Feeding Question

[BallPython713]

Hi Guys,

I went to a petstore today and wanted to buy some sm. rats for my 31" bp. They didn't sell any :cry: and the lady I talked to said that she feeds her bp 6 lg. mice per feed (i think she said once a week) until it's like almost 4' then she switches to sm. rats. I've heard to feed rats sooner because their more nuitrious. I've been feeding my bp 2 lg. mice per feed (7-10) days. What do you all think about this?

Thanks!

[The_Godfather]

Rats are actually LESS in calcium then mice, which is why there might be a slight advantage to feeding mice to juvies, highly debatable tho. If it's eating 2 mice at a time I think it's time to phase out mice, depending upon it's size I bet it could safely take a medium rat.

The big kicker is when their adults, like Monty. It's amazing when they only need a real good feeding every 3 weeks,

[JamminJonah]

SIX mice per feed? That sounds a little painful on a BP digestive tract. The plus of switching to rats sooner is ... well.... that it's easier because the BP's have not gotten set in their ways (I learned that from posting this - http://www.ball-pythons.net/PNphpBB2...ic-t-2294.html) I plan on trying to switch to rats once I run out of mice.
= Jonah

[JamminJonah]

my link won't work but it is in husbandry under "Rats- how soon is too soon"

[beaglegod]

When a large mouse= a small meal, its time to start switching your snake over to rats (some people do it sooner),its much better to provide one appropriate sized meal every 7-10 days than 2 or more, and 6 or 7 I would say could reak havoc after a while on the digestive system.The only reason mice are the way to go when BPs are still small is beause they can eat an adult prey item wich has fully matured therefore providing all the calcium needed to develope good growth/bone developement. At your snakes size he should easily take down a small adult rat if not a medeum adult,wich will give him everything he needs in one neat package.