problem feeder

I have a 1300g BP that won't eat rats. Tried scenting, even tried rubbing the mouse smell on the rat. Somehow he just knows it's a rat and won't eat it.

I then offer him a mouse and he gulps them down 5-6 a week. Go figure. Wish he'd go to rats since it'd be cheaper and less time consuming, but not much I can do about it if he just won't eat them!

mousers are hard to switch sometimes got mine on ASFs when they wont take rats,starve her out a month or two & then offer a real small rat that will probely work.a month or two without food is no big deal to a BP.

I have / had the same issue.. I have a 900g Pastel female. I want to move her over to rats. All my others are now on F/T rats. I tried working her up with the mouse then quickly switching it for the rat before she strikes at it. That worked once. I let her not eat for a couple of weeks then tried it again with no luck. Im trying a new approach which my back fire but she is knocking down live Rats. She went after them with gusto. I try to get the ones that are still babies but with the eyes open. This weekend Im going to try a F/T rat again..

Good Luck! Its all about trying different things and patience.. thats my 2 cents for what its worth..

Scuba

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

OP, is she eating live, p/k or f/t? If she's eating F/T will she take them off the floor? I have a few snakes that will hit anything no matter where it is. If she'll take them off the floor you can just leave them in her cage for her to eat at her discretion.

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She is on F/t, but only takes it from tongs.

il try the size down grade, and if that doesn't work, then I will tough it out for while, and maybe try the asf method later. thanks for your help guys!

Alot of these reasons are why i inform people to try, if possible, to make the switch over to rats at a young age(hatchling). At that age they're much more impressionable. All my hatches come in on mouse hoppers, i will offer rat pinks or fuzzies on their next feeding and the rest is history. They grow and muscle up quickly because of the higher protein content.
That being said a BP can go their whole lives on mice, but it is a little more work. But thats part of the hobby right ?