feeding help

so I have had my bp for about 4 years now and I used to feed him 2 mice every Friday and about three weeks ago I felt he was big enough for a small rat so no problems there he can swallow it with little strain... however he has become alot more aggressive on Fridays but the rest of the week even Thursday he is perfectly normal and docile.

should I be feeding him more so he's not as hungry by the next week?

he should be eating rats, mine is like 6 7 moths old and is feeding on small to medium rats!! i want my ball to grow larger than usual

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Originally Posted by jorgeruiztj

he should be eating rats, mine is like 6 7 moths old and is feeding on small to medium rats!! i want my ball to grow larger than usual

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That sounds too big.

I think a small rat would be more appropriate. Sounds like he is a bit on the hungry side!

I am feeding him a small rat... and he is still agressive

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Originally Posted by JUNKyardHOE

I am feeding him a small rat... and he is still agressive

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"small" is a relative term... how much does the rat weigh?

I am not sure how much they weigh I get them from petco they are probably 4 inches in length not including the tail

Maybe you need to move up to mediums then.

Adult males certainly do not need medium rats... My adult males get 2-3 adult mice every 12-14 days. They stay muscular and fit.

Why are you trying to handle him on feeding days? If he's not excitable any other day, it just means he recognizes the routine and is ready to eat. Just feed him that day and leave him alone for the next two days.

Also, Ball Pythons do not "need" to eat rats. They can do equally well on mice. Prey type doesn't matter whatsoever. All that matters is the weight of the prey they are eating. 65g of mouse is the same as 65g of rat.

If your snake is defecating large amounts, then you may want to back off on the feeding. They only digest what they need and the remainder is passed through as waste. If you're feeding 120g of rat, but the snake only needs 65g to grow and maintain their body weight, then the remaining weight of that rat is going to be passed right on out. That's alot of food to waste.

If your snake was doing fine on 2 mice a week and was maintaining his body weight like he should, just keep on doing what you're doing. Whatever he will eat and whatever is easiest for you to buy every week is what you should feed him. Don't fix what ain't broke! :)

by no means do I want to handle him on feeding day but I transfer him to a cardboard box that i feed him in then when he finishes and starts to look for somewhere to hide and digest I put him back in his cage

recently when I open his cage he pokes his head out from his hide and gives me the look and he has tried to strike me a few times so I started using oven mits

Why don't you feed him in his tank/tub? Never understood why people say you have to put them in a separate tank for feeding. I have always feed every snake I've owned in it's normal enclosure and have not been bitten once yet. The supposed point of feeding in a different tank is so that it doesn't "mistake" your hand for prey when you try to handle it. Doesn't sound like that is working for you, so why keep doing it. He is obviously hungry when it's feeding day so feed him in his tank and then let him be for 24-48 hours. To me it does sound like he isn't getting enough from what you're feeding him so maybe up the size a little bit and see if that helps. Maybe he just doesn't like being messed with on feeding day.

0.1 normal
1.0 albino

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Originally Posted by Lazarus09

Why don't you feed him in his tank/tub? Never understood why people say you have to put them in a separate tank for feeding. I have always feed every snake I've owned in it's normal enclosure and have not been bitten once yet. The supposed point of feeding in a different tank is so that it doesn't "mistake" your hand for prey when you try to handle it. Doesn't sound like that is working for you, so why keep doing it. He is obviously hungry when it's feeding day so feed him in his tank and then let him be for 24-48 hours. To me it does sound like he isn't getting enough from what you're feeding him so maybe up the size a little bit and see if that helps. Maybe he just doesn't like being messed with on feeding day.

0.1 normal
1.0 albino

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Pets shows usually have multiple snakes together, so they have to feed separately... but when a BP is properly housed in an enclosure of it's own, there is no need to move the animal to feed it.

