First time feeding Brutice

[babedizzle]

Tonight my fiance and I fed Brutice for the first time since we got him. The pet store said they typically feed pinkies to juveniles his size, but we decided to get a baby rat, instead. We weren't sure if the rat we chose had teeth, so my fiance knocked it out first before putting it in Brutice's cage. It took Brutice a minute or two to become interested in the rat, but soon he struck it, constricted himself around it, and shoved it in his mouth head first. It was a really amazing thing to watch. Afterwards we screwed a black UV light into his heat lamp and he has been very active ever since. I can tell he's much more comfortable in his cage now that he has eaten and the black light has been installed. Should we be feeding him once a week? Also, is there a particular wattage we should be using in the heat lamp?

[stangs13]

A pinkie rat is a baby rat. Congrats! Im fixing to go feed my snakes! Once a week is fine. Good luck!

[babedizzle]

Really? I was expecting the "pinkies" to be pink, but this one was white. I guess I don't know my rats yet.

[littleindiangirl]

Pinkies are newborn. You most likely got a fuzzy. Also, even weaner rats can't do much harm to a snake, they cant even break your skin. It isn't necessary to "knock out" a rat, much less a baby rat.

[stangs13]

Pinkies are newborn. You most likely got a fuzzy. Also, even weaner rats can't do much harm to a snake, they cant even break your skin. It isn't necessary to "knock out" a rat, much less a baby rat.

What she said! Yep, pinkies are pink!

[babedizzle]

Good to know. I didn't think it'd harm him but for his first feeding I wanted to be sure of that. In the future should I release the rat into his cage and let him find it on his own, or should I dangle it in front of him by its tail? Just curious as to how you guys go about feeding yours.

[ADEE]

I personally choose to feed outside my balls enclosure but it isnt totally nessesary... we put them in the feeding bin and then drop the mouse in (So we dont smell like mouse when we go in to get them) we wait until she/he is done and then move back to enclosure... I agree no need to *knock out* a baby rat.. or any rat for that matter, just dont leave the snake unattended

[littleindiangirl]

Well, for live we put the rat in the cage and shut it. For FT, we have to dangle it for some. A few of them will just eat it off the floor, but most need to strike to be interested.

I know some people dangle and wait for the snake to strike a live one, but I don't think it's necessary, do what you prefer. I prefer to not watch the snake hit the rat.

[frankykeno]

Here's a good link to learn about development sizes in rats and mice. It's a f/t supplier but will give you a good overview on sizes, the names of each size, etc.

http://www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp...el=frozen_rats

Here's another link that shows each size, side by side for comparison.

http://www.themousefactory.com/rates/rates.html