Won't eat rats no matter what!!!! Any ideas???

I have a female pastel ball python I bought from a snake owner who only fed her snakes f/t mice. I've had her for a few months now and I've tried everything to get her to switch to rats. I've tried housing rat pup in mice bedding, I've switched the rat pup colors, I've tried different sizes, I've cut fresh killed dead mice and put blood on rat, I've warmed f/t rat and mouse together. Ive even put mouse bedding in with her while trying to feed her a rat. She smells them then jerks away. I breed rats and I have to drive a hour to get mice. Any advice on how to change her over? She's even not eaten for 2 weeks and still shows no interest in rats.

Have you tried setting the rat to defrost in where she is all day? Have you tried braining the rat? You cut the head to expose some of the brain and it triggers a feeding response. I had to do this a few times for my male super pastel when he use to refuse meals often but he even refused some of the brained ones but its worth a try. I hear that some bps just simply won't eat rats no matter what.

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Has she eaten for you at all?
You might need to start breeding mice. :rofl::rofl:

I have a couple 1000+g snakes that have been mousers from the day I fed them their first meal.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Has she eaten for you at all?
You might need to start breeding mice. :rofl::rofl:

I have a couple 1000+g snakes that have been mousers from the day I fed them their first meal.

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Yes she has eaten mice for me just fine. I've brained them I've left them in there all day. I've tried pinkie rats live, fuzzy rats live.

Feed what works, and as for switching it can take time, I had animal taking a year before switching, I had some that never did.

How big is this female?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Feed what works, and as for switching it can take time, I had animal taking a year before switching, I had some that never did.

How big is this female?

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She's 500 grams. I've offered her every color and size of rat. She acts interested until she knows it's a rat and has nothing to do with it. She never even strikes at a rat!

Every other ball python I have has made the switch fine and wasn't a big fuss over it, but not her.

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Originally Posted by jennmbarker

Every other ball python I have has made the switch fine and wasn't a big fuss over it, but not her.

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Not all BP are the same feed what works or don't feed if she refuse rats until she gives in which can take months, switching sometimes = tough love. Of course this means paying attention to your animal's condition.

You can also feed her what works for now and if on day you breed her make the switch after she lays, that never fails.

[QUOTE=Deborah;2439653] I had some that never did.

QUOTE]


OP.... Deb is one of the seasoned veterans on here... She knows her stuff. I've read a LOT about switching from mice to rats. My BP fortunately was easy to switch, but I read, and still read a lot about it as I hope to get more snakes, and I want to know the right answers when I hit roadblocks. As Deb stated, there are some that simply just won't eat a rat.

Rats over mice is more a convenience thing. BP's can still lead a very long healthy life eating mice, it just takes more mice per meal to meet their meal requirements. Don't let it stress you.

[QUOTE=LittleTreeGuy;2439659]

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Originally Posted by Deborah

I had some that never did.

QUOTE]


OP.... Deb is one of the seasoned veterans on here... She knows her stuff. I've read a LOT about switching from mice to rats. My BP fortunately was easy to switch, but I read, and still read a lot about it as I hope to get more snakes, and I want to know the right answers when I hit roadblocks. As Deb stated, there are some that simply just won't eat a rat.

Rats over mice is more a convenience thing. BP's can still lead a very long healthy life eating mice, it just takes more mice per meal to meet their meal requirements. Don't let it stress you.

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Hey littletreeguy, you mentioned that mice are required more per feeding. I'm currently feeding mice for my 500gram bp. As she grows older and heavier, is there a limit to the number of mice per feeding?

My mice are adults between 25 to 30g each

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