Guide For Snake Lovers: Feeding Your Ball Python

Snakes have a slow metabolism and only need to be feed once a week. The ball python's upper and lower jaw are attached by stretchy ligaments, allowing him to swallow his meals whole.

Ball pythons feed on small warm-blooded animals, such as mice and rats. He swallows the mouse whole and always head first. It is thought this is because it goes down easier this way.

Once in the stomach, the mouse is digested with the help of strong acids and other digestive juices. This will take anywhere from a few days to a week. The temperature in the cage will influence how long digestion takes. If the temperature is a the higher end of the recommended range, digestion is faster than if the temperature is at the lower end of the recommended range. The air temperature of the cage should be 77 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 68-73 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

You can buy mice at pet stores to feed your snake or you can raise your own mice.

There is some controversy about whether ball pythons should be feed live or frozen (thaw first) mice.

Some people feel that live mice should be fed to ball pythons because that is what they eat in the wild. However, if a mouse is in an enclosed area with a snake, it may become aggressive and attack your snake. The mouse may go for your snake's eyes and blind him or bite your snake, causing sores that could lead to an infection.

If you decide to go the live mouse route, do not leave the mouse and snake unattended. Be ready to intervene if it looks like the mouse is going to attack. If after thirty minutes your snake hasn't eaten the mouse, remove the mouse and try again later or the next day.

When you feed your snake a frozen mouse, thaw it first. Allow about twelve hours for the mouse to reach room temperature. Don't use heat to thaw the mouse.

It is better to feed your snake not enough food than too much food. Like people, snakes will become obese if they eat too much. The fat deposits around their organs will interfere with the function of the organs. If you plan to breed your snake at some point in the future, snakes that are obese will be less likely to breed.

Hatchlings will not eat until after they have shed their skin at least once, sometimes twice. Feed young snakes young mice. Start by giving them two young mice a week, then three about every two weeks. When the snake is about two feet long he can be fed adult mice or baby rats. Adult rats should only be feed to large adult ball pythons.

Ball pythons are known for not eating sometimes. In the wild they will have periods of fasting during the year.

If you ball python doesn't eat he could be stressed out about something. It could be a change in his environment or he may be sick. Make sure he is well hydrated and the temperature and humidity are close to the ideal ranges. A frozen mouse with its brain exposed may encourage your snake to eat.

If your snake isn't eating and you notice he's losing weight, force feeding may be the only option left. Before you attempt force feeding consult a veterinarian.

The veterinarian who cares for your cat or dog may not be the veterinarian to care for your snake. Consult a vet who specialized in reptiles. Ask at a pet shop for names of vets who treat snakes or check the yellow pages of your phone book.

There are two ways to force feed your snake. One way is to hold your snake by the neck and gently pull at the skin under his jaw. Stick the head of the mouse in your snake's mouth. Another way is to put a tube into your snake's stomach and using a syringe, push liquefied food through the tube.

If you have never force fed a snake before have your vet show you how to do it.

Feeding your snake the correct amount of food will keep your pet healthy and happy for many years to come.