Is there a reason/benefit to switch from mice to rats?

[krood]

Just wondering. Darth is pounding down the mice right now. Every Wednesday like clockwork. Yesterday he didn’t even wait for the mouse to hit the floor of his tub before he grabbed it. Is there a benefit to feeding rats instead of mice?

[CeraDigital]

Generally rats are much more nutritious than mice. I believe they have more protein and calcium to them, than mice.

[SatanicIntention]

No difference, it's just what the snake will eat and what the keeper can readily obtain.

I feed mice and have some 600g+ 2006 hatchlings. I don't think any have even seen rats before(except live ones across the room, but those are pets).

[Rapture]

I feed rats over mice simply because rats become whatever size I need faster than mice do. And they don't smell as bad as mice.

[sho220]

Generally rats are much more nutritious than mice. I believe they have more protein and calcium to them, than mice.

Do you have any info to back that up? I've always read/heard that their really isn't much of a difference. And even if there was, it wouldn't matter, cause no one really knows the exact nutritional requirements of ball pythons...

[sho220]

Just wondering. Darth is pounding down the mice right now. Every Wednesday like clockwork. Yesterday he didn’t even wait for the mouse to hit the floor of his tub before he grabbed it. Is there a benefit to feeding rats instead of mice?

Feed them what they want. If rats are more convenient, try to switch them...if not, don't worry about it. They grow as they were meant to...

[Nate]

It depends on your situation. In my situation, i would MUCH rather be feeding rats because of my supplier. My rat supplier sells me small rats for $1.00. Where as my mouse supply is, unfortunatly, Petland at $1.29/mouse. I have one bp that refuses rats and takes 2 mice per feeding, which equals 2.58 (not inculding tax...my rat supplier sells them tax free )

But that's not really the question...I heard a long time ago that rats were better for bp's..I even noticed a huge change in size after i switched to rats. My preference is rats, but i have no facts to back up why my snake gained so much more weight after switching to rats...

[JimiSnakes]

Generally rats are much more nutritious than mice. I believe they have more protein and calcium to them, than mice.

I agree too, but this can become a hot topic with some...haha.

[rabernet]

Just wondering. Darth is pounding down the mice right now. Every Wednesday like clockwork. Yesterday he didn’t even wait for the mouse to hit the floor of his tub before he grabbed it. Is there a benefit to feeding rats instead of mice?

You tell me - Mouser:







Never met a rat in her life!

Generally rats are much more nutritious than mice. I believe they have more protein and calcium to them, than mice.

Tell that to the girl above!

[CeraDigital]

Just because they are fed a prey item than could be somewhat less nutritious than the other doesn't mean they won't grow to be healthy animals, correct?...


All of my Pythons have never seen a mouse once they come into my care. This is especially true of my giants. If I hatch them, they start right out on pinky rats, or larger if they can handle them.