Ball pythons consume a variety of prey in the wild. They may consume rodents, birds and small mammals; some even feed on fish if they live near water sources.
Captive rats and mice can be fed a variety of animals including rats and mice. Furthermore, they will consume plenty of human food like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, eggs, and insects.
Contents
In the wild
Ball python snakes in the wild feed on a variety of prey, such as rodents, birds, small mammals and insects. They tend to be nocturnal or crepuscular in nature, active at dawn and dusk. Furthermore, these reptiles live alone in burrows.
Ball pythons possess backward-pointing teeth, which allow them to grip and reduce prey into smaller pieces in order to swallow it whole. Furthermore, their sensitive sense of heat makes them ideal for ambushing prey during combat.
When a ball python feels threatened or resting, it curls into a tight ball to conceal its head among its coils. This behavior gives the snake its name.
In captivity, hatchlings and juvenile ball pythons are typically fed fuzzy mice, pinkie mice, hoppers, rat pups, and fluffs as they grow larger. As these creatures mature, adult rats and mice are offered.
In captivity
Ball pythons, like many snake species, are ambush predators in the wild. They feed off of anything they can catch; rodents, birds and small mammals being among their favorites.
In captivity, ball pythons typically feed on live or frozen-thawed mice and rats. These are the most popular feeder alternatives as they’re easily accessible and provide essential protein and calcium.
But you can also provide your ball pythons with other prey items while in captivity, such as rat pups or adult mice.
When feeding your snakes in captivity, it’s essential to offer different types of prey each week. This prevents them from getting bored with one type of food and introduces new nutrient levels which will help your snake maintain a healthy weight and prevent vitamin deficiencies.
Prey size
Ball python snakes in the wild feed on small prey such as rodents, birds, amphibians and fish. This diet is essential for their survival since it provides them with enough calories to last through long periods of fasting required by their natural behavior.
In captivity, you can offer your ball python various mice and rats of various sizes. As a general guideline, choose an animal that is roughly the same size as your snake’s largest body part.
When starting to feed a ball python, start with pinky newborn mice (fuzzies or hoppers). Gradually increase the size of your prey by weaning mice, fully developed mice, and eventually large adult mice.
Young ball pythons are highly active and rapidly growing, necessitating a high-energy diet to support their rapid development. One rat pup or adult mouse should be fed each ten days to meet their nutritional requirements.
Feeding
Ball python snakes in the wild will attack and consume live rodents, so it is essential that those kept in captivity have access to live mice or rats as prey.
Ball pythons in their early stages need more frequent feedings than older snakes as they grow and develop. Adult snakes, on the other hand, require less food as they mature and their growth rates slow down.
Calculating your snake’s weight can help you select a suitable prey item. Younger snakes usually do best with prey that is just slightly larger than their widest point.
It is also recommended that you never feed your snake anything larger than its mouth size. Doing so could cause regurgitation or blockage in their esophagus, which could prove fatal!
If you’ve tried feeding your snake various prey items and they still won’t eat, consult an exotics veterinarian for assistance. They may suggest force feeding as a last resort.
