Do ball pythons eat frozen thawed?
Ball pythons are popular exotic pets and are a common first snake. However, they are notorious for refusing food, whether pre-killed or live. Therefore, getting finicky ball pythons to eat frozen-thawed prey (dead prey that has been frozen and defrosted) can take some experimentation and guesswork.
Should I Feed My ball python live or frozen?
“Live prey should not be fed to snakes.” It is more humane for the prey and safer for the snake. Snakes can be offered either thawed, previously frozen prey, or freshly killed ones. You do not have to kill the prey yourself, as most pet stores will supply freshly killed or frozen rodents to feed.
When to handle a ball python after feeding it?
As a general rule, you should wait for at least 24 and preferably 48 hours after feeding your snake to handle him. This assumes that any bulge created by the meal has shrunk. If you can still detect a food bulge, do not handle your snake. Some of the most common health problems that afflict ball pythons are explained below.
What should I do if my ball python is sleeping?
Open the habitat and touch your snake gently on the back. This will help you avoid startling him if he’s sleeping (it is essentially impossible to tell if your snake is just sitting still or sleeping, as they lack eyelids). Place your fingers under his body gently and lift him off the cage floor quickly and decisively.
How often does a ball python shed its skin?
Ball pythons, like all other snakes, shed their skin periodically. This can occur as often as once every three or four weeks, or as rarely as once or twice per year, depending on the size, age, and health of the individual. Proper sheds should come off in one long piece.
Is it normal for a ball python to not poop?
However, swelling from 2 weeks to few days before pooping is normal. Swelling goes down after a ball python has pooped. First stool after a long time is hard and darker/grayish in coloration. Not pooping for a long time (more than 3 months), plus not pooping when shedding or shortly after shedding during this time.
How old does a ball python have to be to eat mice?
If ball python is over 2 years of age, calculate 5-7% For example, for a juvenile ball python, you can get a bag of frozen adult mice like this. Larger mice will be around 1-1.5 months old. However, as your ball python gets larger (up to a year old or so), you will need to either feed 2-3 mice, or switch to small adult rats.
Can a ball python go for months without food?
You see, ball pythons, like most snakes, can safely go for months without any food. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should just sit back and let your pet starve. It just means that you have time on your side to figure things out. Keep reading to find out exactly why ball pythons go through fasting periods, and how you can fix the issue (s).
How big should a 2 year old ball python be?
Some ball pythons will grow much quicker, reaching 1kg by 2 years of age, while others only by 2.5. Mice and rat sizes will also differ. The most correct thing to do is to weigh your ball python and mice, and calculate percentages as shown in the first table.
When to switch from rats to ball pythons?
Weighing your ball python and food items will be the most reliable way to determine how much to feed your ball python. This is how to break it down: Small fuzzy/hopper mouse or similar. First meal is often 2 weeks after first shed 12-15% of your ball python’s weight. Start switching to rats at 150 grams+
How long can a ball python go without a heat lamp?
Your snakes will be fine for six hours at 75 degrees. It is okay to use pine bedding for snakes. It is okay to feed live food to snakes. No issues with that short an outage, but if you have a large collection you might want to consider a generator for extended outages.
Can a baby ball python eat frozen mice?
Feeding a ball python frozen rodents, may not appeal to their instincts to strike and eat their prey, but it is a safe alternative. Frozen mice are readily available and easy enough to find for pet owners.
