The ball python is the non-venomous snake that is kept as a pet by most of the snake lovers or the enthusiast because they are easy to tame and are calm in nature. The ball pythons can easily bond with the humans and that is why they are kept as pet snakes, unlike other snakes.
The eating habits of the ball python are quite inspired by their natural habitat and that is why they prefer eating rodents as a staple diet and in this article, we will discuss whether the ball python can eat a fish or not. In this article, we will know everything regarding fish as a diet for your ball python and does it affects your pet snake.
Contents
Can ball pythons eat fish?
Yes, the answer to this question yes the ball pythons can eat fish but this cannot be considered as the staple diet for your ball python. The ball pythons who live near the water bodies do feed on the fish but otherwise, the ball pythons do not feed on fishes as such.
They usually feed upon the fish on an occasional basis if kept in captivity, otherwise, the fish is not any kind of staple diet for ball python and neither should it be one. As we know that ball python will eat anything that comes on its way but still it will not ever prefer a fish over a rodent.
Do ball pythons eat fish?
The ball pythons do eat fish if they are provided with it and some of the ball python seven love eating it but it is recommended that they should be fed with fish in small quantities and also not on regular basis.
As we know that ball python usually lives on grasslands and the availability of fish in those areas are rare so they do not prefer eating fish, but if any water body comes nearby and they get fish on their way, it is their tendency that they will definitely eat the fish. Some ball pythons do love eating fishes and some do not depend upon their behaviour.
For some ball pythons are eating fish for the first time inside their captivity they can enjoy it and also they would not like to eat it and leave the fish uneaten. So, a ball python may or may not eat a fish in some cases depending upon its natural habitat and behaviour.
Feeding a fish to the ball python is a good idea or not?
If you want to feed the fish to the ball python is small quantity then there is no issue, but if you feed them with lots of fishes or you overfeed them with fishes you need to be careful because it is not a good option to feed a ball python with lots of fishes.
You can serve the fishes in small quantities alive or dead depending upon the availability and it should be only once every month. Also, you should be careful with what type of fishes should be fed to the ball python, as all fishes are not appropriate for them. It is recommended never ever feed a ball python with rosy reds, goldfish, flathead minnows, stuffies, whitebait and mackerel fishes as these are harmful fishes for your ball python.
The fishes that you should not feed to the ball python can cause lots of problems to your pet snake as these fishes to contain enzymes that will block the Vitamin B1 from getting absorbed into the body of the ball python. Due to this deficiency, the ball python can get ill and even get nervous system disorders and in some cases, it can be fatal for your ball python.
The fishes that you can feed to your ball pythons are guppies, trout, salmon and platies because they contain a very low level of enzyme or no enzyme which leads to blocking the Vitamin B1 absorption in the body of the ball python. So be careful which fish you need to feed your pet snake and which you should avoid as it is the question of their life.
Another thing does not force your ball python to eat the fish as some ball python would love to eat the fish, while some do not. If they will not like the fish they will not eat it and they will rather starve than eat it. So in order to keep your ball python healthy, it is important to understand what they can be fed and if whatever is being fed they are liking it or not. Force-feeding will not help and in some cases, they will even starve to death. So feed the fish to your ball python only if they like it and that too in small quantities once a month.
In some cases if you will introduce the fish to your ball python for the first time they may not eat it as fishes are not available in their natural habitat, so either it will take time to eat that fish or they will never eat it. So it depends upon the ball python whether they want to eat the fish or not. So feeding a fish to the ball python purely depends upon the interest of the ball python and not the owner as we know a fish is not a staple diet for the ball python in its natural habitat.
Effects of fish on ball python
The fish is high in protein but that does not mean that it is an amazing option for the ball python. The fish does not fulfil the diet of your ball python and give them all nutrients that are needed by their body. Also, the ball python is not so fond of fish and if they are you should provide them with fishes in small quantities that also once a month.
The fish that is being fed to the ball python should be selected carefully as all fishes are not good for them some of the fishes are very harmful to them and in some cases, you can even lose your lovely ball python. So be careful while you are choosing a fish for feeding a ball python. A ball python should never be fed with excessive fishes as it is not good for your ball python and it causes lots of problems for them as they are not used to eating fish.
Conclusion
The ball python is an amazing pet snake and as a responsible owner, we should take care of our ball python. We should be aware of what we should feed our ball python with and what is good for them and what is not.
As we know that ball python can eat fish but still we need to regulate the intake of the fishes as too much of the intake of fishes is not a good idea.
We should just feed a ball python with fishes occasionally not on daily basis. Also, select carefully the fish that you want to feed your ball python with as not all fishes are a good option for the ball python some of them are harmful too. To understand your ball python well and try to build a bonding with them so that they can live a happy and healthy life with you inside their enclosure.
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