At 4 years he should defiantly be on med-large rats

well the main reason I don't feed him in his main cage is because I read somwhere that they can swollow some of the substrate and choke on it or something... and another thing is his cage is a bit cluttered... but if you guys think it's ok then I guess I can start feeding him in his tank


and as far as the size of rat i took some pictures of his head next to a measuring tape so maybe you can tell me how big of a rat I can feed him and maybe tell me what morph he is(if any)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11...e/P8230047.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11...e/P8230048.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11...e/P8230043.jpg

As far as weight goes that looks like a very nice BP to me. And the pattern is very nice too. Unless you want to make him fat I wouldnt increase the amount of weight on feeding. There has to be another reason for his aggression other than he is hungry. Maybe is stress from being move around when you go feeding, Seems like he just doesnt like it to me.

They swallow animals whole, how on earth would they choke on a piece of substrate?

They can also digest bone and hair so a little bit of wood won't hurt. If you are really concerned, just put a piece of paper towel down over the substrate and then put the rat on top of that.

Are you providing two tight fitting hides for the snake?

well I don't think it could be stress from being moved as I have been doing that since I got him. could it be him just getting a little excited for food? and I don't know if it makes a difference but I feed live.

and yes he has to squeeze into his hides

and on a side note I keep forgetting to ask people this but he squeaks somtimes not like a wheezing because it's not with every breath but like when he is moving around alot he will squeak once or twice, what could it be?

Probably stuck shed in the nostril or a fast exhale or inhale.

Is he actually aggressive or just more active on feeding day? My snakes are pretty active on feeding day, but that doesn't mean they are aggressive. Just on the prowl.

he has actually struck at me from his hide

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Originally Posted by JUNKyardHOE

so I have had my bp for about 4 years now and I used to feed him 2 mice every Friday and about three weeks ago I felt he was big enough for a small rat so no problems there he can swallow it with little strain... however he has become alot more aggressive on Fridays but the rest of the week even Thursday he is perfectly normal and docile.

should I be feeding him more so he's not as hungry by the next week?

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You have been feeding him too small of a prey item for years. Mine is a year old and he is on medium rats every 8 days. The reason he has become more aggressive after feeding is because he has more food in his stomach and it would be harder to defend himself because he can't move as fast. Just dont bother him after he eats for a day or 2.

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Originally Posted by JUNKyardHOE

well the main reason I don't feed him in his main cage is because I read somwhere that they can swollow some of the substrate and choke on it or something...

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Think about it... This snake is a wild animal its not going to hurt them if they swallow a little substrate. Intestinal blockage is very rare I have been feeding on aspen for years and never had a problem. And the myth about feeding them in a separate cage does more harm to the animal than good. Feed him in its cage and don't pick him up after eating.

I guess i wasn't clear enough... he strikes at me before he eats when I am moving him to the feeding box... after he eats he is very docile and just wants back in his cage

Well to me that sounds to me like common sence for "dont move me around."

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Originally Posted by Danounet

Well to me that sounds to me like common sence for "dont move me around."

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well that sounds a little condescending... and why would an animal that has hooked teeth used for grappling strike at something it doesn't want near it?

I have been moving him to feed him since I got him and he only recently ( the last month or so) started getting aggressive before feeding

Sounds like a strong feeding response rather then "aggression". I never mess with my snakes on feeding day because they are very hungry and will look at everything like it is food (including me).

Try feeding your snake in the home enclosure. You might find that it is easier and then there is no risk of the snake biting you.


Ball pythons do bite and strike defensively. They bite quick and let go. Striking and coiling would be if they wanted to eat what they were striking at.

Just like people, animals grow up and change in personality too. If thats not working out for you and him/her anymore, it doesnt hurt to try it.

thanks for all the help guys I will try feeding him in his tank

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Originally Posted by JUNKyardHOE

well the main reason I don't feed him in his main cage is because I read somwhere that they can swollow some of the substrate and choke on it or something...

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I know what you are talking about. When I had my red-tail boa, sometimes the substrate would get stuck to the rat, but it never seemed to be a problem for her, she usually got it out on her own and didn't swallow it. A couple of times I just used the blunt end of a pen to help get it out of her mouth, or off the rat before she swallowed it. To solve this, I began holding the rat by the tail until she took it (they were live). Another option if you don't want to dangle it is to get a pair of tongs and do it that way.