Am I feeding my ball python enough

[bigt0006]

So im new here and was wondering I recently aquired a 2ft ball python not sure of the weight. Its 3 1/2 to 4 inches at its thickest point. I feed him 1 adult mouse every week. I just want to nake sure im feeding it enough and not underfeeding it. The adult mice are probably 5-6 inches long including the tail the body is only about half of that length. Thanks in advance for the help

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[Solarsoldier001]

Looks like that little guy can eat a rat pup/ weaned rat. Maybe a bit bigger. Get a scale when you can. It's easier to do the 10-15% body weight of a ball python. And then feed that ball python that much in a rat.


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[decensored]

he looks about 400 grams but it's hard to tell so at the least you'd want 40 grams of prey animal. If I remember correctly an adult mouse is around 25 grams. He could handle two if he is in fact 400 grams.

[bigt0006]

He maxed out a 200gram scale guess I need a bigger scale. I use the smaller scale for my corn snakes

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[spcstarkey]

I would suggest feeding rats because they have more nutritional vale the a mouse does and will help your snake grow and be healthy

[Crazymonkee]

Get a prey item the same size as the snakes widest girth. It should show a small lump in the stomach. I don't know about else but when my girl gets to be 1900 grams I won't be feeding her a 190 gram rat!!!

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[rafacacho]

Get a prey item the same size as the snakes widest girth. It should show a small lump in the stomach. I don't know about else but when my girl gets to be 1900 grams I won't be feeding her a 190 gram rat!!!

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I do, I feed my adult females with rats between 150-200grms, not bigger than that.

Dont get crazy about it, they dont need as much food as we do, they have a very slow metabolism. I do think you should change to rats, otherwise when he gets older you will have to feed him 5 or 6 mouse every week, and thats a lot of hair, one big rat is a lot of meat.....

[PitOnTheProwl]

I would suggest feeding rats because they have more nutritional vale the a mouse does and will help your snake grow and be healthy

No, they do not.



It is usually easier to get your snake to eat one larger meal than multiple small meals.
Guessing without weight, should be a pup to small weaned rat, or two to three mice.
I have a couple +1000g snakes that are mousers and have been their whole life, I just keep offering till they refuse.

[Neal]

If it maxed out a 200g scale then I'd say at least rat pups. I have a 200g spider that will eat 2 rat pups(only when one of my other bps refuses their rat pup).

Ignore the 10-15% body weight rule because that only works for hatchlings. Your BP isn't a hatchling, while it may of been born this year or last year if quite underfed it's weight is going to be off because of the length of your snake. You want to feed something no bigger then the largest part of the body.

What I would do is next offering compare him to a rat pup and see if they're about equal in thickness. If close then feed him that because I can guarantee you that he's able to eat that. Like Pit said though it may be bigger, but a rat pup would be the minimum size.

[treeboa]

It is usually easier to get your snake to eat one larger meal than multiple small meals.
Guessing without weight, should be a pup to small weaned rat, or two to three mice.
I have a couple +1000g snakes that are mousers and have been their whole life, I just keep offering till they refuse.

Agreed. It's easier to switch earlier than later, too. The longer they eat mice, the tougher the switch is. You, then, risk having to feed a large adult female 6-8 mice every week.