Mice vs Rats

I’m just curious, if I’m feeding my ball python mice am I doing her a disservice? She’s more inclined to eat the mice, and she gets 1-2 jumbo mice per week. I think she looks pretty thick, but I was doing a little reading and am wondering if maybe I should try to get her interested in the rats?

She’s about 3 years old and 3ft long. I can weigh her tomorrow or Friday for reference. She’ll be moving back to the house with the scale then.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f6c9efafea.jpg

She’s next to an iPhone 6s for reference. Lol


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Only difference is multiple mice vs single rat.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Only difference is multiple mice vs single rat.

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That’s good to know! I was getting the impression there was more nutritional value one way or the other that would effect growth.


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The main reason I switch them over to rats is that I only need to feed 1 prey item per meal. It's cheaper too.

I hear ALL the time, especially on Reddit, that rats are so much nutritionally better than mice. But never has anyone given a source for why and exactly what is different.

I looked for info and found this chart on Rodent Pro that looks legitimate to me.
https://www.rodentpro.com/informatio...ertebrate-prey

Mostly it is the multiple mice vs single rat. You can make the decision for yourself about nutrition with that chart.

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For two of my snakes I feed rats. My BP even though still relatively small (300g), I switched 6 feeds ago and (knocks on wood), he has taken them without any hesitation. I switched for the same reason as mentioned earlier, 1 rat vs multiple mice. Figured I better to do it while still young. My emerald tree boa was brought up on rat pinks with the breeder so when I got her, I was definitely keeping that the same. She now is chowing down on fuzzies

Once they get to be adults, feeding mice is a pain. You will have to have access to loads of mice. Cheaper and easier just to buy one rat per meal.

For me it's mostly a matter of time and energy efficiency. Like others have said, you'll be feeding 2-3 mice vs. 1 rat. For BPs, and other snakes that will never need anything larger than a small or medium rat, it's not too much of a hassle I guess. The cost difference isn't too bad either. My king snakes used to love mice and chicks, but they were hit or miss with rats, so I just fed them what they liked. I don't think that's sustainable for larger snakes or for those with large collections though.

These references are from the Perfect Prey website.

adult mice, 18-32g, @ $1 each
jumbo mice (retired breeders), 33-50g, @ $1.25 each

small rat, 50-89g, @ $2.25 each
medium rat, 90-150g, @ $2.75 each

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Originally Posted by Maddlesrain

I’m just curious, if I’m feeding my ball python mice am I doing her a disservice? She’s more inclined to eat the mice, and she gets 1-2 jumbo mice per week. I think she looks pretty thick, but I was doing a little reading and am wondering if maybe I should try to get her interested in the rats?

She’s about 3 years old and 3ft long. I can weigh her tomorrow or Friday for reference. She’ll be moving back to the house with the scale then.

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I have been pondering the same thought and have come to the conclusion that one small rat compared to multiple mice would have to be less skin and bone percentage. But absolutely no proof or studies but just my thinking, hey that's alot of skin and bones and not much meat or muscle with mice. But that's just my thinking. Plus the other reasons stated for buying rat instead. I like keeping the rat on the small side and not getting too big a one.

Also you said 3 years old and 3 ft. I think it's possible you have a male there instead of a female, lets see what some others say about it.

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Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2

I have been pondering the same thought and have come to the conclusion that one small rat compared to multiple mice would have to be less skin and bone percentage. But absolutely no proof or studies but just my thinking, hey that's alot of skin and bones and not much meat or muscle with mice. But that's just my thinking. Plus the other reasons stated for buying rat instead. I like keeping the rat on the small side and not getting too big a one.

Also you said 3 years old and 3 ft. I think it's possible you have a male there instead of a female, lets see what some others say about it.

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I’m 100% not sure about the gender, I just say she since I always have. I’m not really too concerned with that - I do think that “she” is still growing though because her had is so small whereas all the more mature snakes I see have such big faces.

That’s actually why I made this thread, to see if a diet of mice somehow stunted or considerably slowed a snake’s growth.


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