How Much Does It Cost to Feed a Ball Python for a Year?

How much does it cost to feed a ball python? An adult eating one Medium rat every 2 weeks needs about 26 rats a year. At Mike's single price of $4.35 each, that's $113.10 a year, plus Arizona sales tax. That's about $9 a month. Young snakes eat smaller meals more often. Collections pay less per rat.

Prices are per animal. Sold as feeders, not pets.

Below is the math for every size, plus totals for 3, 10, 25 and 50 snakes.

The short answer

• One adult ball python: about 26 Medium rats a year, or $113.10 at the single price. With 6.1% sales tax, that's about $120.
• Every 3 weeks instead of 2: about 17 rats, or $73.95 a year.
• Collections: each order of 10 or more drops the price per rat. Ten snakes on a two-week schedule come to about $1,014 a year.

Your number depends on your snake's size and how often it eats. For how often, see our pillar guide, How Often to Feed a Ball Python.

How many rats does a ball python eat a year?

It depends on age and size. Wilbanks Reptiles gives these feeding gaps (Wilbanks):

A vet-reviewed Chewy care sheet keeps it simpler: juveniles about once a week, adults every other week (Chewy).

One more thing lowers the real count. Reptiles Magazine notes that adult ball pythons "can (and often do) go several months without feeding," and many go off feed in the winter breeding season (Reptiles Magazine). So your snake may eat fewer meals than the math says.

Yearly cost by snake size

Here's the math at Mike's single prices (1 to 9 at a time). The feeder sizes follow the 10% rule many keepers use: a feeder about 10% of the snake's weight.

Prices are per animal, plus Arizona sales tax. Sold as feeders, not pets.

A few notes on the table:

• Weights in between? A snake between two sizes (say 350 g) may fit either. Text Mike its weight and he'll help you pick.
• The schedule is an example. Use the gap your snake does well on. Check its weight over time.
• Not sure of the size? The feeder size guide shows every size in grams. For rat sizes by snake weight, read What Size Rat for a Ball Python?

Do bigger snakes cost more to feed?

Per meal, yes. A Large rat is $5.65 and a Medium is $4.35. Over a year, it depends on how often your snake eats. A big adult on Large rats every 21 days comes to $96.05 a year. That's less than a smaller adult on Mediums every 14 days ($113.10).

How do bulk prices change the total?

Mike's price drops when one order hits 10, 25 or 50 animals. Here's a Medium rat at each level:

Prices are per animal, plus Arizona sales tax. Sold as feeders, not pets.

Here's the honest part. One snake rarely needs 10 live rats at once. Live rats are best bought close to feeding day, so a single-snake keeper usually pays the single price. See How Long Do Feeder Rats Live? The bulk tiers pay off for collections, where every order covers many snakes.

What does a collection cost to feed?

Let's price collections of adults that each eat one Medium rat every 2 weeks. You buy one order per feeding, one rat per snake.

Prices are per animal, plus Arizona sales tax. Sold as feeders, not pets.

Feeding a big collection adds up fast. That's why it pays to run this math before you pick a supplier. For bigger orders, read Bulk Feeder Rats for Big Collections and Breeders.

Want your exact number? Call or text Mike at (520) 451-4380 with your sizes and how many snakes you feed.

Is live more expensive than frozen per year?

Sometimes, and sometimes not. It depends on how you buy frozen.

Here's one adult eating 26 Medium rats a year, priced a few ways. Prices outside Mike's were checked on October 16, 2026. They're each site's one-time online price, before tax and shipping.

Mike's prices are plus 6.1% Arizona sales tax. Sold as feeders, not pets. Prices change, so check before you buy.

So frozen shipped in bulk can cost less than live. Frozen from a chain store's website cost more than Mike's single live price on the day we checked. Frozen also needs freezer space and time to thaw.

Feed frozen? Good. Keep doing what works. Lots of snakes do fine on it. For a dated price check across live, frozen and chain stores, read How Much Do Feeder Rats Cost? For the full pros and cons, see Live vs Frozen Rats for Snakes.

Ways to lower the cost

1. Feed the right size. A rat that's bigger than your snake needs costs more. Weigh your snake and match the feeder to it.
2. Use the right gap. Adults don't need to eat as often as babies. Ask your vet if you're unsure.
3. Order for all your snakes at once. One order of 10, 25 or 50 gets the lower price.
4. Plan ahead. Ask Mike about a standing order if you want the same order again later.
5. Track weight as well as meals. A steady weight tells you the plan is working.

Price your snakes with Mike

Mike breeds live feeder rats and mice in the Tucson area. No shipping. No dry ice. No freezer to fill. Tell him how many snakes you feed and what sizes, and he'll do the math with you.

Call or text Mike at (520) 451-4380. See every rat size on the live feeder rats page, or get batch alerts.