Ball Python-no mice?

[ChristyAmber]

Hello, I am not a snake owner but I have been keeping a ball python at my house for a friend for almost a year now. He usually comes by whenever I tell him the snake is moving around a lot and he brings a rat and feeds him. Well the snake keeps moving around and looking up to the top of the tank (like he's waiting for a mouse) but my friend is in jail for at least the next 21 days for not paying child support. My question is, is there anything I can feed him in the mean time, besides a rodent? I asked his brother and he says to just leave the snake alone he will be fine with out food. I don't feel comfortable handling a rodent because I'm 6 months pregnant and my husband is TERRIFIED of the snake and won't go near it.

Can I give him fish or chicken? Or will he be okay for a few weeks? I don't know much about snakes at all. I don't want him to starve to death he looks so hungry.

[Skittles1101]

Unfortunately, you can't feed store bought chicken and especially not fish to a ball python. You can buy frozen rats or mice at any Petco or pet store. You just thaw that out and then warm it up using hot (not boiling) water, and you can feed it that way. You don't have to use a live rodent...

He would technically be okay for a few weeks, but it's not ideal. They should eat once every 7-10 days or so...

[Eric Alan]

This is important: When was the last time he was fed?

Also, to answer your question, NO - do not feed a ball python anything other than rodents. First, he likely wouldn't recognize anything else as food. Second, the nutritional value of other food items would not meet his dietary requirements.

[sho220]

The owner is in jail, his brother says to neglect it, you think it might eat fish or chicken and your husband is terrified of it. Just put it on Craigslist and give it to someone who can care for it responsibly...

[ChristyAmber]

The owner is in jail, his brother says to neglect it, you think it might eat fish or chicken and your husband is terrified of it. Just put it on Craigslist and give it to someone who can care for it responsibly...

I think I have reacted responsibly by coming to a forum dedicated to ball pythons and asking for help. It wouldn't be fair for me to give his snake away (that he has had for 8 years) because he fell on some hard times these last few months. I prefer to do my best to take care of the snake. I have grown fond of him, just can't wrap my mind around handling rats or mice. However, it is possible that I can find someone local who doesn't mind feeding him for the next couple of weeks.

he ate about 2 weeks ago. He has always eaten about every two weeks. That's usually when he starts to move around a lot and look up at the top of the tank.

Guess I better take those Father's Day leftovers out of his tank now LOL JK.

Thanks for for your replies. I think I'll take my chances with a live rat before I boil up some rat on my kitchen stove.

[Skittles1101]

I think I have reacted responsibly by coming to a forum dedicated to ball pythons and asking for help. It wouldn't be fair for me to give his snake away (that he has had for 8 years) because he fell on some hard times these last few months. I prefer to do my best to take care of the snake. I have grown fond of him, just can't wrap my mind around handling rats or mice. However, it is possible that I can find someone local who doesn't mind feeding him for the next couple of weeks.

he ate about 2 weeks ago. He has always eaten about every two weeks. That's usually when he starts to move around a lot and look up at the top of the tank.

Guess I better take those Father's Day leftovers out of his tank now LOL JK.

Thanks for for your replies. I think I'll take my chances with a live rat before I boil up some rat on my kitchen stove.

You definitely don't boil it.....you literally just leave it out to thaw (like you would chicken?) and then get a bowl of hot water from your tap and just leave the rat or mouse in it for 10-15 minutes or so. You don't even need to step foot in your kitchen for this...

There are literally thousands of people who feed their reptiles this way, myself included, and it alleviates dealing with a live rodent...it's not as crazy as it sounds I promise.

[Eric Alan]

I think I'll take my chances with a live rat before I boil up some rat on my kitchen stove.

Please ensure that you're appropriately prepared to do so if you decide to go this route. A rat can actually cause a lot of damage to a snake if not fed properly.

[ChristyAmber]

Thank you skittles!

Is it safe and humane to wait a day or two just to see if I can get someone to come by and do the task or do you feel it's important that i run out tomorrow and get him some food? I wouldn't want to wait a couple of days to eat, so I think I just answered my own question...

is is there a chance he won't take a dead rat? I think he has only ever eaten live ones. I didn't even know it was an option to buy dead rodents.

[ChristyAmber]

I'm not sure if this matters but the box from the pet store usually has large written on it with permanent marker. And each time I've accidentally caught a glimpse of the rat it has looked bigger than a newborn kitten, for sure.

Im aware that the rat can bite the snake. He has had to return a rat once or twice when the snake refused. I was told that if he isn't hungry and you leave the rat in, the rat can hurt him.

[SaintTawny]

Putting off his meal for a couple of days isn't going to hurt anything, but I wouldn't wait longer than maybe 4 or 5 days. Unfortunately if you're uncomfortable handling a live rodent while pregnant, whoever does come to feed (if you're able to find someone) will need to stick around to ensure that the rat gets eaten, or else they'll need to take it back out. Someone should be there monitoring the situation the entire time the rat draws breath, even after the snake has struck and constricted, because sometimes they can squirm around enough to get their teeth on the snake. It's best to have something long and metal (a simple screwdriver would work) to stick in the rat's mouth if it appears to be in danger of biting the snake while it's being constricted. If that happens, once the rat stops moving you can walk away safely.