Care For Your Python

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The Care And Feeding Of Your Ball Python

Of all the topics related to ball python care, feeding is by far the hottest topic. I know this for a fact, because it's the number-one thing people ask about when they send me emails. What do I feed my ball python? How often does it need to eat? What should I do when it refuses to eat? Here is what I've learned over the years, by caring for more than a dozen snakes:

• You can feed a baby once every 5 - 7 days, and adults every 7 - 10 days. Of course, the snake will decide when it wants to eat, and it may refuse meals once in a while. But the schedule above is a good rule of thumb to follow.

• You should offer one appropriately sized rodent per meal, as opposed to several smaller rodents. As a general rule, the meal should be about the size of the snake's widest part (mid-body) or slightly larger.

• Ball pythons have a reputation for being finicky eaters in captivity. In my experience, this reputation is somewhat deserved. But most cases of meal refusal are the result of improper habitat conditions. If you want your pet to eat on a regular basis, you need to provide the ideal conditions.

• Ball pythons like it warm and dark. So when you set up your habitat, you need to have (A) proper temperatures and (B) some hiding places for your snake.

• I mentioned it above, but it's worth repeating. Offer your pet some hiding areas inside the cage. In the wild, these snakes spend much of their time hiding in burrows dug by other animals, so they need to be able to hide in captivity as well.

• The cage should have a thermal gradient, which means one side is warmer than the other. This allows the snake to thermo-regulate, moving from one side to the other as needed. I recommend 80 - 82 degrees (Fahrenheit) on the cooler side, and 92 - 96 degrees on the warmer side. This range has worked well for me over the years.

• Temperatures are physiologically connected to appetite and feeding response. If your cage is too cool or too warm, the snake will not eat. It will suffer other health problems as well. So get the temps right from day one.

• There are many ways to feed a snake in captivity. You can simply drop the rodent into the cage, move the ball python into a separate feeding container, or offer the meal with a long pair of tongs. You may have to experiment with all three of these methods, to find out what works best for you.

• Reluctant eaters can often be enticed by using tongs. You can buy a long pair of stainless steel tongs for about $30, from reptile supply websites. By wiggling a frozen / thawed mouse or rat on a pair of tongs, you can make the prey seem alive. This will encourage a stronger feeding response.

• Use caution when offering live rodents! Better yet, avoid this feeding technique entirely. A live mouse or rat can seriously injure a ball python that doesn't kill it right away. My advice is to offer frozen / thawed prey, or freshly killed rodents. If you do offer live prey, be sure to keep a close watch. Don't ever leave them in the snake's cage unattended.

Every time you feed your ball python, you will learn something. These are some of the lessons I have learned over many years. But there's certainly more to learn. If you would like additional tips and techniques on this subject, refer to the care guide mentioned below. About the Author http://reviews-mann.blogspot.com/2010/02/medal-of-honor-airborne-pc.html http://twitter.com/lizareckon http://www.google.com/profiles/mannzunty