Food-related question for my Ball Python

[M&J in NC]

Hello everyone. My name is Michael and my wife's name is Jan. We are new to this site and new to BPs as well. We look forward to getting to know everyone here.

I have a food-related question about our 07 male. We feed him live mice once a week, and he's a great eater. I just wonder if he's getting enough food. When we put a mouse in his feeding box he seems to strike, coil and chokes it down as fast as he can. Most of the time he's in and out of his box in 5 minutes. Here's my question(s)... Should he be eating a certain portion of his own body weight? Should we feed him every 5 or 6 days, instead of 7? Is it time to upgrade him to small rats?

This is our first snake. We just want to do it right.

Thanks, Michael

[Oxylepy]

Hrm, since he's an 07 I'd say he should be on small rats by now. But if you have a scale to weigh him and his prey on you should probably be aiming to feed him around 15% of his body weight every week. And every 7 days is quite fine.

[FatBoy]

It is easy...fed him something the same size or just larger than the largest part of his belly. I would guess most 07s would be eating small rats by now. What part of NC are you from?

[iCandiBallPythons]

Hrm, since he's an 07 I'd say he should be on small rats by now. But if you have a scale to weigh him and his prey on you should probably be aiming to feed him around 15% of his body weight every week. And every 7 days is quite fine.

I agree with oxy and fatboy. I would try to get him on rats.

Welcome to the forum I am from NC as well!

[scales owner]

I wouls also agree with all of the above! Sm. Rats mine will take Jumbo rats. He is a bit older tho. Also WELCOME. I am NOT from N.C. but close. Virginia!

[nixer]

when he eats you should be able to look and see a slight bulge in his stomach. if he looks the same before eating as he does after then i would surely just try another mouse for now. you can try a weaned rat instead of 2 large mice but some dont wanna switch to rats. as for the jumbo comment if you have an 07 eating jumbos your not feeding jumbo rats. ive never seen a reason to give a ball more than a medium rat and those are large females in the 4000 gram range or better.

almost every place size rodents differently i typically use http://www.rodentpro.com/ for sizing

[scales owner]

when he eats you should be able to look and see a slight bulge in his stomach. if he looks the same before eating as he does after then i would surely just try another mouse for now. you can try a weaned rat instead of 2 large mice but some dont wanna switch to rats. as for the jumbo comment if you have an 07 eating jumbos your not feeding jumbo rats. ive never seen a reason to give a ball more than a medium rat and those are large females in the 4000 gram range or better.

almost every place size rodents differently i typically use http://www.rodentpro.com/ for sizing

Is why I said he is a bit older! He is about 4 years old. And the "jumbos" I get you may be right...may NOT be TRUE jumbos but my boy is a good size. So they could be large instead of jumbos but they are a good size!

[rabernet]

I'd never feed a jumbo or large to my crew. A small medium is the largest that I go once a week for my adults.

[M&J in NC]

Thanks for all the replies everyone... I made a mistake. I said he was an 07 but he's actually an 08. I just hit the wrong key.

And, we live in Salisbury, NC.

[FatBoy]

Thanks for all the replies everyone... I made a mistake. I said he was an 07 but he's actually an 08. I just hit the wrong key.

And, we live in Salisbury, NC.

Same applies, just larger than its largest part of belly.