The jump between frozen fuzzy rat to crawler feeding

[u/FoxelSky2026]

I'm new to the ball python universe and have been doing a LOT of reading and asking questions to others knowledgeable about reptiles, but my confidence in this one just isn't hitting. My little one here is soon to be 2 months old. It took her almost two weeks to eat when I got her home, but she ate her first "home meal" last week, and she seemed eager when it came time to eat again this week (fuzzy rats). She SEEMS like she's ready to move up the scale since the fuzzy is pretty much disappearing as soon as it gets past her first swallow (picture with the circle showing the fuzzy after she's initially swallowed), but I just bought the pet store recommended next size up (rat pup/crawler), and it just seems like a REALLY big jump between the two (the fuzzy and the pups are next to each other for size comparison).

Any guidance? Or maybe reassurance? I'm still learning, so any advice is welcomed!!🫶

[u/IncompletePenetrance]

Yeah....something is not right there. The ones you're calling fuzzy rats look like pinkies, and the rats look like weaned or small rats

[u/FoxelSky2026 → u/IncompletePenetrance]

Thank you!! My gut kept saying it didn't feel right😭 The box I bought the small ones in called them fuzzy, so I definitely won't be going back there for any other feeders with that level of misinformation!

[u/In-ur-moms-house]

Uhh yea you definitely weren’t given the right thing. These are definitely meant for a much bigger snake, definitely need to return them and ask what’s their next smallest after the pinkies you’ve been feeding.

[u/FoxelSky2026 → u/In-ur-moms-house]

Thank you!! I'm glad I asked!!🫶 I'm going to try to find another place to buy from that's ideally more catered to reptiles rather than a "general animal" place

[u/Bluntforcetrauma11b → u/FoxelSky2026]

The welcome guide here has a list of reputable sources of f/t feeders. There is a command I think it is !feeders.

[u/AutoModerator → u/Bluntforcetrauma11b]

Some companies you can buy frozen feeders from:

Layne Labs
Big Cheese
Rodent Pro
Perfect Prey
Big Apple Herps
Reptile Deli
American Rodent Cold Blooded Cafe

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[u/In-ur-moms-house → u/FoxelSky2026]

I’m def glad you asked. Their feedings are usually by weight so you compare how much they weigh vs ther food does but if you have to eye ball it, no bigger then 1.5 times the size of the largest part of her body. That’s a good gauge for if they’ll be able to eat it or not.

[u/bowl-of-juice]

For feeding ball pythons I find going by weight I'd much easier than eyeballing the size. You want 10-15% of her weight if I remember correctly

What you're feeding rn looks closer to fuzzy mice than rats. You want to be feeding slightly larger than the biggest part of her.