What Can Ball Pythons Eat?

Ball pythons are African constrictors commonly kept as pets. They are fairly small snakes, only reaching lengths of around 5 feet. They are also fairly docile, making them ideal for beginners. Ball pythons are carnivores that primarily eat small rodents like mice, rats, shrews and even small birds. They should subsist off a diet of mice when kept in home terrariums.

  1. In the Wild

    • Ball pythons will eat any small mammals they can catch in the wild. Food items may include gerboas, small rats and mice. They will also devour amphibians like frogs, small reptiles like lizards, birds and even other snakes. They are not venomous and kill via constriction; they wrap around their prey and coil tightly until the victim's heart stops. The snakes will then proceed to swallow their food whole.

    In Captivity

    • Ball pythons primarily eat lab mice in captivity. Standard mice and small rats are appropriate for adult snakes. They can typically eat food twice the width of their heads by unhinging their jaws and using a specialized air tube to breathe. Juveniles should eat twice a week and typically consume either small mice or "pinkies," which are newborn mice. Adults can eat once a week. Some keepers like to provide gerbils as an alternative to mice, though these are often more expensive. Captive pythons should never be fed wild rodents, as they may carry parasites.

    Feeding Procedures

    • A live mouse should never simply be thrown into a ball python's enclosure for consumption. This may lead to aggression, as the snake will learn to associate your hand with food. It is recommended that ball pythons (and all snakes, for that matter) be fed in separate feeding containers. These can either be cardboard boxes or separate enclosures with no decor to get between the mouse and the snake.

    Frozen vs Live Food

    • Frozen mice are a great alternative to live mice for many. Frozen mice are purchasable at nearly any pet shop and can be kept in the freezer for several months without spoiling, meaning less frequent trips to purchase food for your snake. They must be properly thawed in warm water for at least a half hour before they are served to the animal. Some snakes are finicky eaters, however, and may not accept frozen meals. This may occur with wild-caught ball pythons that are used to capturing live prey.

    Complications

    • It is not uncommon for ball pythons to go several months without eating, particularly during the winter. The snake may be lethargic if there is not enough heat in its enclosure and refuse to eat, or it may have a parasitic infection or be too stressed from overhandling. Monitor the snake's weight loss during fasting periods and report to a veterinarian if it loses more than 20 percent of its body weight. There are procedures, like forcefeeding, that will make the snake eat.