First Rat Feeding

[rabernet]

I don't know why I'm excited by this - but you guys would understand!

Yesterday I fed my first rat. I've been strictly a mouser - mainly because they are easier to get than rats for my smaller kids.

My pet store won't sell rat pups, not because they are against it, but because if they wait another week, they can sell them at full rat prices.

So, last week was my first time feeding my biggest girl, Sarah, and I fed her two mice - after a three week acclimation period - she had an awesome feed drive.

So, I stop by yesterday to pick up mice and decided I'd go ahead and get a small rat for her and see if she'd take it.

She took it great! Although, I do have to say that feeding a rat was harder on me than feeding mice. The rat was very sweet and very calm compared to the mice - I can see how they endear themselves to people as pets.

So, excitement for the rat feeding for the big girl and since I was feeding anyway, decided to see if Sierra would eat too. She was like "are you kidding me??? of COURSE I want to eat too!".

So, everyone eating - except Kashmire - who will be moved to a tub set up this weekend - I hope that helps to get him feeding again.

[frankykeno]

Congrats on the rat feeding and glad you hear you are seeing such good feeding responses in all your snakes. Hopefully Kashmire will pick up soon as well.


Funny enough as much as I like my rats and have even had them as pets, it doesn't bother me overly much to use their offspring as feeders. It was harder at first with the pups...that is for me the cutest stage...but watching our BP's thrive on the feeders we produce makes it all worthwhile to me.

[tigerlily]

Oh congrats Robin! I know there's so much anxiety. (I had a bunch just feeding a stupid ole mouse. Then the silly thing tried to bite me, and I got over it REAL fast. ) I know it would be harder with a little cutsie rat. I'd have to find the ugliest one.
YEAHHHH!!!!!!

[rabernet]

I know it would be harder with a little cutsie rat. I'd have to find the ugliest one.
YEAHHHH!!!!!!

Well, he/she was kind of ugly with an orangey splotchy looking tail and very light tan fur, but was still very sweet in comparison to the mice.

My hesitation in buying rats was that I might be able to get an appropriately sized one, but if Sarah refused it, not knowing her history and if she'd imprinted on mice, then I'd end up with an adult "pet" rat. At least with mice - they don't change TOO significantly in size! LOL

[jglass38]

Although, I do have to say that feeding a rat was harder on me than feeding mice. The rat was very sweet and very calm compared to the mice - I can see how they endear themselves to people as pets.

You know how a rat is less endearing? When its frozen solid! Frozen rats make terrible pets.

Seriously, congrats on the first rat feeding!!!

[ErikH]

Yeah, stupid as it sounds, I don't know if I would have the heart to put a live rat in with Monty. If I ever move him up from mice, I will stick with F/T.

[Melicious]

That's great. I'm actually debating on upping Ophelia's three mice a week to one medium-sized rat. -Twitch.- I'm a little scared though. Gah.

[Pythons Rock]

Congrats on the feeding! I still think BP's do the "off feed thing" to let us know who is boss! Mine all eat rats or mice, the rats make me nervous because of the bite factor so I stun them before putting them in, the ones that don't get eaten become "pets"/"breeders". The other day my G/F took two of my favorite breeder rats that cuddle and watch TV with you and gave them to a friend of ours that has a 7ft BCI, then she told me after the fact, I can't say I didn't feel a loss because I did. Later I was actually a little upset because I wasn't told about it before she did it. A day or so later she was out so I took two of her mice that she likes and fed them to one of my adult BP's and told her about it later. Now we are even and we agreed that we won't do these things again without confering with eachother first. Who needs therapy, through all this there was no fighting or even harsh words. Of all the things I tought my BP's would offer avoiding a argument wasn't one of them.

[LBWilson]

I must say, I don't share your affection for rats/mice. I think I've inherited some feline traits over the years with my cats . Congrats to your snake, though! I've been wondering a lot about this lately. How will I know when to feed my girl more? Should I move her up to 3 mice every 2 weeks, or 2 mice every week, or should I just give her a small rat? Petco doesn't sell pups...