Need Help - Feeding Question

[L.West]

My one year old female ball is currently eating 2 large adult mice each week. She has been on two mice for the past couple months. Last night when I fed her she really seemed to be looking for more mice after she ate the second one - should I up her feeding to three mice each week since the mice I am feeding her are a little small for her but I had a supply in the freezer and didn't want to just throw them out. She really should be eating XL Adult Mice or even rats - which I plan to order next time from Rodent Supply but in the meantime I want to use up my supply of Lg. Mice.

So, to make a long story short - is it okay/safe if I offer her a third mouse during her weekly feeding??

Thanks for your help and advice.

[JLC]

I think that would be fine.

[L.West]

Thanks JLC - I just didn't want to over stuff her and then have her regurg - this is something she has never done.

I guess next week when I feed her I will thaw out three mice and let her decide if she wants the third - if not, no big deal.

[JLC]

If she chooses to eat it, it's highly unlikely she would regurge it. The main risk you run when upping their meal size this way is that she may not be as hungry at her next feeding. However, she's still growing, so I'm guessing she'll be happy with a third mouse.

[Jenn]

You could also wait an additional day or two longer between the three mouse feedings for a while.

[L.West]

So, do you think it would be preferable for me to offer her two mice on Wednesday night and then one more mouse on Thursday night??? And then keep up with this rotation until I can get her more size appropriate food??

Also, what do you suggest I move up to - XL Mice or some have mentioned rats??? I'm new to this so I need all the help I can get.

Thanks.

[Melicious]

You have to see what your snake is comfortable with. I would try her on small rats(or thereabouts considering the thickness of her body) and see where it leads you. How long can the rats stay in the freezer? I feed live, so I'm unsure. Mayhaps you could please post a picture so we could get an idear of her thickness?

[JLC]

So, do you think it would be preferable for me to offer her two mice on Wednesday night and then one more mouse on Thursday night??? And then keep up with this rotation until I can get her more size appropriate food??

Also, what do you suggest I move up to - XL Mice or some have mentioned rats??? I'm new to this so I need all the help I can get.

Thanks.

I don't think she meant to wait a day or two before feeding the third mouse...but rather...instead of feeding three mice every seven days (or whatever schedule you're on), try feeding three mice every nine or ten days. Which is an option if the snake seems disinterested in eating on its usual feeding day.

As for what to feed...it's really entirely up to you. It all boils down to what is most convenient and affordable for you to get, and what your snake is willing to eat. If you're happy feeding frozen mice, it can live on those easily the rest of its life. If you want to try switching to small rats at some point, that's fine, too.

[dsmalex97]

You can feed them mice for that long? Hey is it possible to just feed mice, and not feed rats? How many mice for like a 1800gram female lol?

[JLC]

You can feed them mice for that long? Hey is it possible to just feed mice, and not feed rats? How many mice for like a 1800gram female lol?

Mine was hitting the 2000g mark and eating three large mice a week. They really don't need tons of food. If they're eating a small meal (ie: a couple mice or small rat....as opposed to a large rat) every single week, they're still getting way more food in a given year than they would ever find out in the wild.