First rat... w00t!

I stopped by the pet shop tonight to get a pinkie for the African House snake, and on impulse asked if they could put a small rat in some used mouse bedding for me. They did, and I left the rat on that for between and hour and two hours.

This was a rat about the size of a larger mouse, and it certainly caught Dixie's interest. When it moved to the other end of the enclosure, she started moving out from behind her hide and zig-zagging her body in preparation to strike. When it moved back over too close (it didn't have any clue that the snake was any threat to it) WHAM! She struck and constricted. I watched until it stopped kicking, and then left her alone to eat.

When I checked a few minutes ago, she was looking fatter and happy, and no trace of the rat in the enclosure. Since before this Dixie had shown no interest in anything but live mice, this is a step in the right direction. Once I can get her used to rats as food, I can start working on interesting her in pre-killed.

One step at a time...

Rats are yummy...Ball pythons like them too ;)

Nippy just took a F/T mouse this evening without hesitation. Gotta love that, too. Since it's getting late, though, Phil and Magellan will get fed tomorrow night...

Sounds like you are on the right track. Congrats!

My ball is use to eating two small mice at a time every 7 to 9 days. But yesterday he took a big rat pup. I was so excited, didn't even have to sent it with mouse bedding or any thing and it was even black he is use to white mice I am so excited.