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[Freakonaleash]

alllllright. last night my ball python ate for the first time (since i have had him). it was only the 3rd actual attempt. The first time i tried, i used a fresh killed gerbil. he didnt go for it, but at the time i didnt know much about caring for the snake (i tried feeding him the day i got him). Two weeks later, i tried again, with a live gerbil, he looked like he was going for it, but every time he got close to the gerbil, the gerbil moved and scared him back into his box. Welllll, i tried again just like two days after he finished his shed. I used a fresh killed gerbil, kinda dangled it around the newspaper (yes, i finally took everyones advice, ditched the fir substrate, replaced it with newspaper, this seems like it helped keep the warm side temp much more stable too), and infront of his hide box, he flicked his tongue on it a few times, then i just sat the gerbil down right at the hole of his hide box. after about 3 minutes, he was starting to choke it down, he took it inside his hidebox and ate it. i know he finished it cause his head came out a few minutes later to get a drink. SO, here is me question. The next time i try to feed him should be one week correct? and i should also use the same food right (gerbils) , i dont mind buying the gerbils, so im not going to be rubbing its dead body on no rats or anything like that. its bad enough killing the gerbil (i like to put it in like... a plastic wal mart bag, double bagged mind you... take it outside, swing it around real fast and slam it on my porch steps. this gets the job done real fast) but anyways, if i could get a few educated responses on how to follow up with your new snakes first feeding... i would greatly appreciate it. thanks in advance for any replies

[sapphire_moon]

If you like spending 4-6 bucks a pop for a gerbil no problem, when it gets to be an adult then you will have to feed about 6-8 gerbils at a time.

Get that snake on rats, and dead ones, you should be able to find f/t ones at most pet stores. If you don't want to rub dead gerbil bodies on rats, then don't feed gerbils in the first place.

[mykee]

Wow man. With all the great advice out there about staying the hell away from gerbils, it seems that you wouldn't take any good advice anyways. Sorry to hear about the feeding.

[Jeff_Favelle]

If you like spending 4-6 bucks a pop for a gerbil no problem, when it gets to be an adult then you will have to feed about 6-8 gerbils at a time.


6-8 gerbils?? HOW BIG is this Ball Python! Couldn't you just feed it an adult gerbil, LOL! Gerbils are NOT tiny.

Ha ha, yeah, but I agree, try to switch it to rats. That would be better for you in the long run.

[sapphire_moon]

really, they must be HUGE up there, because here an adult gerbil is a LITTLE bit bigger than an adult mouse!

[Freakonaleash]

no i dont mind the 4-6 bucks a pop for a gerbil, but he is for the most part adult i think heh... hes between 3.5 and 4 ft if i had to guess. still havent had him measured. i cant imagine him eating 6 gerbils a week though, thats ridiculous, i was just going to try for one gerbil a week. and yeah theyre pretty big rodents, not as big as rats granted, but they are thick.

[sapphire_moon]

Gerbils suck, period.

If you can't take the advice of me. Then take the advice of Mykee or Jeff Favelle, They breed, have been breeding for a while, and as far as I know keep their snakes quite successfully. If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the snake. Rats are better.

[mykee]

I know, advice. Couldn't help myself. Here are a few reasons you should REALLY try to get your ball off gerbils.

1. Unlike any other food item for snakes, gerbils are the only one that the snake will get 'stuck on'. Meaning if you EVER run out of a gerbil supplier (which I'm positive will happen, balls live in excess of 30+ years) you're ball iwll not eat anything else. Period.
2. Gerbils are expensive man! You'd have to be nuts to WANT to spend $6 (maybe x2) EVERY WEEK to feed your adult ball, when rats can be had for less than half that.
3. IF you get smart and start to breed your own gerbils, the litters are fairly small, running an average of 6, as opposed to 12-16 for rats, and 10-15 for mice).
4. Grebils are smaller than rats, and when your ball gets to be 3000+ grams, how many gerbils is that thing going to need to be nutritionally satisfied?! (more than one, that's $12-$15 a week).