Hamsters?

For ball pythons, would Hamsters be a suitable feed item? I ask because my girlfriend isn't hot on the idea of breeding rats, but I might be able to convince her to let me get a few hamsters, since she thinks they're so much more cute and cuddly.. Personally I don't see it, but that's just me...

Way too much hair and fat, the snake could possibly get an obstruction.

Why not just buy a few mice per week, since you only have one snake? Breeding rodents for just one snake can get overwhelming quickly.

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Way too much hair and fat, the snake could possibly get an obstruction.

Why not just buy a few mice per week, since you only have one snake? Breeding rodents for just one snake can get overwhelming quickly.

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2, actually. Hopefully more in the very near future. I've got a 5 shelf rack on the way from Boaphiles and hope to have it full, and possibly a second on the way, before this winter.

Still, thanks for the info. I wouldn't want to jeopardize their health for a "cute" breeder animal.

The bigger issue with soley breeding hamsters to feed is the risk of imprinting. Most herpers feed rats or mice. The risk when you go to sell the snakes is that they may not eat rats or mice which could put a burden on a new owner. Something to keep in mind. ;)

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Originally Posted by CntrlF8

For ball pythons, would Hamsters be a suitable feed item?

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Here are the problems with hamsters

1# Long sharp teeth and nasty attitude meaning higher risk of injury.

2# Thick fur which could in the long term impact your BP.

3# If your BP imprint on them and one day you have to re-home it (never know what the future hold) this would make it difficult.

Well personally if I had to choose between breeding and keeping hamsters, mice or rats I'd go with the rats every time. They don't smell as much as hamsters or *gag* mice. They aren't the big biters hamsters are and, as far as I'm concerned, rats are better "parents" (having a lesser incidence of killing/eating their own young). Male rats are also safe to house with their male offspring which is not always the case with most other rodents.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Well personally if I had to choose between breeding and keeping hamsters, mice or rats I'd go with the rats every time. They don't smell as much as hamsters or *gag* mice. They aren't the big biters hamsters are and, as far as I'm concerned, rats are better "parents" (having a lesser incidence of killing/eating their own young). Male rats are also safe to house with their male offspring which is not always the case with most other rodents.

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Yeah, everything I've read says that rats are cleaner/less stinky than other rodents. Is it possible to have a viable colony with zero odor though?

What are rats heat/cold tolerances? Would I be able to raise them in my garage?

You can't keep any living thing with zero smell though I'd say of the rodent crew, rat's are very low smell. You do need to keep them clean, well ventilated area, not overcrowd them, remove any fresh food before it goes off...just basic common sense stuff. I'm not sure the exact temps for rats off the top of my head but basically I just go...if a cat would be comfortable at this or that temp...then my rats likely are. Remember though a rat is in a confined space unable to get out so you have to make sure for instance that direct sunlight hasn't suddenly heated up a rat tank or things like that.

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Originally Posted by CntrlF8

Yeah, everything I've read says that rats are cleaner/less stinky than other rodents. Is it possible to have a viable colony with zero odor though?

What are rats heat/cold tolerances? Would I be able to raise them in my garage?

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In study 65 degrees seems to be the "optimum temperature" for breeding. In my personal tests 15 degrees above and below this (50-80 degrees) and they do just fine with limited degregation in breeding.

Beyond this:
Too cool and the rats almost completely stop breeding...I too keep mine in the garage and during the winter months I run a space heater to keep the temp at 55+...when I didn't they all buy stopped producing and those that did had very small litters and the babies were undersized.

Above 80 - you start to get more deaths, more water consumption (by triple) which leads to more urine and faster build-up of ammonia necessitating sooner cleanings. Also any lapse in water at these higher temps and the babies don't seem to survive more than a couple of hours.

These are just my findings so they may vary from what others see.