Obtained my first Ball this weekend, locally from Santa Cruz Reptiles!

[Vypyrz]

This thread is getting confusing...

Surely there is a scientific formula for appropriate feeding of a snake, represented as a proportion of food weight to snake weight. I have not seen it yet on this site. Most of what I read expresses the formula as something like "one large rat every 2 weeks". That's just not very accurate IMO.

Please can someone who actually knows this tell me what the formula should be? For example "10% of body weight per month" or whatever the correct formula should be?

I don't believe that there is any concrete formula to follow. Only recommended guidelines based on experience with different species. It is generally recommended for 10%-15% per week for juvenile BP's because they are growing rapidly and will utilize the extra nutrition, but even this guideline doesn't hold true for all species. At some point, feeding frequency and prey size will have to be adjusted for each individual snake based on what keeps them feeding regularly and healthy, whether it's 1,2,3, or 4 times a month will vary. Also vigilance must be maintained by the keeper so as to not overfeed, so the snake maintains a healthy weight and does not become obese. Just because some of my snakes would eat every 3-4 days if I let them, doesn't mean they should.
Based on my previous experience with an adult BP that was comparable in size, weight, and age (54", 2500g, 5 y/o) as the OP's, and the feeding issues that I had to work out by trial and error, I would suggest feeding one rat (100g) every 10-14 days. While alot of Ball Pythons are more than capable of taking larger rats, and many do, still, there are some who will not eat anything much larger. The only reason that I can come up with as to why is that a Ball Pythons natural prey would be African Soft Furs, and it is my understanding that adult ASF's are only about 70-90 grams. So possibly, there is some instinct that that dictates what prey size they are attracted to.

I also don't understand why there is so much fuss in this thread about the litter substrate and humidity. As long as the relative humidity is maintained, whether it be through environmental conditions, or regulated through husbandry techniques. Newspaper and paper towels are not the best at holding humidity but many people use them successfully. At some point, someone was the first to try them.
Apparently, there is at least one breeder who is using the litter substrate successfully. Yes, I agree that there may be a higher chance for mold, but I tend to think that with frequent spot cleanings and routine substrate changes, this could be kept to a minimum, if not prevented entirely. That is why I asked the OP to post updates on how this particular substrate was working for them. Or, if possible, invite the breeder to join this forum and post a thread on their use and experience with this product. Whether or not I would ever use it depends on things such as availability, cost, quantity,etc... But it's nice to know that the option is there should I ever need, or want it...