How do I feed my Ball Python?

Question

I'm getting a Ball Python tonight and I know it will only eat once a week but I'm not sure what to feed it. I know it will eat feeding mice but how? I know there's F/T and then we have the live option. I was hoping to do F/T because I live so far away from everything it would be hard to get a live mouse every week. With the F/T method how do I do it? Do I buy live mice and then just put them in the freezer? Or do you already buy them frozen and just continue to freeze them? How do you thaw them out? And could I buy like a dozen F/T mice and just use one when its feeding time and keep the rest in the freezer? I know I probably sound stupid but I'm clueless about this and I want to be a good snake owner so I'm trying to learn as much as I can. As for feeding, I know you take them out of their tank but what else do I do? Just drop it in and he does the rest? About F/T vs. live? Which is better for the snake?

Thanks a million everyone. I think with yalls help I can make MJ happy.

Answer 1

i prefer F/T over live because live can bite and hurt the snake. some snakes then think of the pain the mouse caused and won't eat anymore. plus any wounds could get infected. i use a heating pad under the snake tank and i have some sticking out the side of the tank i put the mouse  under there to thaw and warm it up. i don't get to many at a time, i don't want to freezer burn them so i only get about a months worth. i have never removed my snakes from their tanks for feeding, they usually don't like to be handled after. i do use a pair of tongs though and just dangle it. i was told this was a good idea because they don't associate your hand with the feeding, they see the tongs with the food. that way i can move it around to attract her attention. (the tongs are just for mice now lol)

Answer 2

You buy them frozen not live. You can use tongs or tweezers and dangle it in front of the snake. If the snake has no interest just put the mouse back in the freezer and try again.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Yes, you can buy several frozen mice and just keep them in your freezer.  When you're ready to feed your ball python, take the bag with the frozen mouse, and drop it in a bowl of warm water.  Once it feels soft, go ahead and remove the bag.  DO NOT touch the mouse with your bare hands!  If you do this, the snake will then associate your smell with food, and he will start striking at you when you wish to handle him.  ALWAYS wear gloves when you are handling a frozen mouse.

Now, you're going to want to take the ball python out of his cage.  Never ever feed him in his cage because then he'll think that it is always feeding time, and he will become very aggressive.  I feed mine in a bucket.. but you can use a box or whatever works.  Open the bag, take the mouse out (with your gloves on), and drop the mouse in with the snake.  He should take care of the rest ;)

Good luck!!!

Answer 4

All the answers here are good but the ball pythons are picky eaters some will not eat f/t so you may have to get live. try the f/t for a couple of weeks and if it don't eat you may want to try live.

Answer 5

You are not stupid at all, however i have told a ton of people PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not feed your "ball" live ball pythons are in part named "ball" because that's what they do when they perceive a threat they "ball" up. They are such timid  and docile creatures that the live mice that you feed them can repeatedly bite the snake and they will do nothing to defend themselves, this especially happens when the snake is not hungry. The  long and short of it is the snake will die because it will get infection from the bites the mouse inflicts. I used to dangle my mouse or rat  by the tail always wiping the tweezers I used to dangle them with alcohol first so they never mistake a human "smell" with food. Get reptile magazine and deal with a place like Bayou Rodents, I fed my Colombian red tailed for $115.00 a year the mice come frozen and pre packaged . Hopefully you live alone other people  may not like it with their food .Good luck and I hope this helps they are beautiful creatures. I enjoyed owning snakes greatly

Answer 6

No, you don't buy live mice and put them in the freezer! They sell them pre killed. T_T You might have to wiggle it around a little, too.