7 yr old Ball Python strange habits

[GlueStick]

I don't know if I'm feeding her too little but, I have a ball python who is 7 years old (I adopted her at 5 yrs old) who is hungry ALL OF THE TIME. She went from a timid snake that wouldnt eat for 5 months when I first got her (she came from an abuse case) to this.

Just a quick rundown... she is in a custom built short 75 gallon tank made of wood with sliding glass front doors. I have her on cypress bedding (believe it or not, she's allergic to aspen). Her cool side is usually around 80-83F and her hot side is always 92-98F and humidity is between 40-50%.

I feed her once a week, usually 1-2 small rats frozen and completely thawed upon feeding. She has always been fed in a box. She is about 4ft long. The problem is that after feeding her, she is always out as if looking for more, ready to strike at all times (and does if you startle her). Are the rats not filling her up? I thought you were supposed to feed them once every other week but just feeding once a week doesn't satisfy her.

 

[Kidster96]

I don't have a snake so I'm not sure but... maybe you're feeding him/her to small of feeders?

 

[GlueStick]

Well, I feel like the medium rats may be too large and that, in my mind, feeding two smaller ones equals one medium ^^ I refuse to feed her anymore! Is it wrong to feel that way? I don't want her to get constipated... she's older. Shouldn't she have slowed down with feeding by now?

 

[Deemac6]

The rule with snakes is you feed them a prey item large enough to leave them a noticeable bump. The item should be as big as the largest part of their body. My one year old is eating a small rat so your female should be eating a medium or a large rat. Also you know not to handle for atleast 24 hour (48 recommended) after feeding. Also how many hides do you have in your tank. Balls like small spaces and most people don't keep them in large tanks due to this, they like snug places, I currently have mine in a plastic tub from walmart and he loves it, its big enough for him to move around but not huge. Because of your large tank is is recommended to have LOTS of hide on both warm and cold.

 

[Deemac6]

Also, 7 years old is not 'older' you realize these snakes live up to 30 years?

 

[Kidster96]

Longest living ball python was 48 years which was a snake that was wild caught as an adult :3 got it from lllreptile.

 

[GlueStick]

Yes yes and yes. I wasn't uneducated when buying her. She is young. My question was how often should I feed an 'older' not OLD snake. Some people feed every other week or once a month. I was asking if once a week was too much or if it is still ok to feed her this often. I buy two small rats instead of one medium because it is cheaper. Unless someone here can recommend a REPUTABLE online frozen mice distributor.

 

[Deemac6]

Two small rats isn't going to cut it and once a week for feeding, you need to feed her something that will fill her, you can defiantly feed her a medium rat, how much does she weigh should be around if not over 1000 grams.

 

[Deemac6]

You stated you think she is still hungry after feeding so you obvious can't space the feedings out because she would get hungrier and obvious see needs a bigger prey item. Are the mice you feeding leaving a noticeable lump or not?

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f302/maelstrom666/rat_mousesizespicture.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f302/maelstrom666/rat_mousesizes.jpg


sorry.


Also I just want to say if this is all the time even not after feeding and he is constantly out and moving around he is stressed and not comfortable, snakes should only be active at night so if he is constantly out then you need to re-evaluate your set up, I do think that she is still hungry and you should look into getting a bigger sized prey item.

 

[Kidster96]

403 forbidden.

 

[GlueStick]

I have no idea how much she weighs. I don't carry a gram scale... but she is certainly heavy. So feeding once a week is fine correct? And you are just suggesting I feed her larger prey. Thing is, I donbt like buying rats from Petsmart because they are so damn disgusting and expensive.

Could anyone suggest a feeder mice website I can order from that is reputable and fair in price?

 

[GlueStick]

And I have one hide on right and several large logs on left with heavy planting. I will post a picture once my apartment gets internet on Monday.

 

[Deemac6]

yes once a week, and sorry im in canada so I can't help with where to buy food.

Also with balls you can never have to many hides and there should be multiple hides on the cool and warm side, you can make some out of little boxes they don't have to be anything special they don't care what they look like they just need snug places and the more things you offer the better. Wide open spaces are uncomfortable in them and in the wild they spend most of their time is holes and small mounds snug in closed places. Try making a few make shift hides and throwing them in to see if she calms down.

Also you should post some pictures of here, I have a thread with my little guy on the board.
Also if feeding a bigger prey item seems scary don't worry they are built to eat things much larger then themselves.

 

[Kidster96]

http://www.rodentpro.com/products.asp
o_o?

 

[MrMatt]

www.micedirect.com

At Petsmart you can get a copy of the October 2011 Issue of Reptiles Magazine (maybe not right away I'm a subscriber) it has a fairly large column about feeding rodents to your reptiles. I just got mine the other day in the mail and read the article tonight. It helped me with further understanding and the reasons to feed frozen thawed rodents to my snakes. I currently have 1 Ball Python and 3 Corn Snakes.

They usually say that you can feed a prey item to your snake that is no bigger then 1 1/2 the snakes girth at the largest point.