new here and have a question on "hopper" rats

[kristy55303]

on rodentpro.com they show what a hopper mouse is, now my breeder said the male albino coming in with our female is eating hopper rats...rodentpro doesn't specify anything "hopper" in the rats category. Can someone gear me towards the correct feeder then? Thanks so much.

Kristy

[CoolioTiffany]

There are a lot of different sizes when it comes down to the actual rodent. A rat crawler, in most cases, would be considered a small rat because when a small rat is pretty small, it looks a lot similar to a larger rat crawler. I'm guessing the hopper rat would be near the size of a rat pup, but I could be wrong. I would just consider purchasing whatever is closest in girth to the largest part of the snake's body (I go by that feeding rule: feed the snake a rodent about the same size as the widest.largest part of the snake's body).

[kristy55303]

There are a lot of different sizes when it comes down to the actual rodent. A rat crawler, in most cases, would be considered a small rat because when a small rat is pretty small, it looks a lot similar to a larger rat crawler. I'm guessing the hopper rat would be near the size of a rat pup, but I could be wrong. I would just consider purchasing whatever is closest in girth to the largest part of the snake's body (I go by that feeding rule: feed the snake a rodent about the same size as the widest.largest part of the snake's body).

ok thank you very much. I think before ordering i'll let them arrive tomorrow via fedex and take a look. I know the breeder said the female is 900+ grams and eating the largest mice available and the male is 500+ grams and eating "rat hoppers" will surely make sure i order the correct size when they come. Thanks for helping tiffany.

Kristy

[CoolioTiffany]

ok thank you very much. I think before ordering i'll let them arrive tomorrow via fedex and take a look. I know the breeder said the female is 900+ grams and eating the largest mice available and the male is 500+ grams and eating "rat hoppers" will surely make sure i order the correct size when they come. Thanks for helping tiffany.

Kristy

a 900g female could easily take down small rats, I guarantee it. A 500g male would be pretty darn close to being able to take down small rats, too. Get some pics of the snakes and compare them to things so I get an idea of the size.

[Aeries]

I always thought hoppers were about the time when their eyes open and they start to get some more mobility? Not pups, that's for sure.

[rabernet]

No stage of the rat development is called "hopper". Hopper mice are named such, right after eyes and ears open and they hop around like popcorn. Rats aren't "bouncy" like mice are at any stage. Your breeder is likely referring to rats that have just opened their eyes and ears - although that's pretty small for a 500 gram snake.

At about 400 grams mine are eating small rats (about 40-50 grams) and 900 grammers are eating small medium rats (about 100-120 grams).