Best Feeder for ball pythons

For me there are two answers and two questions, the perfect prey, best food source, for the snake I'd say ASFs that is the natural food source (gerbils are from mongolia and not natural at all there is no point to feed them). But when you ask the best choice it has to be rats, they are easily available and reasonably priced, and the considerations of how hard it would be to place the animal with a new home cannot ever be discounted. Ball pythons can live almost 50 years (47) Certainly into the 20s and you never know what acne happen between now and then. AFS are harder to find and typically that means more costly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

The best prey is the one that work and can be commonly found generally rats, mice, asf ( in that order)

I do not recommend gerbils for several reasons:

1: they are more aggressive tan you average rat or mice and have larger teeth making them potentially more dangerous.

2: When BP start eating them they will imprint on them and not likely switch back, it's almost impossible to switch a BP back from Gerbils.

3: Their price and availability, they will not always be available and the cost will be outrageous when you will have to feed 2 of them a week to a full grown BP.

4: Because of all the previous reasons it could make your BP impossible to re-home should you have too one day.

The most cost efficient and convenient prey should your BP accept it is rat.

Just remember you do not need variety in their diet they can become picky enough as it is so stick to what works.

Try switching to rat an adult BP does not need anything larger than 125/150 grams weekly to thrive (female even less if it is a male)

---

Thanks, i'll go with rats, i put the parakeet and hamster option because i am sure many people wondered if they could feed there Bp Hamsters or small birds and this poll answers all of that,

Thanks!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sho220

Freshly shaven rats would be best...

---

Huh?

Actually in the wild in many norther areas of the ball pythons range they (young sub 40cm) to eat small birds. So parakeet isn't really that far fetched at all. But again it is a supply issue and convenience issue and it simply isn't practical at all, Rats are easy, cheap and great nutritional values, it is the best all rounder. ASFs to my mind fall second only due to sporadic supply as they become more common perhaps they will take over but is some places in the USA they are not legal to own or breed so that is a real drawback.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sho220

Freshly shaven rats would be best...

---

lol

Don't shave your rats.

Definitely rats because of their price, size and availability. It is important that you train your BP to eat on what is always available and of course, at the same time affordable:).

I got one of my lg norm female and the previous owner was exclusivly feeding gerbils. She has scars all over her from the gerbils biting the crap out of her. I immediatly tried switching to rats and for months couldnt get her to even look at them. I get my rats from a private breeder friend of mine and at the time he was just starting his hairless rat project. So he threw me a couple of those and said try this. They are the closest thing to asf's. Put one in and she snatched it right up ate the second as well. We did that for a couple of months and then every other feed I went to a norm rat and then the nxt a hairless. And then stopped doing the hairless shes never had any other problems with feeding. Point is I suppose is switching can be done. But it's so stressfull! For both parties. Now even my hatchlings get rats from the start. Pinkies of course but I hate the whole back and forth thing. I do have other norm rescues that are full adults and have never had a rat yet anyways. Feed appropriate sized prey. One good meal is always better than snacking, and it's cheaper and easier.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homegrownscales

I got one of my lg norm female and the previous owner was exclusivly feeding gerbils. She has scars all over her from the gerbils biting the crap out of her. I immediatly tried switching to rats and for months couldnt get her to even look at them. I get my rats from a private breeder friend of mine and at the time he was just starting his hairless rat project. So he threw me a couple of those and said try this. They are the closest thing to asf's. Put one in and she snatched it right up ate the second as well. We did that for a couple of months and then every other feed I went to a norm rat and then the nxt a hairless. And then stopped doing the hairless shes never had any other problems with feeding. Point is I suppose is switching can be done. But it's so stressfull! For both parties. Now even my hatchlings get rats from the start. Pinkies of course but I hate the whole back and forth thing. I do have other norm rescues that are full adults and have never had a rat yet anyways. Feed appropriate sized prey. One good meal is always better than snacking, and it's cheaper and easier.

---

Good point! And how would it look if i were to go to the pet store and buy a "pet" gerbil every week lol, The store i get mines from breeds feeder mice and rats so i will have a good supply of rats.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homegrownscales

One good meal is always better than snacking, and it's cheaper and easier.

---

It's cheaper if you have to buy your own rats.
I can get better weight gain feeding 2-3 smaller meals each week over feeding one meal.....snack snack snack ;)

Feed What works for you and what you have a endless supply of.

I Breed Mice, ASF and Rats so im prepared for anything.

Most adults need nothing more that 3 Breeder mice which totals 60-100g or one small rat weekly.

If the snake is eating weekly consistently no need to change things up. I have snakes that are just picky eaters on mice but still eat 2 adults every 2 weeks give or take.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

It's cheaper if you have to buy your own rats.
I can get better weight gain feeding 2-3 smaller meals each week over feeding one meal.....snack snack snack ;)

---

I feed 5 days so if they miss one or two feeds I dont worry too much. I also weigh them before a feed so I have a pretty close tab on them.
Yes, eating something is better than nothing at all.
I have met some people here in SA that only feed every 2 weeks to a month:O Dont know if I could go that long:confused: