I wouldn't feed hamsters to any snake, not because of the impriting prey possibility, but because they are just SO nasty. I have never handled meaner animals than hamsters (and I've been bitten by rats, guinea pigs, gerbils, etc). Hamsters are by far the worst. They are aggressive and there are better feeders out there. I'd just stick to rats and mice for appropriately sized snakes. gpigs, rabbits etc for larger ones.
Good point. There right there is enough to make me never want to feed a hamster to any type of snake.
Most people do not just stay away from gerbils because ball pythons become addicted but because as you can see they are dangerous to feed.
If the ball python favors the smell of the Gerbil(which i hear is one of there natural food sources,so chances are high) it will imprint on gerbils(recognize the one type of rodent as a food source).
I have read that some people would use gerbils to get a ball python who was off feed back on,they say it works best on wild caught though.
Semi true!!!!Some snakes prefer one diet over another, not just BP's, though they may be the worst. We have used hamsters, ASF and mice, but never gerbils. Some snakes will eat any of them no problem, some prefer one over the other, but will eat other prey, and some really do prefer just one type, though they may eat another if they get hungry enough. ie going without for a couple of weeks. If you stun hamsters before feeding they present no problems.
02-28-2011, 07:10 PM
Misfit
A good chunk of hamsters are also insaaaanely furry, which isn't the best thing for digesting.
