Rats

[TONYDM41684]

My Bp finally ate her first prekilled meal and then two days later ate her first pre rat!! We fed her two p/k mice and they were nothing. She had o be hungry. So we got a rat and fed her. She took it no problem. Then she shed. I tried to feed her twice after the shed. The day after a rat just about the right size. Would not take it just got as far away from it as poss. A few days later we tried mice, nothing. 2 weeks and 3 days after her last meal success. But, she would not strike at the rat, So after running around the feed tank with it I gave up and just left her in there with it. She ate but did not strike at it or coil up around it. WHAT THE HELL??? Do you think that somthing is wrong with her?? Everything thing in her tank is right. Also is 1 rat every 2 weeks better than 3 mice a week??

[Brandon.O]

two days seems to short of time in between feedings,maybe try one rat a week instead of three mice every week and/or 1 rat ever 2 weeks

[Marla]

Yes, 1 rat every two weeks is better than 3 mice a week, but depending on how old she is, a 10-day schedule might be better. Failing to strike and coil is just acceptance of the fact that her food is already dead and she doesn't need to waste the energy. My boys frequently don't strike or coil.

[led4urhead]

Yea .. how old/big is she? How big was the rat? Depending on the answers to these questions, a 10 day schedule might be a better option. Definitely better than 3 mice a week IMO. Multiple prey items can hurt the digestive tract of snakes. I have one bp that doesnt bother to strike and coil around prey either. He's been on pre-killed almost exclusively since i've had him, and he's only struck and coiled a couple of times. As long as she is eating ok, nothing wrong there

[TONYDM41684]

Thanks everyone! I just got her about two months ago. The pet store said she was last year's hatch. I don't know though. She is just over two feet, has put on at least two inches siunce I have had her or him. The store said that they just got her and she had been eating one mouse a week. That is it. So I moved her up to two mice and now a rat. The rat was the same size as Rufus is around. But that is ok to not strike? The last rat was bigger than her and left a large bulge. Mayber she was just full?

[Marla]

It's fine not to strike, really. But she really should have at least 4 days at a minimum between meals to avoid disturbing her digestive tract.

[led4urhead]

Definitely ok not to strike .. as long as the rat is good and dead first .