Burm stuck on mice

My half dwarf male burm is stuck on live mice and will not switch to rats. I have tried senting, placing him in a dark container with a weaned rat, everything and he just will not switch. I'm at my wits end, he hasn't eaten in three weeks because I was told by someone to try starving him out and that's not working. All my other snakes eat just fine, it's just him that is being a picky eater.

How did you try to scent it?

I have had good luck in the past thawing all my rats and mice together in water. I then feed those mice to the guys still on mice. These mice will have a rat scent to them but are still after all mice. After a few feeding like that I switch and give them the rats instead. I have yet to have one fail to take it. I may just be lucky though.

I wouldn't recommend starving him, but three weeks isn't really that long. You could try differant ways of scenting, and just be patient and persistent. If you have a scale you could easily monitor his weight to make sure the animal isn't experiencing any significant weight loss. I know a lot of people prefer to use mouse litter to scent, good luck.

Thanks for the tip, I'll see if I can scent his next meal better. I was honestly just going to feed him this weekend, because I hate him not eating at all.

Sent from my snake room

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Originally Posted by KMG

How did you try to scent it?

I have had good luck in the past thawing all my rats and mice together in water. I then feed those mice to the guys still on mice. These mice will have a rat scent to them but are still after all mice. After a few feeding like that I switch and give them the rats instead. I have yet to have one fail to take it. I may just be lucky though.

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Usually rubbing the mice on the rat or thawing them together. I'll try with a rat scented mouse and see if that works

Sent from my snake room

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Originally Posted by Sonny1318

I wouldn't recommend starving him, but three weeks isn't really that long. You could try differant ways of scenting, and just be patient and persistent. If you have a scale you could easily monitor his weight to make sure the animal isn't experiencing any significant weight loss. I know a lot of people prefer to use mouse litter to scent, good luck.

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Yeah that certainly isn't starving. 3 weeks is a blink. I go 7 plus months plus with our royal.

As stated be patient. A burm WILL take about anything when it is good and ready.

Just wait it out. 2 months is nothing. I have a coastal carpet that gets weird once in a while. She just smoked a large rat after i decided to wait it out.

Unless there is a glaring health or husbandry issue, your snake will eat in due time, and probably will be voracious from that point on.

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Originally Posted by Artemisace

Usually rubbing the mice on the rat or thawing them together. I'll try with a rat scented mouse and see if that works

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Do that.

Try to get a few good feedings in with the rat scented mice and then get a few feeding in with a mouse scented rat. After that is when I try a straight rat.

I wish you success. Keep us updated and let me know if it works for you.

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Originally Posted by Gio

Yeah that certainly isn't starving. 3 weeks is a blink. I go 7 plus months plus with our royal.

As stated be patient. A burm WILL take about anything when it is good and ready.

Just wait it out. 2 months is nothing. I have a coastal carpet that gets weird once in a while. She just smoked a large rat after i decided to wait it out.

Unless there is a glaring health or husbandry issue, your snake will eat in due time, and probably will be voracious from that point on.

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He used to just pound food when he was on and then just decided to get stuck on live mice. It's been maddening, but once he goes back on the proper food I'll be much happier.

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Originally Posted by KMG

Do that.

Try to get a few good feedings in with the rat scented mice and then get a few feeding in with a mouse scented rat. After that is when I try a straight rat.

I wish you success. Keep us updated and let me know if it works for you.

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I'll give that a try this weekend when I feed him and see what happens. I'll either post the results or send you a message thanks for the advice.

Sent from my snake room