Small mammals including mice, crickets, shrews, and birds make up the majority of the ball python’s diet in the wild.Small birds are the primary prey of young ball pythons under 27.6 in (70 cm) and small mammals are the primary prey of ball pythons larger than 39.4 in (100 cm). Males are more likely to hunt on birds, while females are more likely to prey on mammals.Various types of rats form the main diet for these predators. Ball pythons make excellent pet snakes for both novice and seasoned snake owners who like the mixture of different variants.However, getting your pet snake or your pet ball python to feed on a regular basis is a frequent concern among ball python owners all over the world. Ball pythons eat a variety of prey sizes depending on their size. Snakes that are smaller and younger can consume giant insects, but young ball pythons eat pinkies and fuzzies until they become larger. When they reach adulthood, adult ball pythons eat adult mice and rats. Some ball python fans believe that throughout your ball python’s existence, you should only feed various life stages of rats and never offer any insects or mice.After you have read all about ball python feeding, check out how often do ball pythons shed and do ball pythons bite?Do ball pythons need live food?Wild animals have adapted to cope with the fact that they rarely eat on a constant basis. Also, you must know the difference between striving and thriving, and as snake keepers, you must strike a balance between preserving an animal’s natural body and giving enough nourishment. They eat insects, birds, and mammals depending on their individual size.Keep track of your ball python’s physical condition and alter meal size/frequency accordingly, to ensure you’re feeding it correctly whilst in captivity. Feeding it correctly is very important, if you are not feeding it properly then there will probably be issues down the line.Ball pythons are typical carnivores, that is they must devour whole creatures to acquire the nourishment they require. Frozen (cold) prey is typically thought to be the best; discover how to defrost frozen (cold) prey items effectively here. Frozen rodents can be purchased in a variety of ways for feeding, at a small pet store near you, expos for reptiles, and obtained from local breeders.Most snake keepers prefer to buy their rats in bulk because shipping expenses are high (they must be transported overnight because they are frozen) and buying one rat every week might be bothersome. Rodents are known for harming and occasionally killing captive snakes, but only when the feeder is left in the snake’s cage rather than being overseen. While frozen/thawed food is still preferred, the idea is to ensure that your python eats on a regular basis. If using live prey is the only option, keep a tight check on the interaction and remove the feeder after 15-30 minutes if it hasn’t been eaten.Live feeders should not be stunned. This is not only horrible, but if/when the feeder wakes up, it may go into attack mode and attack your pet.With infant ball pythons, the size of the food is the most crucial consideration. They are incapable of handling enormous amounts of food in the same way that adults are. An infant has a considerably higher chance of choking and regurgitating than an adult.The size rule applies to both baby and adult ball pythons, but for babies, it is a strict guideline with minimal leeway. The size of their prey should not be of size bigger than the snake’s mid-length body. This restricts the types of food that can be fed to infant ball pythons. Depending on the size, the ball python diet must be taken care of.What else can you feed a ball python besides mice?In terms of the feeder option, there are lots of them besides mice. You should have no trouble obtaining the items listed besides mice, including rats, chicks, hamsters, gerbils, quail, ducklings, and guinea pigs. Most providers will even transport frozen prey food to your door, guaranteeing that it will still be frozen when it arrives according to the usage of dry ice.If you own or want to own a baby ball python and are concerned about accidentally feeding it the food that’s not healthy, keep reading to learn more.It’s critical to always feed your ball pythons the correct foods, but owners must also ensure that they are feeding the baby ball python what it needs at a young age. This is why it’s important to understand what to feed a newborn ball python.Pinky mice are the most popular infant ball python food. Pinky mice are little mice that are pink in color. Despite the unusual name, this isn’t a unique mouse breed at all. In fact, this mouse breed is common. Pinky mice (sometimes spelled pinkie) are young mice, whose fur has not yet fully developed. As a result, these mice have a pink appearance and are quite little. This is how pinky mice got their moniker.Though rats are normally preferred for ball pythons for feeding, it makes little difference with small baby pythons. Pinky mice are commonly fed since they are more readily available. The majority of snakes consume mice throughout their life, and the majority of snakes eat pinky mice as newborns throughout their life.Baby ball pythons, like adult ball pythons, eat only protein-based animals. The most important thing to remember is the right size of the prey. Baby ball pythons eat pinky mice or fuzzy rats (babies of these species) as well as huge bugs.What do ball pythons eat in the wild?Ball python reptiles are ambush predators who take advantage of opportunities. Male and female ball pythons, which display sexual dimorphism, have significantly different diets and behaviors. Males spend more hours in the trees than females, who spend more hours on the ground.This has an impact on prey availability and diet. Ball pythons eat birds and mammals such as crickets; however, male ball pythons eat birds, while female ball pythons prefer mammals such as rats, etc., because they are more terrestrial. The tail bases of a male may appear to be more square in shape. In addition, the tails of male ball pythons taper down more sharply towards the end. Females have no bulge and their tails taper gradually. Body size and weight are other indicators that may assist you in determining the sex of your ball python.Furthermore, smaller ball pythons under 27.6 in (70 cm) were found to prey nearly entirely on birds, whilst those larger than 39.4 in (100 cm) preyed primarily on mammals such as crickets. Ball pythons have been discovered to prey on a considerable number of bats and birds in one population.Ball pythons have thrived in human-affected areas due to their voracious appetite for rodent pests, which makes their presence desirable to farmers. While