Ball python will not eat

So my ball python just will not eat rats, not alive, not dead nor mice. So, I tried a fresh killed gerbil... he ate it no problem. waited a week, tried rats, mice .. nope. Fresh killed gerbil, he eats it. Yesterday two fresh killed gerbils ( I wont put lives ones in because they are mean and will harm my snake). After two he was looking for more. Gerbils is all I can get here other than rats or mice. Is gerbil ok to feed my snake?

Feeding an alternative prey especially gerbils is the worse mistake you can make, they are like crack to BP and once they eat them they usually will never eat anything else which is a big issue if you ever have to re-home him or if all of the sudden your gerbil supply is no longer available.

Feeding an alternative prey is NEVER the solution, it's a male he is 4 ft he can go a year without issue, if you really want to help him resume feeding it's about making sure the husbandry is optimal and most importantly PATIENCE.

Preaaaach Deb!

You may have sentenced yourself to a lifetime of feeding gerbils. I got a male that for the last 8 years goes off feed for 8 months on average sometimes 5 sometimes a year, he'll power eat every week in between these fasts he's 4ft and a little over 1700g, in those 8 month and year strikes the MOST weight he ever lost was 59 grams which is nothing. These animals are incredibly efficient with their food and energy usage.


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Well I guess I suck as a snake owner. FYI Deb, I have no intention of ever re-homing him unless I end up homeless.

Nah, you don't suck, you just got yourself stuck with a gerbil eater ;). If you don't mind ponying up for gerbils, no problem. You could probably get him back on mice or rats if you waited him out. But if it's worth it to you just to get him to eat, don't worry about it. It's whatever you're willing to live with.

Just be patient. If you don't want to feed gerbils forever, don't feed him any more gerbils! Let him get nice and hungry and try a rat again. I would just offer the rat once every other week and if he doesn't want it, refreeze or toss it and try again next time. If you wanted, you could try a live rat and see if the pet store would give you some used bedding from the gerbils to put him in. This might help trick your little guy into trying the rat again and giving him the taste of it.

Otherwise, just like everyone else has said, be patient and keep offering rats. I bet he will take it eventually and unless he is losing weight you have nothing to worry about.