Mouser Question

I know I posted a similar post a week or so ago. I have a spider female that was refusing rats (I bought her and she was eating live hoppers). When she lost 10% of her body weight, I decided to try a F/T hopper mouse since that's what I feed one of my corns. She ate it without hesitation. I asked if her behavior was textbook of a mouser and I was told she would probably grow out of it. I was encouraged to try thawing out a rat with a mouse and try to feed both in one sitting. Since my girl is almost out-grown the hoppers (she's 93g as of today and the hoppers are maxing at around 9-10g each), I figured I would try to see if I could switch her using the method that was advised to me. However, she ate the hopper and then sniffed at the rat (I used a mouse hopper and a rat pinkie totaling about 15g) to the point where her nose was touching the pinkie. Then, it was almost like she snubbed her nose at me and crawled back into her hide. I left the rat there for about an hour before I checked on her and the rat was still uneaten. I'm beginning to agree with my initial diagnosis: a mouser. Is there anything else I can try? I need to get her on weanling mice/small mice pretty soon since she's really too big for hoppers. I'm going to have to order mice tonight to ship tomorrow...so it would be nice to get yall's opinion on if this is a true mouser or a phase she's going through. Should I go ahead and purchase the larger mice or not?

Not that this is important, but here's her info in case you need it for some strange reason (I know that's always the first question in most threads so I figured I would give it to you anyway):
Spider female born end of July weighing 93g
Eats every 3 days about 10% of her body weight - never refused mice, always refused the rats
Housed in a 28qt tub on a rack
Hot side: 92*ish (using a hydrofarm until my herpstat comes in the mail...it's back ordered)
Cold side: anywhere from 78-82* (as is the ambient temperature)
Humidity: around 50% (usually 49-52%)

Thank you so much for any and all of your advice.

Some snakes will just not go to rats.

How did you thaw the rat? Some snakes are particularly picky. Some have had success using a hair dryer to heat up the rat, and then heat the head up to a warmer temperature.

You could try braining. After the rat is thawed, slice into their head and squeeze out some brain juice. I've heard it's very successful, although I couldn't think of being able to do it :p

I usually thaw in warm/hot water. I have tried the hair dryer trick to no avail. I've also tried leaving over night and zombie dancing. I probably could try braining. I've had to cut up mice into little pieces before for my problem feeder corn snakes.

If its possible, you could also get a live mouse and keep it for a few days. Then rub the mouse urine on the rat. It'll make it smell like a mouse :/

I've also heard of thawing a mouse and rat together in the same bag can somewhat scent the rat.

Thank the lord I don't have to dissect mice. Our corn is a little pig and will eat anything

I always buy frozen mice and rats, then thaw them and heat them in the same baggie. It's worked pretty well for a couple of my mousers, one or two are too smart for that though :rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LGray23

I always buy frozen mice and rats, then thaw them and heat them in the same baggie. It's worked pretty well for a couple of my mousers, one or two are too smart for that though :rolleyes:

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That's what I did tonight. She ate the mouse fine but picked out the rat and didn't eat it at all.

Some babies just like mice. I give them what they eat when they are that small. Most of mine went to rats with no trouble once they hit around 400 grams. Just a thought.

Gale

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snakehobbyist

That's what I did tonight. She ate the mouse fine but picked out the rat and didn't eat it at all.

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Wait a full week, then do this again, but offer the rat first. If she takes it, don't give her the mouse.