My First Ball Python

[Kotaboy]

Hi everyone, I just got my first Ball Python about three weeks ago. His name is Sherlock. He is very active and has a great temperment. He actually just went through his first shed, it was a stuck shed so I had to help. He has an awesome home and he eats really well for me. I am posting because I know I should up the size of his mice but I didn't know how big I should go. I always heard that it was the size of the biggest width of the body but the girl at petsmart said no bigger than his head. Regardless, she insisted I start out with pinkies for him. The day after I got him was his normal feed day and he ate a pinkie, the next week he ate another pinkie, the next week (two days ago) I fed him two pinkies and he ate them fine. He shed right before his last feed and I know I should upgrade him from pinkies but I'm not to familiar with the sizes. Should I go to fuzzies or something even larger? I m posting a link to pictures. Thank you! https://postimg.cc/gallery/2vo9qj088/

[Bodie]

First and foremost.....Welcome to the family. The girl told you wrong. You definitively need to feed him bigger prey. You said so yourself.....feed him the same as his girth. Pinky will not do that. I am a numbers guy so 10 to 15 percent his weight. I weigh my BP and also his food. Others just go by size (girth) of their noodle. Either way pinkies are to small. Out of the egg they are at least eating hoppers.

[Kotaboy]

Thank you! I just weighed him he's 80 grams, do you think he should be getting fuzzies?

[indygunnerguy]

Hi everyone, I just got my first Ball Python about three weeks ago. His name is Sherlock. He is very active and has a great temperment. He actually just went through his first shed, it was a stuck shed so I had to help. He has an awesome home and he eats really well for me. I am posting because I know I should up the size of his mice but I didn't know how big I should go. I always heard that it was the size of the biggest width of the body but the girl at petsmart said no bigger than his head. Regardless, she insisted I start out with pinkies for him. The day after I got him was his normal feed day and he ate a pinkie, the next week he ate another pinkie, the next week (two days ago) I fed him two pinkies and he ate them fine. He shed right before his last feed and I know I should upgrade him from pinkies but I'm not to familiar with the sizes. Should I go to fuzzies or something even larger? I m posting a link to pictures. Thank you! https://postimg.cc/gallery/2vo9qj088/

Hello! Well, they eat fuzzys pretty much right out of the egg, so you should definitely be feeding bigger. The rule of thumb is to feed them prey 10 to 15% of their body weight. Here is a chart to help you with the weight...good luck!

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[Kotaboy]

Alright so small/weaned mouse? Thank you so much!

[Bodie]

Fuzzies are still to small. Look for hoppers (8 to 12 grams of weight). Maybe even small (weaned) mice.