Size vs. Quantity

Okay, my ball python just got back into her feeding schedule and now that she started eating I am trying to get her to eat rats. It is obvious she is smaller (mostly length wise) than she should be for a 4 year old female. So, if I choose to stick with mice vs switching to small rats I was wondering if feeding her say 3-4 mice a week would be as nutritional as 1 small rat every 7 days. Can she grow just as fast by eating prey smaller than she should be eating as long as I feed her more?


oh, and my goal is to ultimately get her on rats but I just wanted her to eat what she is comfortable with till shes a little more plump. :)

Gram for gram of feeder, I don't see much difference. If she eats 60 grams of mice, it should be about the same as her eating 60 grams of rat.

Some will argue that rat have more nutrition than mice, but I'm not sure I'm sold on that argument. I know too many breeders who have full size girls who produce great clutchs, and will only eat mice.

Feed her 10-15% of her body weight. If that means multiple mice, feed them on the same day, just wait about 15-20 minutes in between mice.

How much does she weigh now?

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Feed her 10-15% of her body weight.
How much does she weigh now?

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So you would feed a 4000 grams BP a rat between 400 and 600 grams once every 7 days? :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Deborah

So you would feed a 4000 grams BP a rat between 400 and 600 grams once every 7 days? :rolleyes:

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Well of course not, thus why I asked how much the snake weighed now XD

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Well of course not, thus why I asked how much the snake weighed now XD

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im not sure :oops: i know i know, I should know, Just haven't gotten to get a scale yet. Got other expenses.

A 4 year old female will be fine eating 4 to 5 mice or a small rat once a week even for the rest of her life.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

A 4 year old female will be fine eating 4 to 5 mice or a small rat once a week even for the rest of her life.

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good to know


thanks for everyone's input, this forum is EXTREMELY helpful.

Deborah, you must be getting some dinky mice. If a small rat weighs 60g, and one mouse is normally 20-25g, then all they really need is 2-3. Must be feeding those 10g hoppers ;)

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Originally Posted by SatanicIntention

Deborah, you must be getting some dinky mice. If a small rat weighs 60g, and one mouse is normally 20-25g, then all they really need is 2-3. Must be feeding those 10g hoppers ;)

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I feed small rats on the large side of small for the females (65/85 grams rats) ;)