My ball python eats anything!

[guambomb832]

Last week Friday I my ball python ate a frozen-thawed adult mouse, and today(Tuesday) I decide to feed him since adult mice I thought are too small and that I will be leaving to San Diego on Thursday, and I do not want to feed him on Wednesday or have someone feed him on any other day. Well, I offered him this frozen-thawed small rat my brother's ball python wouldn't eat, and he took it!He did take a good 10 mins. to find the head but when he swallowed it he looked really content with his meal!Whenever he eats mice he downs them in like 2 mins and I thought that was the right size for him but this small rat was obviously the right size since he is 400 grams and this rat was 40-50 grams. I think my ball python is just like a garbage disposal and whatever is offered to him he would tear it right up!Looks like I do not have to worry about him switching from mice to rats, I am all set Time to go buy some f/t rats at the store!

[ballpythonluvr]

Congrats in getting your snake to eat f/t rats. My boy only takes live prey. I have tried f/t with no success yet. I am not giving up hope just yet.

[guambomb832]

Just be persistent, and in the end, you'll get what you wanted
But my ball python hits anything with heat, so whenever he seems uninterested in the food item, I just dip it back into the warm water, and then he strikes, coils, and then eats.

[Patricia]

I think my ball python is just like a garbage disposal and whatever is offered to him he would tear it right up!

So good to hear a balance against the overwhelmingly negative thing said about BPs: Problem eaters. Finicky. Won't eat. Sometimes said as a good thing, i.e. it eats only once or twice a year, so you won't be spending much on food.

I read up a ton of BP info on the Web before getting ours, and became disheartened that the 30gal tank I found wasn't big enough, and that it's not a good snake for beginners due to its eating problem. Had almost resigned myself to a corn snake.

Glad I stuck with getting a BP and found this site. Thanks again for the encouraging news!

[Brewster320]

Congrats, my normal female is like that. She eats both mice and rats. I always like to switch it up so she doesn't get to fussy like some of my other snakes.

[guambomb832]

Yeah people who only feed their ball pythons like once a month is just animal cruelty, but not a lot of people care about snakes, so they are not a prime animal cruelty case. Ball pythons are not at all terrible feeders, its just that there is always a story behind why they are not eating, such as it is not comfortable, it is not hungry, and it is not feeling secure.

[joshn6805]

So good to hear a balance against the overwhelmingly negative thing said about BPs: Problem eaters. Finicky. Won't eat. Sometimes said as a good thing, i.e. it eats only once or twice a year, so you won't be spending much on food.

I read up a ton of BP info on the Web before getting ours, and became disheartened that the 30gal tank I found wasn't big enough, and that it's not a good snake for beginners due to its eating problem. Had almost resigned myself to a corn snake.

Glad I stuck with getting a BP and found this site. Thanks again for the encouraging news!

Wasnt big enough? A 30 gal is big enough for the entire life of a bp.

[guambomb832]

She probably got her information from some Pet Store Sell-Out.

[Danounet]

Pet Store Sell-Out.

[joshn6805]

She probably got her information from some Pet Store Sell-Out.

I sure hope she didn't listen, Just another stressed out ball python because the all-to-knowledgeable employee suggested to start with with a 55 gallon.