Burmese Python

[Flirtycuddle]

I have a granite burmese python and when I got her I was told she is about 3 months old but 2 and a half feet. They were feeding her mice hoppers but everytime i feed her she still hunts for more so I have been feeding 2-3 every week. I tried rat hoppers but they are to big for her and she just ignores them luckly. If trying to switch from mice to rats what would the best next size from a mice hopper. I was thinking rat fuzzy or pinks? I asked for rat fuzzys at the same place I got her and they gave me hoppers so I wont be going near there any more

[Jenn]

I admire you for taking on such a huge responsibility. I really am very new here but it seems to me that a two and a half foot long burm should be eating full grown mice by now? My BP is smaller than that and she takes adult mice already.

[TheresaBearden]

If she is 2 and a half feet she can handle rat pups. Take the head of the rat pup and rub it with a mouse hopper-rub very hard (keep the mouse in the freezer for your next feeding). This will scent the rat like a mouse and she should take it. We feed our babies every week. I know pet shops will say once or twice a month is fine-I believe thats garbage-all 13 of our burms eat weekly. Just give scenting the rat a try-she probably could take a small rat by now. One of our 2007 babies-born in May is eating rabbit kits. The sooner you get her switched to rats the better.

[Flirtycuddle]

I have tried 2x to give the rat pups and everytime she attacks, constricts, and tries to get her mouth around the middle side then when she cant just leaves it and looks for me to feed a mouse. She is small girth for her length also. I figured at this size she could eat a rat now just to switch her over. I was told shes 3 months would be 4 now but is about the size of 5 month old boa. The shop I got her from fed her a hopper once a week and everytime I feed the next day or so shes searching for more and trying to open the top of her cage. Once fed she is happy just regularly exploring for a day or 2. I cant even tell shes eaten after feeding her either.

[AjBalls]

First off, hopper mice are way too small for even a new hatchling burm. Right off the bat they can take rat pups. I think mice are garbage and a burm shouldn't even know what one tastes like. Try something between the size of a rat pup and a large fuzzy. It should be able to take "rat hoppers" with no problem. Large constrictors can handle a lot more than any other snake. I used to feed my 2 1/2'-3' burm small rats every 5-7 days. They're metabolism works a lot faster than many other snakes.

[AjBalls]

My BP is smaller than that and she takes adult mice already.

Baby burms are slightly more slender than ball pythons when a burm is just a hatchling. A 2 1/2' ball python could weigh anywhere from 500-1000 grams. A 2 1/2' burm, less. When burms hatch, they are near 2'.