First Ball Python

[CodyH3012]

Hi so I purchased my first ball python and I think I underfed her last week because she weighs 300 grams and I only fed her one large mouse. The Person I got it from said she was feeding on 1-2 large mice every 7 days. She ate perfectly fine last week. I'm thinking maybe I feed her every 5 days instead of every 7 days? Nowhere around me sells rat pups the only rats around here are small rats and then large mice. Could i feed her one large mouse every 5 days or should I feed her 2 large mice every 7 days? She's acting kinda hungry because when I take her out she's acting like she did on feeding day. Thanks for any help you can give!

[kriegsmom]

I'm not certain of her size with just the grams (never measured my snakes before) but, sounds like you should bump her up to small rats. Other people could probably help you better than I can.

[erich_7719]

I have 4 ball around that weight, I also breed my own rats, when I don't have any rat pups I feed them a mouse or small ASF each. The mouse is more often than any thing else, now that I have baby that are consuming most of my potential feeders.

As long as you are feeding them a prey that is about the size of your snakes biggest girth she'll be fine.

If your not planning on breeding her in the future a mouse every 5-10 days is fine. I would only go with feeding her more if your wanting to breed her in the near future.

[CodyH3012]

Thanks! If I'm looking to breed her how much and how often should I feed her?

[erich_7719]

I still wouldn't feed her any more than once every 5 days. It's a matter of what size she is at her widest point. The ready shouldn't be any wider than that at its widest point.

[CodyH3012]

I still wouldn't feed her any more than once every 5 days. It's a matter of what size she is at her widest point. The ready shouldn't be any wider than that at its widest point.

If I posted a picture of her would you be able to tell what size I should be feeding her? Sorry if I sound stupid but I don't wanna be underfeeding her. I just fed her tonight and she downed a large mouse in 5 mins.

[erich_7719]

I could try as long as there is a good point of reference, like a ruler to show her true size.