What Size Rats Do Ball Pythons Eat?
WouterWhen choosing the proper size of rodent to feed a ball python, size matters! You should select rodents that are about one to one and a half times the snake’s midsection. While the snake will eat smaller prey, larger prey should be avoided.
Ball pythons will eat small mice and rats, but will not try to eat large prey. Therefore, if you want your snake to grow faster, choose a rat or mouse that is around 1.5 times its body size. If you can’t find large prey, a live baby rat may be better.
Ball pythons are primarily carnivores and will feed on rats, mice, and birds. However, their diets will vary depending on where they live. The size and gender of the snake also influence the types of prey they prefer. Males tend to eat more birds than females.
Ball pythons will feed on mice or rats, but mice are not a sustainable food source for the snake. However, if you don’t want to purchase a live rat, you can buy a frozen rat and place it in warm water for a few hours. The ball pythons will show interest in this frozen rat and may even strike it.
Juvenile ball pythons can be fed with one to two adult mice every week. For larger ball pythons, you should feed them a larger meal every week or so. If you choose to use frozen prey, you should feed it once every two to three weeks. If you choose to feed your snake frozen mice, it is essential to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh the prey.
