When considering what to feed your ball python, you’ll need to keep some things in mind. For example, a ball python’s midsection can be as large as one-and-a-half times its length. While smaller prey is fine, larger ones should be avoided. You should also keep a variety of other types of prey available for your pet to choose from.
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Rodents
Feeding a ball python can be a challenge. It’s best to start small, and stick to rodents that are roughly an inch in diameter. Eventually, you can gradually increase the size of the prey item and your snake should eat it without any problem. However, keep in mind that feeding a snake too large of a prey item can lead to regurgitation and even get stuck in its stomach.
Generally, baby ball pythons can eat one small rodent at a time, while larger adults can eat two or three rodents. Feeding a ball python with a small mouse or a rat once a week will provide plenty of prey, but be sure not to feed it more than that. Feeding a ball python with live prey can cause unnecessary stress and may even result in a bite, causing infection or death.
Mice
You can feed ball pythons with a variety of prey items. Frozen mice, rats, and other rodents should be dangled near the snake. Some snakes may attack immediately; others will take their time to hunt down the prey item. In order to entice your snake to eat, you can rub the item against its skin or warm it in the microwave. You can also dip the prey item in warm chicken broth to make it smell more appealing. You can also use a pin to pierce the item to release more enticing scents.
For best results, you should feed ball pythons during the night, when they are most active. Unlike most other pets, snakes are not thought to recognize color, so you can feed them with a variety of rodents. Although snakes are not believed to be able to recognize colors, they can detect the difference between light and dark rodents. Because rodents tend to be darker than human skin, most snakes prefer dark foods, but you can try giving them a variety of colors to make them more attractive to their owner.
Rats
Using rats to feed your ball pythons can be an excellent idea. Rats have the right size and shape to attract a ball python’s attention. Rats should be smaller than the snake’s widest part. Before feeding your snake, make sure the rat is free of wounds or damage. Next, open the cage and hold the rat in front of the python’s head. To avoid feeding your snake with a rat, take a few steps to prepare the prey.
You should choose mice or rats depending on the size of your ball python. Depending on its size, you can use a frozen bag of adult mice for a juvenile python. As the snake grows, the prey should be cut into pieces smaller than the python’s mouth. The best way to measure the prey is to use a digital kitchen scale.
Chicken
There are a few things to remember when it comes to chicken feed for ball pythons. First, never feed them cooked chicken. The meat of chicken must be completely raw. Chicken has no natural nutrients that ball pythons need. Secondly, chicken is not easily digested by ball pythons. They need rodents as their main diet. So, chicken should be a special treat, not a staple food.
You can feed your snake live prey and pre-killed prey. The former is better for the snake as it creates a more realistic hunting experience. However, live prey can cause harm to the snake when it is hunted. Pre-killed prey, on the other hand, must be thawed, making them hard for the snake to digest. It will take longer for your snake to adjust to eating pre-killed food than it did to eat live prey.
