Just Curious?

[GotBalls?]

I am planning on getting a ball python in the very near future, and obviously thier diet is rodents. But I was curious, if anyone if there were other types of food they could eat? It's just a curiousity of mine, I would obivously feed them whatever they should be eating, but I wondered if anyone had ever fed them other meats, like say chicken?

Sorry if this is a totally dumb, off the wall question...but was asked by a friend of mine if thier were alternatives since he knows how much I love rats as pets and thought I wouldn't be able to deal feeding my snake rats, and that got me thinking if there was, and I know you are all the experts so I thought I'd ask. I guess the only stupid question is one you don't ask right?

Thanks for humoring me!

Nicole

[ohh_kristina]

I do not recommend feeding anything other than rats to ball pythons. They sometimes have picky feeding habits and will feed on a chicken and then want nothing but chickens. Rats are the most nutricious (so i've heard), so you should feed rats. Chickens will only make their defecations runny..they don't do much for health.

[GotBalls?]

Thanks Kristina

I didn't specifically mean chickens..it was just an example.... I just wanted to know if anyone ever fed any alternatives to rats.

I will still feed the snake whatever it needs, be it mice, rats or whatever... I was just curious.

Nicole

[foman]

Gerbals but they cost alot more.

[mykee]

And gerbil-fed balls generally will eat NOTHING but gerbils f-o-r-e-v-e-r. Rats are the best. Mice are also used, but I don't know why.....

[ohh_kristina]

Originally posted by GotBalls?
Thanks Kristina

I didn't specifically mean chickens..it was just an example.... I just wanted to know if anyone ever fed any alternatives to rats.

I will still feed the snake whatever it needs, be it mice, rats or whatever... I was just curious.

Nicole

I was just using chickens as an example. It's with anything. Rats only for ball pythons!!

[Linds]

Could also feed wee baby rabbits... lol... but if you think you may have trouble with rats, those won't be any easier :p

[HetForHuman]

Originally posted by Linds
Could also feed wee baby rabbits... lol...

I have fed baby rabbits to my male ball but he only ate them twice and would never touch them again. And he went back to rats no prob.

But like everyone is saying feed rats..

[maiden_canada]

rats ;)

[daver676]

See if you can find a good Jerboa breeder! lol

[GotBalls?]

hehe thanks everyone...you have satisfied my curiosity :)

Nicole

[Weather1]

Has any one mentioned Rats..LOL

[sapphire_moon]

Actually I have heard of something out there called snake sausages....they come in diff sizes, and even come scented (like anole or mouse scented) for picky eaters........I seen a pic of a snake eating one in the Corn Snake Manual by Kathy Love. And for the ones that take say more than one mouse or something just leave them linked together.........but I wouldn't know where to find them!