Won't take f/t; rats hard to find in right size; are mice so terrible?

[Geminiluna]

I've got a 250-gram ball python who took f/t a couple times for her breeder, but then refused any further f/t. And since I've had her, she has refused to take f/t. I've tried to convert her to f/t but am getting nowhere. I have a hard time finding live rats in the (weanling) size that I need, and often have to come home with a mouse. I don't think for one snake I want to get into breeding rats. Since live feeder mice in all sizes are so easy for me to find, am I doing her harm by just sticking with mice?

Thanks~

[The Serpent Merchant]

Mice are fine for BP's, but can be a pain/expensive for us keepers. For now it won't be a big deal, but when the BP is full grown it will take a lot of mice to equal 1-2 larger rats.

[West Coast Jungle]

Mice are fine for BP's, but can be a pain/expensive for us keepers. For now it won't be a big deal, but when the BP is full grown it will take a lot of mice to equal 1-2 larger rats.

Agreed, mice will be fine

[Geminiluna]

when the BP is full grown it will take a lot of mice to equal 1-2 larger rats.

That's what's got me most worried. I'll keep looking for live rats of proper size for her and offer them whenever I'm lucky enough to find them. Maybe then she won't develop a preference necessarily for one or the other. Just wish she would take f/t. But I suppose that would be too easy. :-p

[The Serpent Merchant]

Feeding a snake mice now doesn't mean that you won't be able to switch it over later on.

[wwmjkd]

I've got a 250-gram ball python who took f/t a couple times for her breeder, but then refused any further f/t. And since I've had her, she has refused to take f/t. I've tried to convert her to f/t but am getting nowhere. I have a hard time finding live rats in the (weanling) size that I need, and often have to come home with a mouse. I don't think for one snake I want to get into breeding rats. Since live feeder mice in all sizes are so easy for me to find, am I doing her harm by just sticking with mice?

Thanks~

you may find people who will try to engage you in a 'rats provide superior nutrition' argument. if so, do not pay attention. there is anecdotal evidence that rats provide better nutrition than mice, but 1.) it's anecdotal and 2.) the last place you'd find a norwegian rat is eastern africa (well maybe not the last place as Europeans did have a tendency to colonize everything). point being, your snake will not suffer in the slightest if he's denied commercially available rats. in every case I'm aware of, mice are avoided solely out of convenience to the keeper. so long as you're providing an appropriately-sized rodent prey to your snake every 5-7 days at his current weight, you are doing just fine by him (or her).

also, keep offering f/t if you can. you never know when you might hit the right temperature/hunger/zombie dance conditions. I've only failed utterly to convert one single ball python to f/t prey items (out of a modest collection of 20-30 at this point). you will need a lot of patience and should be prepared to try a few tricks that will cost you the feeder if unsuccessful, but I think I might prefer the patience tack that requires a challenge.