Feeding question

[Lazarus09]

Background: I have a male albino ball who is pretty under weight. He has always given me a little trouble when it comes to eating. When I first got him he wouldn't eat for a month and a half. When he did start he would only eat sometimes and others refuse. I chose not to breed him even though he was producing plugs because he was only about 450 grams (and I only have normal females right now). I don't know if it's normal or not, but about the time my other balls started breeding he went off feed and didn't eat for a few months. About a month ago he resumed eating and is doing quite well. My problem: He is sitting around 475 grams and is somewhat triangular so I know he needs more food. He will only eat live mice, and will never eat more than 1 at a feeding. I am getting the largest mice available, but the biggest I've been able to find is about 40 grams. Once he eats one, he shows no interest in anything else. I have tried a couple of times to get him to take a small rat (I know there are fuzzies or pups, but none of the pet stores around here have them, just small), but he shows absolutely no interest in the rats. How can I get him feeding more? Sometimes he will take 2 mice a week, but usually not (offering Wednesday and Saturday). Any tips on how I can get him to switch to rats? Thanks

[llovelace]

I would put him on a 5 day feed schedule, for a while.

[seeya205]

Put the rat in with the mice or in with used mice bedding to get the mouse scent on the rat! That works sometimes! Also you migt want to skip a feeding first and prescent the room for a couple hours then he should be hungry!

[Lazarus09]

I did skip one feeding, and put the rat in the container I normal have the mice in (but it probably wasn't very scented). I guess next I'll put it in with a mouse for awhile and see if that helps. I usually put the rodents in the snake room for a couple of hours before feeding.

[davidnizmo]

yea put the rat in with the mouse and see that works well usally