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  1. #1
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    Ball python refuses rats!

    My ball python has always eaten live mice throughout the course of her 3 year life and now she needs to move on to medium rats but just wont make the change. Can anybody offer some help or provide tips on how to do this?

  2. #2
    Steel Magnolia rabernet's Avatar
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    Re: Ball python refuses rats!

    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Li View Post
    My ball python has always eaten live mice throughout the course of her 3 year life and now she needs to move on to medium rats but just wont make the change. Can anybody offer some help or provide tips on how to do this?
    There's absolutely nothing wrong with a snake being a mouser her entire life.

    She doesn't NEED to move to medium rats, if mice are sustaining her. YOU may need her to move, but SHE doesn't need to move.

    I would recommend small mediums, or small rats. Ask for some mouse bedding at the pet store (in a paper sack is fine), and then put a handful of the mouse bedding in the front of her enclosure. When you see her start actively looking for the source of that scent - drop in a small white rat. She should be "turned on" by the scent of the mouse bedding and then when presented with a live warm rodent will immediately hit on it.

    If that doesn't work - then you have to use "tough love" (only if she's in good body condition). Offer rats and only rats each week. No more mice - until she gets hungry enough to take a rat.

    If she loses significant amounts of weight, you'll want to offer her mice again. Don't ever extend tough love if you have a particularly stubborn animal to the point of risking your animal's health.
    Last edited by rabernet; 08-20-2010 at 07:33 AM.

  3. #3
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    Re: Ball python refuses rats!

    She isnt growing any larger or heavier

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    BPnet Senior Member Lolo76's Avatar
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    Re: Ball python refuses rats!

    I have a 2 1/2 year-old who refuses rats, so I've let her stay with mice - that's my feeding preference anyway, and she's growing fine on them! I just add more prey as she grows, and she's now up to 3 mice per week & weighs around 1000g. Not quite as big as my rat eater of the same age, but I think it's good enough. Have you been giving multiple mice per feeding, or just one?
    Last edited by Lolo76; 08-20-2010 at 07:52 AM.
    Lolo's Collection...
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    multiple, im feeding her 4 mice a week!

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    Steel Magnolia rabernet's Avatar
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    Re: Ball python refuses rats!

    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Li View Post
    She isnt growing any larger or heavier
    Without knowing how large or heavy she is, how often you feed her and how many mice you feed her - that doesn't tell us very much.

  7. #7
    Steel Magnolia rabernet's Avatar
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    Re: Ball python refuses rats!

    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Li View Post
    multiple, im feeding her 4 mice a week!
    So - have you been tracking weight with a gram scale?

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    She's 3ft 3inches long, weighs 725 grams. I feed her every week and feed her 4 mice per week

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    Registered User humpee316's Avatar
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    Re: Ball python refuses rats!

    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Li View Post
    She's 3ft 3inches long, weighs 725 grams. I feed her every week and feed her 4 mice per week
    Just curious how old is your girl and that its incredible to me that she eats four mice a week,have you ever tried to feed her frozen rodents,my female has never fed off live prey

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    shes 3 years old and refused frozen every single time

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