Any tips on switching to rats?

My 183g, 6 month old BP is due a feed today. She has been on f/t mice all her life but i want her on rats. I have tried to get her to take a f/t rat once but she seemed scared and hid under herself. After about 1 minute of trying she struck for the rat but didn't take it. I left it in over night but it was still there in the morning.
What i am thinking of trying tonight is defrosting a mouse and a rat together in the same water then offering the rat while the mouse is nearby. Does this sound good or is there a better way? What has worked well for you guys?

Personally, I don't fuss about it too much. I just offer the rat on regular intervals and when they are hungry enough they will take it. Never had one starve itself. Most that refuse right away will take it within 2 to 3 weeks with no hesitation.

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I guess you could swill the rat in some warm water to warm it up and get rid of some of the rat scent then smear a thawed mouse all over it . Kinds disguise the rat for the first time .

I've also heard of people feeding a smaller than normal mouse then just as it's going down the throat and the mouth is still open feed the rat's head in there gently . They just keep on swallowing apparently .....


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I feed whatever they eat and don't worry about it.
I offer my mousers a rat every so often and once in a while they will take it but as long as they are eating its all good.

Incidentally what's the reason for the change from mice to rats !!


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Incidentally what's the reason for the change from mice to rats !!

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I tried what i said I was going to do and it worked, she ate the rat.
Reason for change is alot of people recommend getting them on rats asap. Apparently rats have more nutritional value. Also when they are picky eaters its easier to give one larger meal than multiple. The pet shops mainly feed mice because its cheaper.

There is not enough difference nutritionally gram per gram to make any difference.
Rats are more convenient to people once your animal gets more weight on it so that you dont have to offer multiple mice.

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Originally Posted by Fritzl

I tried what i said I was going to do and it worked, she ate the rat.
Reason for change is alot of people recommend getting them on rats asap. Apparently rats have more nutritional value. Also when they are picky eaters its easier to give one larger meal than multiple. The pet shops mainly feed mice because its cheaper.

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Gram per gram it's all the same the real reason is convinience and cost, the fact that you can feed one prey versus multiple when your BP is older is why most people feed rats however the same results can be achieved with mice.

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If you're breeding your own rats vs mice, rats are better in a lot of ways, such as smell. Not to mention, single prey item for larger snakes. Other than that, six in one hand half dozen in the other.

If anyone else needs advice, offer a live rat of equal size if they're eating f/t mice. Normally this will be a rat which won't damage your snake, from there moving to f/t is easier.

I have a nervous Borneo short tail that came to me eating f/t mice, but showed no interest in rats. Last week I delayed feeding him for a couple days, then thawed a rat pup with a mouse, and he hit the rat hard. Like the op found, this seems to be a pretty effective technique.