Nutrition Rats vs. Mice

Okay so a co-worker told me today that if possible I should try feeding Tanveer f/t rat pups instead of f/t adult mice. She said that rats provided better nutrients for Ball Pythons:confused: .

I was just glad that he was eating again after 4 1/2 months. He is back on a good eating streak with 3 successful feedings now! He took 2 F/T adult mice for me again last night with no problem:D I figured as long as he was eating again that I was doing good. He is an adult and over 1100 grams.

1. Any truth to the rats vs. mice nutrition thing?

2. Last night after he ate his second f/t mouse I waited for 30 minutes or so and then went in his terrarium to spot clean, clean his water dish etc.. Well, when he first heard me slide the lid again he came out and looked at me like he was waiting for a 3rd mouse LOL. He gave up when he realized that I was just cleaning and went back in his hide. However, is he just being a pig now, or should I feed him more then 2? LOL

Thanks for any input:banana:

I should probably add that before fasting he was eating 1 medium f/t rat every 14 days. I decided to downsize to adult f/t mice and that is when he started eating again.

i have always heard rats are more nutritious than mice

There's been a lot of speculation about mice vs. rats in the % of fat in their bodies--but nothing really solid right now. Most of the argument comes when feeding live, rat pups are safer than adult mice.

=/

I guess it's a personal preference. =3

I was just wondering the same thing, Aldous always seems like he wants a third, I'm feeding him two adult mice each week... also wondering if I should move to a small rat

The good thing about rats is they can go to rats and stay on them forever. No need for mice IMO unless you have a small hatchling.

You can also only feed only one rat compared to multiple mice, that seems to make feeding easier.

Also, I have always heard rats are more nutritious than mice too!

I prefer rats because they get bigger and you don't have to feed multiples, but on those occasions when I have to feed live, I will go with younger rats rather than larger mice. And normally I will only feed one. It doesn't hurt them to eat light for a couple of weeks until the new shipment of F/T's come in...


Rob

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Originally Posted by Vypyrz

I prefer rats because they get bigger and you don't have to feed multiples, but on those occasions when I have to feed live, I will go with younger rats rather than larger mice. And normally I will only feed one. It doesn't hurt them to eat light for a couple of weeks until the new shipment of F/T's come in...

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x2. I don't feed balls but I recently started breeding rats to feed all my growing milks cause they go through mice so quickly.

I suspect it's just that people overestimate the weight of mice. If you put them on a scale against rat pups, I think the pups are actually heavier--so you're actually feeding the BP more when you feed it a rat that looks the same size as an adult mouse.

In terms of nutrition, the adult mice have fully calcified bones, so they are probably more nutritious--it just takes more of them to make a meal!

I prefer rats. Much easier. And mice are nasty, quick, and a pain in the ...

There has been no study done on the nutritional REQUIREMENTS of ball pythons. So, to say that one is more nutritional than the other cannot be said definitively. They may only need the amount of calcium offered in a mouse and anything more would be expelled as waste. No one knows for sure.

Feed what your animal feeds on consistently and don't over-stress yourself. There are healthy thriving ratters in people's collections, and healthy thriving mousers in people's collections.

If your animal is eating and mice are easier for you - feed mice. If your animal is eating and rats are easier for you - feed rats.