Ball Python

Ball Python Diet

The Ball Python will typically eat mice when small, and mice, rats or gerbils when full grown. One feeding per week is sufficient.

The Ball Python is a notoriously difficult eater, especially if it has been captured in the wild. Many owners experience tremendous frustration in getting their pets to eat.

If at all possible, pre-killed mice are the preferable choice. These are available from most pet stores at a resoanble price, and can be had in a variety of sizes. Simply warm up the mouse to body temperature (100F), and place it in the terrarium. Don't handle the mouse with your hands, as your scent may confuse the snake.

Feeding Difficulties

If your ball python refuses to eat, these are a few tricks that have worked for other ball python owners:

- The pillowcase: Try putting the snake, with the mouse into a pillowcase and leaving it undisturbed. With less distrations, the snake is more likely to eat. Check in half an hour, and see if the mouse if gone.

- The wet mouse trick: Remove the water from the terrarium, and wait a day. Soak the mouse in water, and then when the snake licks the drops of water from the mouse, it may be encouraged to eat.

- Washing: Sometimes, it is the scent of the mouse that disturbs the snake. Wash the mouse several times with soap and water, and make sure it is well rinsed. This removed the strong scent, and your snake may then eat.

- Attractant: There are a few products on the market that can enhance the scent of the mouse. Just put a couple of drops onto the mouse, and then leave it in the cage. Make sure you don't get any on your fingers!

- Live Food: This should be a last resort. Some experts feel that feeding live prey to your snake will tend to make it more aggressive. In addition, the mouse or rat can injure your pet. Furthermore, once you have fed it live food, it is very difficult to get it back on to pre-killed meals.

When should you worry?

If your snake has been eating, and starts refusing, it is not immediate cause for alarm. The ball python can go months without eating. They typically stop eating during the winter, so if the humidity or temperature in their terrarium has changed, this may result.

As long as your python is not obviously loosing weight, don't rush to force feed it. If you are in doubt, bring the snake to a vet and get a professional opinion.