever you prefer, leave the snake alone for a good week with just basic cage maintenance, pick an evening of the week as the feeding night and see how it goes. If you aren't sure how to do each feeding method, have a look through the threads for advice or ask. There are BPNet members that feed all methods and both rats and mice so there's tons of experience here.