hamsters?????

[veerman73]

ok my dad and i used to breed hamsters..we had 42 at one time this is before i bought the bp....we were thinking about breeding them again...i was wondering if it is safe to feed hamsters to ball pythons...and if there is anyone that is selling female baby albino bps in the peoria IL area let me know....thank ya

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Hamsters are more aggressive than mice or rats, they also have longer teeth making them potentially more dangerous.

They also have more fat and their fur is thicker which could in the long run cause blockage.

Finally BP are imprint feeder, if your BP imprint on hamsters he might never eat mice or rat again, which will make it difficult in the event you had to re-home your animal.

[veerman73]

Hamsters are more aggressive than mice or rats, they also have longer teeth making them potentially more dangerous.

They also have more fat and their fur is thicker which could in the long run cause blockage.

Finally BP are imprint feeder, if your BP imprint on hamsters he might never eat mice or rat again, which will make it difficult in the event you had to re-home your animal.

ic so your saying i shouldnt feed them hamsters

[joepythons]

ok my dad and i used to breed hamsters..we had 42 at one time this is before i bought the bp....we were thinking about breeding them again...i was wondering if it is safe to feed hamsters to ball pythons...and if there is anyone that is selling female baby albino bps in the peoria IL area let me know....thank ya

Well just like i mentioned in that other thread feeding a hamster to your snake is not a good idea at all.They are mean little snots and can be very expensive to feed to your snake as he grows larger .I do know a few people selling albino balls if you are really wanting one now pm me and i will assist you

[NightLad]

You can find a breakdown of feeder information here: Whole Prey Final

Check out pages 9 for detailed comparison chart. At a glance, rats have much more protein and less fat, as well as more energy.

However, I'd agree that hamsters are far more vicious and might pose a greater risk in live feeding. I'd also agree that keeping your snake on a mouse/rat diet is better, in case you ever need to rehouse your snake. They live for decades, and you never know what the future will hold. Mice and rats are readily available as feeders... hamsters, not so much.

I hope this helps.

[mooingtricycle]

ok my dad and i used to breed hamsters..we had 42 at one time this is before i bought the bp....we were thinking about breeding them again...i was wondering if it is safe to feed hamsters to ball pythons...and if there is anyone that is selling female baby albino bps in the peoria IL area let me know....thank ya

As long as you are there to watch the animal and restrict the prey until the snake has successfully constricted and killed it, then i see no problem with feeding hamsters if that is going to be your choice of prey.

I suggest that if you plan on selling this animal, or any animals that you may breed in the future, to feed them mice and or rats as some snakes can become accustomed to one type of prey, and refuse others.

If this snake or others are just pets then i see no reason as to why not. Just be prepared for the risks of feeding live prey and feed responsibly and you and your animal will do fine.

I feed live 90% of the time, and i will use tongs/tweezers to hold the prey until the snake has constricted and killed the prey before moving on to the next animal, thereby reducing the risk of live feeding injury. Its all about responsible feeding.

[NightLad]

I feed live 90% of the time, and i will use tongs/tweezers to hold the prey until the snake has constricted and killed the prey before moving on to the next animal, thereby reducing the risk of live feeding injury. Its all about responsible feeding.

Hi,

I've only been in the BP community for a few months now, so forgive my n00bness. I've not heard of this feeding method before - restraining the prey until the snake has killed it.

How do you do this, exactly? Where do you grip the prey with the tongs? Are your snakes scared of the tongs at first, or do they ignore them?

Thanks!

[mooingtricycle]

Hi,

I've only been in the BP community for a few months now, so forgive my n00bness. I've not heard of this feeding method before - restraining the prey until the snake has killed it.

How do you do this, exactly? Where do you grip the prey with the tongs? Are your snakes scared of the tongs at first, or do they ignore them?

Thanks!

With mice/rats i just hold the prey by the tail with tweezers or tongs, and position the prey so the snake can bite the prey in the appropriate place as best they can and then just keep the head from moving near the snake to bite. ( usually mine strike well enough that their coils restrict the movement of the head and prevent this without my help, but its not a 100% thing)
Sorry, *editing* If they do not have a decent enough hold on an animal in that, the head is able to move freely before they are killed, i use the tweezers/tongs to prevent the head from moving.

with other prey such as hamsters id just hold them by the scruff of the neck. ( i do not make it a habit to feed my animals different prey items though, as hamsters are more expensive for one, and alot less easier to maneuver as ive described mice can be )

*another edit. im tired, forgive me here.
I do not see any fear of using tweezers and the like when feeding my animals, that is not to say yours would not be, just that i have not experienced it.
Its also a more lengthy process to live feeding, but one i am comfortable with using.