provide necessary nutrient that is required for the healthy and proper growth of the bearded dragon.

Ball pythons or Python regius are favorite animals among the reptile enthusiasts because of their beautiful colors and calm temperament. These snakes are endemic to Africa and they are called ball pythons since they constrict themselves when threatened or stressed. One often asked by snake lovers is whether the ball pythons that are obligatorily carnivorous feed on eggs. This article will give information about their wild diet and aim at dispelling myths about their diet in captivity and if eggs are in any way edible for these pythons.

Natural Diet of Ball Pythons

 Although free ranging in sub-Saharan Africa, ball pythons primarily consume small rodents including mice and rats. They are also constrictor snakes and apply pressure on the bodies of their prey with their coils until these get choked and are swallowed whole with the throat. Most of the dietary intake of a ball python is made up of rodents but can occasionally feed on other small mammals and birds and even other reptiles.

 Ball pythons like availing themselves on small mammals, which they easily kill and feeds them well as they are nutritionally packed. Rodents need proteins and energy in plenty again, that is why they rely so much on them.

Ball Pythons and Eggs

 To the contrary, there is a belief that ball pythons prey on eggs on a daily basis which in real sense, is a fallacy. It is a fact that these eggs are not featured in their natural diet. Though they come across eggs once in a while like reptiles’ or bird eggs their main diet is still the small mammals. Contrary to a belief that ball pythons have some sort of affair towards eggs, this is not true.

Feeding Habits of Ball Pythons in Captivity

 In other words, pet ball pythons should be fed on the right sized rodents. The prey size for hatchlings should be small mice while as the growing matures, the prey size should be larger. Killed before using or those that are frozen and thawed are safer compared with alive forms of the prey as may pose harm to the predator. Specifically, adult ball pythons should be fed once in every 1-2 weeks. Their feeding schedules should be adequately maintained to ensure that they are well fed and healthy most of the times.

 Taking live prey to the nest is risky since it may not reach the young ones and killing of rodents is easier than taking live ones to the nest. The fresh rodents can in some cases harm the snake during feeding while the dead ones poses less risk to the snake and these are available through freezing and can be easily accessed at any time.

I am sure if you are already feeding eggs to ball pythons then there are certain risks that you are aware of.

 Some foods should be avoided when feeding the ball pythons and the eggs are among the foods that should not be given. Raw eggs are not a healthy diet for balI pythons as it lacks a lot of nutrients and is balanced which lead to deficiencies and imbalances. A poor diet which may include only eggs, may lead to development disorders for instance; stunt growth, weaken immune systems as well as cause metabolic bone disease. Proper feeding of ball pythons comprises of appropriately sized rodents which in return provide the needed nutrient for proper health.

Alternative Enrichment Options

 To augment your ball python’s diet; it is advisable to feed your python different types of appropriately sized prey such as different types of rodents or small birds. This affords other feelings and tastes. Also, commercially available reptile foods can provide well-balanced diets and source of variety that is important in feeding the reptiles.

 Another area is also an improvement of their place with hiding places; climbing branches on trees and even puzzle feeder also improves their feeding activities. There is always a recommendation to feed other food items that should include quail or chicks more so in case you want to grow a breeding ball python since they contain higher fat content.

Conclusion

 Thus, summing up, one has to point to the fact that the balanced diet is also one of the key aspects of your ball python’s healthy life. As a supplement, the variety such as the different prey items or other commercial diets for reptiles may be added into their diet, but they should never feed their reptile eggs. To try and ensure that your ball python is healthy and active always, feed it on properly sized rodents as well as feed it a balanced diet.