feedings

[bchapman]

at what size or age can ball pythons start to eat small rats? medium rats?

[frankykeno]

You can't really go by age as they all grow differently. You want a rat that at it's largest girth is no bigger than the girth of your BP (think less is best). Even our biggest female (over 2,000 grams) doesn't get a medium rat and never likely will. If she needs more, she just gets more than one small rat a week.

[joepythons]

at what size or age can ball pythons start to eat small rats? medium rats?

It tends to differ from each snake as far as age or size.Some will take a larger meal then what they are used to eating.Some will shy away.You just gotta see what they want and when they want it.You gotta love ball pythons

[bchapman]

what is the best way to promote fast but healthy growth in bp's?

[joepythons]

what is the best way to promote fast but healthy growth in bp's?

I do not recommend trying to power feed your ball python for several reasons.First it shortens there life span,second you can cause them to become non feeders from stressing them.Feed your snake 1 rodent of proper size once a week no more.Would you rather have a healthy happy snake or possibly a dead snake? Not being rude here just honest .

[frankykeno]

The only really healthy growth is just growth by the natural process of good regular appropriate weekly feeding and the genetics of the snake. They grow best that way and you'll end up with a lovely healthy snake of whatever size it was meant to be.