Hatchlings and feeder rodent size?

[jennmbarker]

I have 5 ball python hatchling that hatched earlier this month. They have all shed and been in 6 qt tubs for the past week. I offered them all live rat pinkies 3 days ago and they all refused. I breed feeder rats and want to start them on rats if at all possible. How big of a rat pup can 64 gram bp eat? And I also have a very tiny little guy who hatched from a collapsed roll out egg that's only 38grams and I am unsure if a rat pinkie is even smaller enough for him. Any advice or help is much appreciated!

[rlditmars]

It is easier to start them on mouse hoppers if available. Mouse Hoppers are much more animated and because they have hair, which a rat pink doesn't, I believe they have a better scent signature. Once your hatchlings are eating you can work on switching them to rats, but getting them to eat should be the priority. Also, a mouse hopper should be small enough for the 36 gram snake. Best of luck.

[jennmbarker]

It is easier to start them on mouse hoppers if available. Mouse Hoppers are much more animated and because they have hair, which a rat pink doesn't, I believe they have a better scent signature. Once your hatchlings are eating you can work on switching them to rats, but getting them to eat should be the priority. Also, a mouse hopper should be small enough for the 36 gram snake. Best of luck.

I'm really hoping to get them started on rats. I have a female pastel that still only eats mice no matter what I've tried and i have to drive a hour away once a month to buy 8 adult feeder mice at $2.50 each so she can eat 2 each feeding every week. I dont want to breed mice and would rather feed them the rodents I breed.

[melcvt00]

I would love to be able to buy mice at $2.50 each. I am starting to breed my own for just one snake because they are $3.99 each, and 75 minutes from my house.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

You want to offer a rat crawler which is between pink and fuzzy.

Now that being said it's a lot harder to start animal on rats, I used to do that for years and I would offer rats once a week for 3 weeks before offering mice, if it failed, not all animals will start on rats.

Now I just start everything on mice, it's like crack to them and my success rate when it comes to my hatchling taking their very first meal when first offered is much higher, I than switch to rat after 3 meals and the success of that is very high too, I never have to feed more than 5 mice to any hatchling.

It's the quickest way to get hatchling started.

Breeding mice when you breed snake is never a bad idea if you can do so.

[jennmbarker]

You want to offer a rat crawler which is between pink and fuzzy.

Now that being said it's a lot harder to start animal on rats, I used to do that for years and I would offer rats once a week for 3 weeks before offering mice, if it failed, not all animals will start on rats.

Now I just start everything on mice, it's like crack to them and my success rate when it comes to my hatchling taking their very first meal when first offered is much higher, I than switch to rat after 3 meals and the success of that is very high too, I never have to feed more than 5 mice to any hatchling.

It's the quickest way to get hatchling started.

Breeding mice when you breed snake is never a bad idea if you can do so.

I offered rat crawlers that I placed in some mouse bedding for about 15 mins. 1 of 3 of the hatchlings I offered the crawlers to took it. The other two smelled them and acted interested but didnt take them. I will try again in 3 or 4 days and if I have no more luck I will get mice for the rest of them.