Can you alternate between live mice and frozen mice for feeding?

[PK-Mar]

I don't actually have a ball python, or any snake for that matter, so I assumed I'd better ask all the questions I have before actually buying one.

So...
Say I feed my snake live mice for about a year or so.
Okay, then, if live mice are no longer available, will the snake still eat frozen mice?
Would it have trouble switching over?


Thanks for looking.

[FlynnTheBP]

I would honestly just start the snake off with f/t, so much easier, but if for some reason you have to or would prefer to feed live, it won't hurt the snake if done responsibly and with supervision. The switch might be difficult, but your BP will likely take f/t eventually instead of starving. Kudos for doing research before hand!

[Oxylepy]

I alternate between live and f/t with all my BPs and my savannah monitor.

I also don't feed my BPs like other people do. Notably I feed them a lot less frequently than suggested for adults. So my results may not be replicable.

[PK-Mar]

Alright, thanks for answering.

Also, uh, thanks again.
I don't wanna...get into too much too fast.

[PK-Mar]

I alternate between live and f/t with all my BPs and my savannah monitor.

I also don't feed my BPs like other people do. Notably I feed them a lot less frequently than suggested for adults. So my results may not be replicable.

Do you mind me asking why you feed them less then other people?
Do you get any benefits from it?

[Oxylepy]

The snakes don't seem to mind, they tend to poop a lot when I do feed them, and unless they need to be building up weight, I don't really see a need to keep them as poop factories. Cutting them down to monthly (sometimes more frequently, depending on if a breeder rat bites me to protect her young) keeps them where I want their body builds without going over.

[PK-Mar]

Ah, well, that seems reasonable.

[redshepherd]

Snakes only get stuck on live, they don't get stuck on f/t. So if you're switching from live to f/t, your snake might need some time and tricks to get him to eat.

But if he's consistently eating f/t, he will have no problem eating live again (if for some reason you want to do that). But you don't want to do that, because he might get stuck on live and get picky about f/t again.

[Oxylepy]

As a heads up:

A hungry snake will accept f/t. A snake that JUST ate will accept live until it feels it can't eat any more. If you you want to do both on one sitting, f/t then live.

If you want to alternate regularly, make them hungry before offering f/t. If you're feeding on 7 days, wait 10 to offer f/t after feeding live. And SCENT THE ROOM. This can't be stressed enough. I just happened to walk into my bug room to feed my extra lesser and she was ready for the live, she hit it before it touched the ground. Took me 5 minutes for her to take her last f/t, and that was with 6 hours of it thawing and 10 minutes of it heating under a lamp.

[PK-Mar]

Snakes only get stuck on live, they don't get stuck on f/t. So if you're switching from live to f/t, your snake might need some time and tricks to get him to eat.

But if he's consistently eating f/t, he will have no problem eating live again (if for some reason you want to do that). But you don't want to do that, because he might get stuck on live and get picky about f/t again.

Ah, alright.
Thanks for your answer!