Yet another thread about getting frustrated while switching to rats

[anwhit]

Alright. I honestly didn't think I would need to post here because I was seeing a lot of progress until today but ugh, I swear she is going to be the death of me.

For the past two months I've been trying to switch my girl to small rats. (Before, she was inhaling 2-3 adult mice under five minutes. She was a garbage can.) First three tries, she wouldn't take it at all, however, the 4th try, I got her to take it by leaving it in her cage while I went to go run errands. (I was not about to keep her in her feeding bin for another hour).

The week after that, (last week), I tried feeding it in her bin, she didn't take it. I left it in her cage again, she ate it about 15 minutes after I put it in there.

This week, however, she's totally snubbing it. I have a workshop to go to on Saturdays so I usually feed her before, if she doesn't it, I leave the rat in with her, and it's usually gone by the time I get back.

Not this time.

It's been 10 hours and she keeps on poking her head out of her hide, flicking her tongue over it, and going back in.

I was under the impression that once they got past the different smell and ate it, they would take it no problem. She seems to legitimately not like them. At all. (Seriously, the first time I offered her one, she struck at it, immediately let go, and made this weird movement with her mouth like she was licking her chops.)

I'll leave it in there over night and see what happens but I just do not want to be feeding her a whole colony of mice every feeding.

[danojeno]

Sounds like you are on the right track by getting rid of the feeding bin. Only thing I can suggest is to make sure the rat is a realistic temperature when danced / dropped in. Little consolation, but at least the princess is eating well on mice.

[anwhit]

Ah yes, I always do that when offering it to her at first. I thaw it in a cup of warm water, then I heat it up slightly with her heat lamp or a blow dryer. I just don't usually have the time sit there and make a dead rat dance for 3 hours until she takes it. It's only then that I drop it in and let her do with it as she pleases.

You really think I'm doing right be slowly weening her off the feeding bin? I've heard through this site that the cage aggression was a myth and that was really the only reason why I fed her in a different bin to begin with. (Also, being very paranoid when I first got her, I didn't want her to swallow or get any substrate stuck in her mouth).

Guess I just have to continue to try even if it means giving her tough love and letting her go a few weeks without feed if she still refuses.

[TheSnakeGeek]

im having trouble swithing one of my girls to rats right now. i got her to take one a week ago for the first time. tried again tonight and no go. i think im just gonna be stubborn and go 4-6 weeks before i'll let her have another mouse. after i FINALLY got her to take the first rat i wanna try n get her to stay on em. goodluck.

oh and how much does she weigh? if she's still real little you might not wanna wait that long.

[anwhit]

I actually don't have a scale yet. I'm saving up for that really nice one you guys all seem to have. I'm currently out of a job so all my extra money goes towards feeding her and adjusting my husbandry as need. (It's my first winter with her and boy is it freezing over here.)

When I got her 5 months ago she was 213 grams when I got her checked out by a vet just to make sure everything was a-okay. I suspect that she's at least 300 grams, possibly closer to 400 because she has been growing quite quickly. (Since, ya know, she WAS a garbage can until just recently. The pig even ate when she was blue.) I mean she's still under a year old, if it's unsafe for me to wait, that's fine. I still got at least 6 left over mice in the freezer.

[TheSnakeGeek]

if it were me i wouldnt go any more than four weeks or so, but i have a soft heart and hate seein my girl miss meals. lol but missing 3 or 4 feedings wont hurt. good luck! lol

[BHReptiles]

I had a mouser as well. She would snub her nose at rats...until I gave her live rats. Then she switched no problem. You might think about offering her a live rat in her cage and see what she does. Sometimes that's all they need to get going. Once you've got her eating live rats, you can switch back to frozen/thawed rats.

[anwhit]

if it were me i wouldnt go any more than four weeks or so, but i have a soft heart and hate seein my girl miss meals. lol but missing 3 or 4 feedings wont hurt. good luck! lol

Alright, good to know. (So am I, haha. I'm so used to her eating all the time that when she refuses I usually get worried or just plain frustrated. xD)

Thanks!

I had a mouser as well. She would snub her nose at rats...until I gave her live rats. Then she switched no problem. You might think about offering her a live rat in her cage and see what she does. Sometimes that's all they need to get going. Once you've got her eating live rats, you can switch back to frozen/thawed rats.

I keep this in mind for a last resort. I really feel uncomfortable feeding live because 1, I'm worried she won't go back to f/t, and 2, I'm unsure of myself how to properly monitor the rat to make sure it doesn't injure her. But if it comes to that, it comes to that.

[olafsson]

Just keep giving rats a try, sometimes it takes a little bit but they will catch on. Also don't waste your money on an expensive scale, get one on sale from Walmart, cost you about 10 bucks and it will work just fine. I have one and I only use it about every 3 months just to check everybodys weight to make sure nobody is losing any if they go on a fast.

[BHReptiles]

I keep this in mind for a last resort. I really feel uncomfortable feeding live because 1, I'm worried she won't go back to f/t, and 2, I'm unsure of myself how to properly monitor the rat to make sure it doesn't injure her. But if it comes to that, it comes to that.

I used to be the same way. Now I feed all my ball pythons rats. As far as monitoring goes, just have a pair of tongs (or a pen/pencil) in hand so when then snake strikes, you make sure the rat can't bite (usually they will strike on the neck or head so it isn't a problem). Once you are sure it won't be of any danger, then you can put down the tongs and watch. The rats don't usually attack your BP. Just put them in and let them roam the tub/enclosure. Don't leave them in there more than about half an hour. If it hasn't eaten in half an hour, take the rat out.

Another thing you can do is try a smaller prey. Maybe try a small rat pup before you jump up to small rats.