Finally got my ball to eat...just dotting my "i's"

[polarpooch]

This probably seems like a basic question, but so far I haven't found an answer.

After more than 3 months without a mouse, my Ball Python, Smeagal finally ate! I'm so relieved and happy, but now I have a question:

How often do I feed him? Should I feed him more often, because he hasn't eaten?

So far, I've fed him twice. Once on April 8, once tonight (4/15). Each meal consisted of two live mice. Is this too much? He seems like he's really hungry now. He's about a pound, and about 24" long. Are mice the right sized food? When will he be ready for rats?

I'm new to ball pythons (Smeagal is my first one). He has fasted every since I got him in Jan., so now I'm a bit confused on the schedule for feeding?

BTW, I do have a vet with experience with pythons/boas.

[rex322]

well, im new, but ill try to help. mine eats regularly, and is yet to go on a fast, but i woul just keep him on a regular feeding schedule (hatchlings=5-7days, adults=7-10days) dont know if that helps, but if not, tigergenisis will be able to, he helps me with alot of my problems, along with everyone else

[polarpooch]

Thanks for posting so fast. I'm planning on every 7 days unless someone tells me different. What about switching to rats? And one other thing...I'd like to get him off live food, is there a good way to do it? I don't want to freak him out into not eating again.

[rex322]

well, like i said, im new at thid, do you might want a 2nd opinion. i would try freshkiilled before anything else. i dont know bout the switching to rat think though. rex has been eating f/t rat pups since i got him, so i had no problem. sorry if none of this helps, im still learning, but im trying. but i would definatly get him to eat at least f/k before trying to switch. well, i just remembered something. try scenting a rat with a dead mouse. i have no experiance with this, but i heard it often works.

[polarpooch]

Thanks again. I am planning to go to fresh killed next time to see if he'll respond. Then, with luck, I'll go to frozen (much easier!).

How do I post a pic?

[Soul_Of_Fire]

Hey gang
Rex your giving good advice and its nice to see that. I agree with what Rex has given so far personally I feed my ball a rat every 2 weeks that way i'm not wasting food, time and money. It works for him cause he eats regularly without losing any weight. However thats just my system. Now switching from mice to rats can be a pain in the A$$ I had no problems in this but then again I didn't wait I switched as soon as possible. Now there are many way to switch over from mice to rats the easiest being that you put a rat pup un and he takes it LOL. If that doesn't work you can try scenting the food with Chicken Broths or with mouse scent. Another thing you could try is giving him/her a mouse/rat combo, can't remember the rest but when I do I'll post them. A 2'/24" ball should have no problem with a a size above rat pup. You can try with the freshly killed which some pet stores may/may not do(personally I kill them myself so I really couldn't tell you if they do or not). As for the 2 mice he can handle that more then easily so no worries there with the only problem being that he may not choose to go to rats and stick with mice as his food source so again get him onto rats ASAP. Hope I covered everything and made sense along the way. Good advice giving again Rex.
Andrew

[polarpooch]

OK, I'll try a rat next time. I can't get live rat pups here...just adult live rats (and I think they are too big for him right now--more than double the size of the mice), or frozen fuzzies. But I will certainly try. Thank you.

[Aaron]

My BP was bitten by, of all things, a mouse last feeding time. I had to clean cuts on his face and apply neosporin. You can bet your ass that next feeding day the mouse is going for a quick ride in the bottom of a sock before he enters the arena! I would definately advise against feeding live

[Aaron]

A mouse, as opposed to a rat, that is. I heard that rats are usually the fiesty ones

[iceman25]

Mice are just as fiesty, just dont pack a bite like a Rat. I've been advised against feeding every five days by many an experienced member, so I feed every 7 instead. I've switched over to F/T in the last 3 feedings so I have no worries about leaving the thing unattended in the tank at all.