My ball only eats hamsters

Hey guys, I'm new to this site, but I really need some help with this. My ball python, Luna, is only taking hamsters. When i first bought her she was eating rats, then, starting in about december of 09, she just stopped eating. I'm pretty sure every ball python owner goes through this, but since this was my first ball, it totally freaked me out when she stopped eating. She wouldn't take another meal until late april. I read online that hamsters and gerbils work really well in getting them to eat again, so as desperate as I was, I gave her a hamster and she took it. Now my problem is that she has imprinted on them and almost always wants hamsters now. She'll take a rat very occasionally, for example, I tried a small rat last week and she took it without hesitation, I tried again this week and she was avoiding the rat, but she took a teddy bear hamster. I wanna get her on rats because it is getting a little too expensive to buy her 2 teddy bears instead of a large to an XL rat. Also, I heard that hamsters don't have all the nutrition that she needs, and that they are too high in fat. Is that true? How can I get her on to eating rats regularly? I've tried scenting, and throwing a rat in her cage after she eats a smaller hamster. I've also tried cutting the rat to expose some flesh and blood. I haven't tried braing because I don't think I have the heart for it lol. I'm out of ideas, can someone please help me with this.

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Originally Posted by O.C.

Hey guys, I'm new to this site, but I really need some help with this. My ball python, Luna, is only taking hamsters. When i first bought her she was eating rats, then, starting in about december of 09, she just stopped eating. I'm pretty sure every ball python owner goes through this, but since this was my first ball, it totally freaked me out when she stopped eating. She wouldn't take another meal until late april. I read online that hamsters and gerbils work really well in getting them to eat again, so as desperate as I was, I gave her a hamster and she took it. Now my problem is that she has imprinted on them and almost always wants hamsters now. She'll take a rat very occasionally, for example, I tried a small rat last week and she took it without hesitation, I tried again this week and she was avoiding the rat, but she took a teddy bear hamster. I wanna get her on rats because it is getting a little too expensive to buy her 2 teddy bears instead of a large to an XL rat. Also, I heard that hamsters don't have all the nutrition that she needs, and that they are too high in fat. Is that true? How can I get her on to eating rats regularly? I've tried scenting, and throwing a rat in her cage after she eats a smaller hamster. I've also tried cutting the rat to expose some flesh and blood. I haven't tried braing because I don't think I have the heart for it lol. I'm out of ideas, can someone please help me with this.

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You're going to have to get the hamster scent on the rat, but that's likely going to require you to killing both. That should put you at least in the right direction.

How long did she go off food for, initially?

Are you CERTAIN it's a she?

What is your definition of a large/XL rat? You could be feeding her rats that are too large, which is the reason she isn't necessarily eating every week. Drop down to a small rat (50-80g) and ONLY offer rats. She's taking them, so she knows they're food. This is the time for a little tough love. Just monitor her weight and wait her out.

Ummm, you're not cutting a live rat are you? If so, don't do that. It's cruel. Just because they're feeder animals doesn't mean they can be treated inhumanely.

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Originally Posted by SquamishSerpents

How long did she go off food for, initially? Are you CERTAIN it's a she?

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Initially, she stopped eating for about four, going on five months, but she and my other ball python do this to me every year. They eat very well throught the spring and summer but won't touch anything in the winter. I am 100% sure that Luna is a female because I have popped both her and my male ball Artemis, and by comparison she's GIANT

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Originally Posted by O.C.

Initially, she stopped eating for about four, going on five months,

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that's normal, wait it out. only offer rats, she will not starve herself to death.

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

What is your definition of a large/XL rat? You could be feeding her rats that are too large, which is the reason she isn't necessarily eating every week. Drop down to a small rat (50-80g) and ONLY offer rats. She's taking them, so she knows they're food. This is the time for a little tough love. Just monitor her weight and wait her out.

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I think a large/XL rat would be anywhere from 150g to maybe 250,260g. When i do offer rats they are small, about the same size as a hamster. When I say large/XL rat, I mean thats what she should be eating instead of teddy bear hamsters as she is a little over 5ft. she's lost a little girth but is still overall looks very healthy

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Ummm, you're not cutting a live rat are you? If so, don't do that. It's cruel. Just because they're feeder animals doesn't mean they can be treated inhumanely.

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oh God no. I've only done that as kind of a last resort maybe 2 or 3 times and they never worked anyway, but they were all dead. I cant dream of doing that to a live animal. I felt pretty guilty doing that to the dead ones

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Originally Posted by O.C.

I think a large/XL rat would be anywhere from 150g to maybe 250,260g.

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that would be a large, I will feed a large once in a while to a couple of my girls BUT it really isn't needed. A small once a week is enough.