I've never understood how some BPs can be so picky when it comes to mice vs rats

I've got 2 that will eat anything that's warm and put in front of them. One went from being shy a eater to flipping his hide box when he comes shooting out of it to eat. The other will eat whatever she's given. Then you have my smallest male who takes one sniff at a rat and gives me the metaphorical middle finger as he goes back into his hide. Aside from the difference in smell which to be honest is hardly noticeable to me, I've never understood why some ball pythons or even snakes in general are so picky.


/rant

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Originally Posted by andrewross8705

I've got 2 that will eat anything that's warm and put in front of them. One went from being shy a eater to flipping his hide box when he comes shooting out of it to eat. The other will eat whatever she's given. Then you have my smallest male who takes one sniff at a rat and gives me the metaphorical middle finger as he goes back into his hide. Aside from the difference in smell which to be honest is hardly noticeable to me, I've never understood why some ball pythons or even snakes in general are so picky.


/rant

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I’m so so lucky!!! My girl eat anything I put in there... rats, mice, warm, cold! Anything, it’s ‘attacked’ and in her mouth within minutes!


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I had a friend who hated fish except fish sticks. Would only eat them with ketchup. Hated all other seafood. I myself like anything and everything.

I guess snakes are the same way. Some just are picky eaters and only eat their metaphorical fish stick with ketchup.

Oh and most likely not a spider. Spider balls are best balls ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by andrewross8705

I've got 2 that will eat anything that's warm and put in front of them. One went from being shy a eater to flipping his hide box when he comes shooting out of it to eat. The other will eat whatever she's given. Then you have my smallest male who takes one sniff at a rat and gives me the metaphorical middle finger as he goes back into his hide. Aside from the difference in smell which to be honest is hardly noticeable to me, I've never understood why some ball pythons or even snakes in general are so picky.


/rant

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have you tried scenting a rat with a mouse?

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Originally Posted by SDA

I had a friend who hated fish except fish sticks. Would only eat them with ketchup. Hated all other seafood. I myself like anything and everything.

I guess snakes are the same way. Some just are picky eaters and only eat their metaphorical fish stick with ketchup.

Oh and most likely not a spider. Spider balls are best balls ;)

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spiders are hangry monsters. I let the wife feed Monty last time. She jumped as Monty struck within half a second then proceeded to beat up the dead rat by flailing it around in the enclosure before wrapping.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by SDA

I had a friend who hated fish except fish sticks. Would only eat them with ketchup. Hated all other seafood. I myself like anything and everything.

I guess snakes are the same way. Some just are picky eaters and only eat their metaphorical fish stick with ketchup.

Oh and most likely not a spider. Spider balls are best balls ;)

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My Mabel is a spider too! Perhaps this is why she is just a food beat [emoji2]


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Some people get lucky, others not so much.

I fed Khaa a mix of rat pups and mice for a good 8 months and when it was to switch over to just small rats, no problems at all. Granted, he did start bing picky and now majority of the time only wants live, but if he's really hungry he'll take f/t.

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Originally Posted by Pezz

have you tried scenting a rat with a mouse?

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A few times. I'm thinking I'll give it another shot tomorrow but rub the mouse against the rat for a few minutes then leave both over his tub and let the scent linger. It's more frustrating than anything that he's so picky at times with refusing food in general because my other 2 are younger than him but weigh almost double and triple his weight.

Mice are definitely a lot more enticing to snakes simply because of their smell, that's also why when you breed and offer mice as a first meal you get a much higher rate of animals eating first time offered.

BP are not that hard to switch to rat but the earlier the better and you got to do it right, scenting always help if you can get some old mice bedding it's even better for rubbing any type of other prey in it.

I had one once that would only ear dark furred animals ( mice or rats didn't seem to worry her ) I finally assumed it made a difference to the heat absorption or emissions and just worked around it - her first clutch seemed to change things and she doesn't care anymore.