Children's Pythons eat primarily rodents in captivity. Pinky mice to fuzzies for hatchlings to juvies and hoppers and adult mice for young adults and fully grown adults. You need to pick the size of prey that is approximately no larger than the widest part of your snake's body. You can substitute rats for mice, say, like offering rat pups instead of small adult mice, but most Children's will never be able to swallow an adult rat.
Yes, rats are more nutricious for your snake, but unless you want to spend 3x as much for young rats, stay with mice, especially for a Children's Python. Your Children's should be eating two med. hoppers or one small adult mouse a week. Avoid pinkies, as they will have nothing to coil, and seem to get confused and loose interest with their prey.
