What Size Rats to Feed Ball Python

When choosing what size rats to feed your ball python, you should choose ones that are about one and a half times the snake’s midsection. The smaller the prey, the better, because larger prey can hurt your snake’s digestive system.

If you are feeding a Ball Python frozen prey, it’s important to defrost the prey in the refrigerator first. This usually takes about five hours for a rat and about two hours for a mouse. Do not use a microwave to defrost frozen prey; it’s best to put it in a plastic bag in a bowl of warm water. Once the prey is thawed, remove it from the bag and use tongs to pick up the prey.

Rats are a great source of variety for a ball python’s diet. You can feed it up to three small or medium-sized rats every few weeks. Occasionally, you can increase the amount of food to four medium-sized rats once a month.

As your ball python grows and matures, you can increase the size of the rodents you feed it. As a rule, you should feed your snake about twice a week until it is two years old. As it ages, you can cut back to every two weeks or every three weeks. A ball python will thrive in its new habitat if you keep its feeding schedule consistent.