There is an abundance of information out there regarding the feeding of snakes and ball pythons in particular. This guide is not intended to be your only resource. You may also consult a reputable veterinarian with reptile experience.
We recommended frozen / thawed (F/T) feeders as they are safer, less expensive, and are stored more easily than live feeders. Frozen feeders are also humanely euthanized and die painlessly. Frozen rodents can be purchased online and at most pet stores. They can also be bought in bulk, saving you both time and money.
Frozen feeders are typically thawed in warm water, either placed in a bag or directly in the water. Never use boiling water or a microwave to thaw feeders, as this could harm your animal. You may use a blow dryer to create a hot spot on the feeder to help your snake track it better.
If your snake will not take frozen you may try fresh-killed rats instead of live prey. If you choose to feed live, never leave a live rodent in your snake's enclosure unsupervised for longer than five to ten minutes. Live prey can bite and scratch a snake causing severe damage and even death, regardless of the snake’s size.
Ball python babies up to a certain size eat mice, but once they are large enough they should be transitioned to rats. Rats have higher protein content than mice of the same size, and therefore provide more nutrition for your animal.
Certain picky eaters, often called mousers, may refuse to eat rats and only eat mice. This can be frustrating, but try to offer them rats at various intervals as they provide the best nutrition.
The African Soft Fur (ASF) is the native food source for ball pythons in the wild. This prey source is more expensive and typically more difficult to obtain. Do not get your snakes hooked on ASFs unless you have a constant source. ASFs may be your only option for a picky snake that refuses to eat.
Your ball python should eat a single prey item that is as wide as one to one and a half times its body width at the largest part of its body. You should avoid feeding two prey items in one meal in favor of a single, larger prey item. If you're having an issue getting your snake to feed try going down a size.
Juveniles and subadults should be fed once a week. Adults should be fed every other week. This varies so be sure to feed at a rate that is best for your snake. Avoid overfeeding.
Remember that ball pythons are nocturnal, so if they are refusing food during the day try waiting until dusk or later at night. Try to keep light in their environment to a minimum when feeding.
It is generally recommended that you feed a snake in its enclosure. If your snake is having an issue tracking or swallowing its prey try removing decor first. Do not move a snake to a separate enclosure to feed unless absolutely necessary.
Remember that when you introduce a prey item the snake's environment now smells like prey. They may enter feeding mode so be sure to keep your hands and fingers out of their environment. Avoid handling any predator when prey or the smell of prey is in the vicinity.
While some snakes will take thawed prey that is simply placed in their enclosure, you may want to use rubber-coated tongs to wiggle the prey in front of your snake. The movement may help entice your snake to strike. This also protects you by providing some distance between your heat signature and that of the prey item. Try using tongs even when feeding your snake live prey. This may help you transition your animal to F/T.
Try not to handle your ball python up to 48 hours after feeding. Doing so may stress your snake and cause them to regurgitate. Regurgitation is extremely bad for your reptile and can cause health concerns.
Ball pythons are notoriously finicky eaters and occasionally go several months between meals. This can be the most frustrating part of owning a ball python, but as long as health, weight, and body condition are maintained there’s typically no reason to worry.
A healthy ball python kept in the proper conditions will generally eat most meals offered. There are several reasons they may refuse to eat, however. The first thing you should check is husbandry. Ensure temperatures and humidity is correct and that the enclosure provides the appropriate darkness and security a ball python needs.
Ensure you are not handling the snake too often and that there’s nothing in its environment that may be causing it stress. Ball pythons may also refuse food when being blue (in shed), due to brumation (similar to hibernation), and because of mating season.
If your snake refuses to eat, wait two or three days and try again. Remember that snakes will often not eat when they are blue (about to shed) so be sure to wait until after they are done shedding. Consult a knowledgeable vet or experienced keeper for help if the fast is prolonged or results in weight loss over ten percent.
If necessary, some tricks to entice them to eat include scenting the prey with used gerbil bedding, dipping the prey in chicken broth or canned tuna juice, trying different colors of prey, exposing the brain of the prey before feeding, feeding at night, and covering the cage with towels after offering prey. You may try alternate types of prey, but we do not recommend you try feeding hamsters or gerbils, as this may make your snake more likely to develop a preference and refuse other, more nutritious prey.
We've developed this chart to help you find the root cause of why your snake isn't eating and provide tips on how to overcome its fasting. Click here to enlarge the chart.
These are general guidelines, although exceptions apply.
If you need additional help, such as transitioning your ball python to a different food or breaking fasts, reach out to us and we'll try to help.