adult ball pythons have few predators, trappers in Ghana have reported that smaller animals are preyed upon by the snake-eating black cobra. Predators of ball pythons include birds of prey.Ball pythons are occasionally hunted in local areas for their flesh. Their patterns help them blend in, but if they are disturbed, they may bluff, flee, or bite. Ball pythons are the most traded African species that are lawfully transported live.While captive breeding has proven to be quite effective during the breeding season by breeders, which may have reduced demand for wild-caught animals, interest in unusual colors resulting from recessive features or ‘morphs’ has reignited interest in exporting wild-caught ball pythons.How to feed a ball python frozen-thawed prey?Snake owners may experience feeding issues with their pets. Some snake species, such as ball pythons, are known to refuse to eat in captivity, but feeding issues can affect any snake.The most typical feeding issue encountered by snake owners is when their snake refuses to attack and consume pre-killed prey such as mice and rats. Feeding pet snakes pre-killed prey, either fresh or previously frozen, is suggested for their safety, however, snakes can be hesitant to eat pre-killed prey. This is especially true if the snake was caught in the wild or is being offered a new prey item.If you’re using frozen-thawed prey, which is suggested, thaw it out the night before feeding day in the fridge. It is important to thaw it out the night before feeding it. This permits it to breathe slowly in a cold atmosphere, which inhibits bacterial growth, much as frozen meat should be thawed. Then, 15-30 minutes before feeding, place the prey in a BPA-free plastic bag, such as a Ziploc, and immerse it in hot water. Because a mouse’s body temperature is similar to that of a human, you’ll want to make sure the prey is between 98-100 F (36.7-37.8 C) before feeding it to your snake. You can use your temperature gun to check the temperature.What size food should you feed a ball python?A ball python chooses its prey. As a general rule, choose a rodent that is 1-1.25 times the size of your snake’s midsection. Smaller prey is OK, but larger prey should be avoided as they are picky eaters.In most cases, a snake can comfortably swallow prey that is as wide as its widest section. As a result, if his body is 1 in (2.5 cm) broad in the middle, he should be able to swallow a mouse that is 1 in (2.5 cm) wide without difficulty. Certain snakes also prefer smaller prey, and you may need to experiment with different prey sizes to figure out which one it favors. Constant repetition or even the food being lodged in his mouth or stomach might occur when he feeds prey that is too large. When in doubt, feed smaller rather than the larger prey option.Although your snake is suitable to answer this issue, an adult snake (one year or older in age) will normally eat once every 10-14 days i.e, every two weeks. Because they are still growing, younger snakes need to eat more frequently. While growing, they should eat at least once a week. If not once every 5-6 days or once every week. If your snake refuses to eat on a weekly basis, it’s fine to wait a little longer before feeding him again. Also, if your snake appears over weight (the tail should gradually taper to a point rather than having an abrupt shift in breadth from the vent to the tip), you should wait longer between feeding it (i.e a bit more than 14 days or two weeks) to avoid obesity issues and make sure that it’s healthy. Taking care of its diet is necessary to ensure its good health and make sure that it remains healthy for long.Why is my ball python not eating?Snakes might refuse to feed for a variety of reasons, including serious medical issues. Many pet ball pythons suffer from being too cold, especially during the winter months, but this is easily remedied by using a warming lamp.Intestinal parasites might make your snake feel ill, or prevent it from gaining weight. An annual fecal examination is indicated to check for pinworms, coccidia, or other intestinal parasites that may require deworming. If your ball python is hiding and resting in a safe zone, it will not eat until the old skin has been completely removed. An ashy tint to your snake’s skin and milky eyes are a sign that it’s preparing to shed.Stress is a common cause of snakes refusing to feed. Your ball python may become stressed and refuse to eat as a result of a new enclosure, other snakes in the enclosure, excessive handling, or any other enclosure. A fussy snake will also cease feeding due to differences in prey. The smell, size, whether the prey is living, just killed, or frozen and then thawed, the type of prey, and even the color of the prey can all influence whether your snake will eat it.After you have explored the reasons why your ball python is not eating, you should also discover the ways you could feed it. However, make sure you feed your snake in a separate feeding dish (not in his regular fed habitat) and cover it with a towel so it doesn’t become distracted while he’s supposed to be eating.First, if you just obtained your ball python and it hasn’t eaten yet, make sure you’re feeding it the same kind of prey item that the prior owner, pet store, or breeders fed your snake. A snake’s desire to consume the prey can be thwarted by subtle changes in the prey. Second, make sure the prey is warm if it has been pre-killed. If the prey was not recently slain, you may achieve this by submerging it in warm or boiling water for a minute or two.You can feed fish to ball pythons, but it should not be a regular part of their diet or supplied frequently. While wild ball pythons that dwell near bodies of water may eat fish occasionally, the majority of pythons do not. Instead, they live in grasslands with little access to or need for fish. Mice and shrews are their main sources of food. If you keep fish in captivity, make sure to choose fish like guppies, platies, trout, or salmon, which are less prone to induce vitamin B1 deficiency.Rodents are known for harming and occasionally killing captive snakes, but only when the feeder is left in the snake’s cage rather than being overseen. While frozen/thawed food is still preferred, the idea is to ensure that your ball pythons eat on a regular basis. If using live prey is the only option, keep a tight check on the interaction and remove the feeder after 15-30 minutes if it hasn’t been fed.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do ball pythons eat, then why not take a look at how long do ball pythons live or ball python facts?
Small mammals including mice, crickets, shrews, and birds make up the majority of the ball python’s diet in the wild.
