feeding issues

Size correction! They are medium rats!! the one I just weighted weighs 124 grams frozen. I buy them from Rodent Pro. I've been pretty happy with their products

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Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2

I think the main reason your snake is refusing is the size rats you are offering are way too large. There is a feeding chart that is posted on here often and it states that small rats are really the largest size that should be offered for a male BP. I would go to Petco and grab the smallest of the small rat size you can feel in the bag and thaw and offer that in a week or two after your last offer. If that doesn't work I would wait another week and go to offering about 3 mice. You can work on going back to small rats later by mixing the two (mice and small rat) together in one bag frozen besides each other. (mix up the smells)

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So I guess where my confusion might be (corrected rat size, they are mediums) the chart says a female over 1000 grams would eat a medium. He is over 1000 (1187 when first found and he was a little thin, that info is in a reply but not in the original?). Is a medium still too big for him?

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Originally Posted by Erikamc

So I guess where my confusion might be (corrected rat size, they are mediums) the chart says a female over 1000 grams would eat a medium. He is over 1000 (1187 when first found and he was a little thin, that info is in a reply but not in the original?). Is a medium still too big for him?

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This is kind of a to each there own.. However the males will get fat and it's not healthy for them.. I don't think there is such an issue with feeding a medium rat but the frequency might be better at 2 weeks opposed to every week. If he isn't getting ready to breed and you just have him as a pet you would probably be better off with the medium every 2 weeks.. That might level him out and make him more consistent when it comes to feeding also..

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Originally Posted by Moose84

This is kind of a to each there own.. However the males will get fat and it's not healthy for them.. I don't think there is such an issue with feeding a medium rat but the frequency might be better at 2 weeks opposed to every week. If he isn't getting ready to breed and you just have him as a pet you would probably be better off with the medium every 2 weeks.. That might level him out and make him more consistent when it comes to feeding also..

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Sounds good! Once I get him eating again I'll switch to that. Maybe On my next order of rats I'll get smalls.

yeah.. That would probably be fine.. I wouldn't throw those mediums out.. At his weight he can go quite some time so don't panic or force it.. You always have the live mice to fall back on but wait him out a little bit...

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Originally Posted by Erikamc

So I guess where my confusion might be (corrected rat size, they are mediums) the chart says a female over 1000 grams would eat a medium. He is over 1000 (1187 when first found and he was a little thin, that info is in a reply but not in the original?). Is a medium still too big for him?

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Mediums are definitely better than large. But if you are sure it is a male and not a female I would try to go back to smalls, they say offering larger prey can lead to refusals. I agree with moose if you continue to offer mediums every 2 weeks be soon enough. But I think in the long run you would be better to offer smalls every 7 to 10 days. Can you post a pic so we can get a idea how urgent your snake needs to eat?

PS Just noticed where you said in the future you would maybe get smalls, I think that will work better for you.

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Originally Posted by Moose84

yeah.. That would probably be fine.. I wouldn't throw those mediums out.. At his weight he can go quite some time so don't panic or force it.. You always have the live mice to fall back on but wait him out a little bit...

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definitely not gonna toss them. I might see if anyone in my area would want to buy them from me. Maybe I'll make a new friend who can go in on rodent orders with me. I should clarify, these aren't live mice that I would have him eat, they too are F/T. I also have a corn snake and they are from her stash.

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Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2

Mediums are definitely better than large. But if you are sure it is a male and not a female I would try to go back to smalls, they say offering larger prey can lead to refusals. I agree with moose if you continue to offer mediums every 2 weeks be soon enough. But I think in the long run you would be better to offer smalls every 7 to 10 days. Can you post a pic so we can get a idea how urgent your snake needs to eat?

PS Just noticed where you said in the future you would maybe get smalls, I think that will work better for you.

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I'm pretty sure he's a he. I took him to the vet when I first got him I asked what the vet thought. He said "most likely male, but I'm curious too, let me get the probe...". I know even that isn't 100% but that's what I've got to go on. I'll see if I can get a picture of him.

Right...So I tried a rat... even tried heating the head with a blow dryer. No go. Tried a mouse. He did not strike instantly (as he did last time I tried a mouse) but, he struck, and ate. about an hour later (checked on him 15 and 30 minutes in, he was still working on it) I offered him a second mouse. he refused, I didn't push the issue (I offered, he refused, I removed myself from the situation). Then I see, he regurgitated the mouse he ingested. This breaks my heart. I will weigh him in the next day or two, and possibly get a picture. It's just so very frustrating. Everything is pretty much the same since he got here :-(

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Originally Posted by Erikamc

Right...So I tried a rat... even tried heating the head with a blow dryer. No go. Tried a mouse. He did not strike instantly (as he did last time I tried a mouse) but, he struck, and ate. about an hour later (checked on him 15 and 30 minutes in, he was still working on it) I offered him a second mouse. he refused, I didn't push the issue (I offered, he refused, I removed myself from the situation). Then I see, he regurgitated the mouse he ingested. This breaks my heart. I will weigh him in the next day or two, and possibly get a picture. It's just so very frustrating. Everything is pretty much the same since he got here :-(

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I just went thru the regurge issue with a BP, a regurge is hard on a snake, you might take a look at this thread:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...by-BP-Now-what

Lots of good info in there from Bcr229, Dakski and Bogertophis

My little one is now back on track and ate her last 2 meals like a champ