swithching to rats?

[jjsnakedude]

One of my snakes has been fed mice her whole life and just recently i swithced over to rat pups. She has not eaten the two times that I offered them. Any sugggestions on how to switch her over?

[rabernet]

The first thing that you can try is getting some mouse bedding from your pet store and put a handful in the front of her enclosure on feeding day. When you see her actively tongue flicking and looking for the mouse, drop in a white rat.

The second thing you can do - if she has good weight on her, and isn't a baby is to employ the "tough love" technique. Keep offering her a rat one day a week. If she refuses, don't give in and give her a mouse. At some point, she'll decide that perhaps a rat is a pretty good option afterall.

Of course, if she's starts losing weight (more than a small amount) and you're concerned about her, don't starve her, and offer her mice again. You'll just have to start the "tough love" clock over again.

Most of my founding females were raised just on mice, and this is how I coverted them all to rats when I started breeding my own rats (I had no desire to breed mice).

[iCandiBallPythons]

The first thing that you can try is getting some mouse bedding from your pet store and put a handful in the front of her enclosure on feeding day. When you see her actively tongue flicking and looking for the mouse, drop in a white rat.

The second thing you can do - if she has good weight on her, and isn't a baby is to employ the "tough love" technique. Keep offering her a rat one day a week. If she refuses, don't give in and give her a mouse. At some point, she'll decide that perhaps a rat is a pretty good option afterall.

Of course, if she's starts losing weight (more than a small amount) and you're concerned about her, don't starve her, and offer her mice again. You'll just have to start the "tough love" clock over again.

Most of my founding females were raised just on mice, and this is how I coverted them all to rats when I started breeding my own rats (I had no desire to breed mice).

X2 and just keep trying.

[Hyper Joe]

There are many methods that work. Persistance is the key!

I have several methods but the one I always try first is below:
1 - don't feed her for at least 2 weeks (unless she is of course underweight)
this will make her hungry. She should be responsive to movement (ready to strike) this will be a sign she is hungry. Don't confuse this with a defensive hissing posture
2 - put some soiled mouse bedding in her tub to excite her about 30 minutes before the placement of the rat.
3 - put a small or weaned rat in mouse bedding, if you have to bury them in it, let them sit in it for a bit, at least 10 minutes. The longer the better.
4 - get a mouse and quickly wave it in front of the snake fast enough for her no to be able to catch it. Maybe just to solicit a strike.
5 - Imediately put the mouse scented rat in the cage.
6 - Cross your fingers.

[Serpents_Den]

Another method in addition to those above and providing the snake is capable and willing is to feed the snake it's mouse and if it's looking for more offer a rat.
If that doesn't work try putting a dead rat in the snakes mouth before it's finished swallowing a mouse.

[mfkelly]

My baby albino girl was on live mice only when I got her. Her first and second feeding with me I fed her a live mouse, then we had to travel so when we got back I was going to feed her and she was in blue, so I waited until she shed and she was now about 15 days past her feeding. Instead of a mouse I fed a live rat pup. She didn't take it as fast as she takes a mouse. It took about 20 minutes for her to finally decide that rats are in fact food. Now for the hard part, once she is taking the rats immediately , like she does the mice, we will be going the F/T route. My point is that patience is a virtue with regards to feeding, and that you just have to hang tough. They will eventually switch. I have found that the babies will switch faster than the adults, and that things will go easier during the summer, when they tend to be eating machices anyway.
Mike Kelly
P.S. - Duh - I forgot to mention - the container I used to transport the rat pup , I had them put mouse shavings in the container, to help scent the rat a little.