Feeding question

[I BALL OUT]

I have a 2 year old male bp who is coming off of a 10 week fast. He is kind of skittish about food because I offered every week for his 10 weeks off of food and one of the rats nipped at him and kind of chased him for a sec until I was able to get in there. no blood or anything crazy just kind of intimidated him. that was about week 4-5 of his fast. After that I offered rat pups trying to build back up his confidence he refused for the net 5 weeks. I was not too worried he had shed 2 times since his last feed. Now he has eaten twice last week and yesterday 2 rat pups each time. Should I keep feeding 2 rat pups a week to build up his confidence again or move him to one weaned. He was eating one weaned or small a week before he went off food. I am feeding 2 rat pups because I figure combined they should be about the weight of a weaned rat. If I stay with pups for a bit longer should I go with 3 instead of 2. Sorry for all the newb questions but this is my first fast. I am glad he's back on food just trying to figure out how to keep him on it.

[theoremofgoats]

Out of curiosity, is there any reason why you're feeding live? Will he not take pre-killed or f/t? Have you tried? Unfortunately, it's pretty common for ball pythons to become afraid of live meals after they've been attacked. I would try feeding a pre-killed or f/t weaned or small rat and see if he takes it-it's a lot safer for the snake.

[Jay_Bunny]

If he's eating live rat pups, I don't see a reason to switch. If fed properly, live is no more dangerous than f/t. I would keep feeding him the two pups for a while and then try a wean after a few weeks and see how he does.

[I BALL OUT]

Out of curiosity, is there any reason why you're feeding live? Will he not take pre-killed or f/t? Have you tried? Unfortunately, it's pretty common for ball pythons to become afraid of live meals after they've been attacked. I would try feeding a pre-killed or f/t weaned or small rat and see if he takes it-it's a lot safer for the snake.

I have tried frozen but he wont take it. I thought this might be the perfect time to try because he is obviously hungry after 10 weeks but he would not even pay any attention to it. When I got him he was 2 years old and the breeder fed him live since he was a hatchling. I tried pre killed when he was on food and wouldn't take it then either. He is a live feeder only so that's why I feed live and I just stay there with tongs to jump in if I have to. I have never had to except when he was off feed for the 10 weeks and the rat bullied him because he was not interested in eating it. When he's on food he slams rats efficiently and instantly with out any help. I wish he would take f/t but it is what it is I will feed what he eats. Its more expensive for me to buy 2 rat pups than 1 weaned or a small or frozen but the extra couple bucks is nothing as long as he eats.

[I BALL OUT]

If he's eating live rat pups, I don't see a reason to switch. If fed properly, live is no more dangerous than f/t. I would keep feeding him the two pups for a while and then try a wean after a few weeks and see how he does.

Ok will do. Do you think 2 rat pups once a week is enough or should I bump it up to 3? He is about 750-800 grams.

[JoshSloane]

Feeding live is fine. We should just create a new sub-forum for the raging live vs f/t debate. I cant stand it anymore, haha.

If he is coming off a fast its totally fine to feed extra. If he takes three go for it. Once he mellows out onto a routine feeding schedule again you can go back to one appropriately sized food item.

[beeze]

I don't see why not. I actually feed my BP two or three rat fuzzies a week since the local pet store doesn't ever seem to have weaned aged rats. It'd probably help if you weighed his food. I have a chart I keep where I list the date, my BPs weight, his food type and quantity, food weight, and then a column for notes i.e if he was in shed, picky, pissy, etc. Last friday, I gave him 3 rat fuzzies, weighing a grand total of 45 grams.

[anicatgirl]

Umm. I feel that weaned rats are too small for a BP of 750 grams.... Maybe that's just me?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Umm. I feel that weaned rats are too small for a BP of 750 grams.... Maybe that's just me?

Yep that's just you 3 to 4 weeks rats for a snake that size is more than enough.

[Jay_Bunny]

A weaned rat is perfectly fine for a snake of that size. My breeders don't get more than a small rat. If I feel they need more, they get two.