Switching Ball Pythons from ASF's to Rats (Myth buster)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rhasputin

It's depndant completely on the snake. Not the feed. The type of rodent has nothing to do with it.

If the snake is picky, it's picky, ASFs rats and mice have nothing to do with it. :P

---

Good point!

I can agree, and disagree.... I have many picky snakes that just don't eat every time I try, but I definetely have a couple that will not eat anything but what they like, but they eat them with gusto, and never turn down a meal. My big Mojave girl would eat every day if I let her... Just only one thing on the menu.

I can't imagine eating a cheeseburger for every meal til I die... No matter how much I like cheeseburgers....

I have a small colection, 20 ball pythons, and I hatched out 15 babies this year. Everybody ate ASFs. Period. All hatchlings ate AFSs. Then the military moved me to CA with no real notice whats so ever and AFSs are illegal here.

ALL of my snakes are eating rats and mice no problem.

I do have a picky Blk Pastel but she is picky on when she eats not what she eats.

I completely believe this is a bad myth. As soon as I move again I will restart breeding ASFs. Large litters, small adult size, little smell - all are great incentives to stay with ASFs in my book. All of my hatchlings sold no problem as well. The buyers did not believe in the ASF myth either...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wapadi

I have a small colection, 20 ball pythons, and I hatched out 15 babies this year. Everybody ate ASFs. Period. All hatchlings ate AFSs. Then the military moved me to CA with no real notice whats so ever and AFSs are illegal here.

ALL of my snakes are eating rats and mice no problem.

I do have a picky Blk Pastel but she is picky on when she eats not what she eats.

I completely believe this is a bad myth. As soon as I move again I will restart breeding ASFs. Large litters, small adult size, little smell - all are great incentives to stay with ASFs in my book. All of my hatchlings sold no problem as well. The buyers did not believe in the ASF myth either...

---

Once again, I'll say it....
If you want a picky eater, I've got two. Neither will switch. It doesn't happen often, but it happens. So, no it's not a myth.
That being said, I raise ball pythons... I've raised hundreds of them. Do they all get stuck? NO. Do many of them get stuck, NO, but, yes it can happen...
I'm not trying to start a fight here, but just because you've raised 15, and they switched, you cannot say it doesn't happen....
I would never raise a ball on ASF if I was planning on selling it, why risk it? Especially when rats or mice are so much easier to get...
This, coming from me, who has probably 1000 ASF's! :O

I mean, if you don't agree, you don't agree... But you can't just say it doesn't happen..

True, but I have a girl that won't touch ASFs but takes a F/T rat every week with no hesitation. I've been trying to get her switched to ASFs since around May.

I think it has a lot more to do with the snake than the food.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by spitzu

True, but I have a girl that won't touch ASFs but takes a F/T rat every week with no hesitation. I've been trying to get her switched to ASFs since around May.

I think it has a lot more to do with the snake than the food.

---

Completely agree. But, to say that none of them never get stuck, just not the case.

OK, the myth that has surrounded asf's for so long is that all ball pythons get stuck on them like crack, period. That is the belief of so many people and it is just not true. I am not stating that there couldn't be a few picky eaters that might not touch anything but asf's once raised on them. But the fact that once on them they will not switch is false. Once again not saying all of them but most will switch without any problem. It is all dependent on the snake.

I have a friend that has a ball that will only eat mice, now keep in mind this person has not attempted to let the snake go hungry for 10 months just to get him to switch and I cant blame him. The fact is there are just some picky eaters out there and that is that.

I have started breeding a few Rats recently just for my hatchlings that I plan to sell, and I will convert them over before I sell them if that is the wishes of the buyer.

As far as the myth it is busted! They will switch to rats usually easy after being on asf's "most of the time". So all ball pythons that are raised on asf's do not get stuck on them like crack. That is all I am trying to say here. So for the people that are so scared to buy a snake just because it has been raised on asf's do not need to be. I think if you are going to be feeding it rats though it is a good idea to have the seller try and get the snake to take a rat before purchasing it. That away there is no doubt.

Totally agree with you UP. It is up to the individual snake, not the rodent.
Some snakes only take mice, some will only take rats, some won't touch a damn thing for months, then eat like cows, etc.

It's the snake's individual personalities, and has nothing to do with the type of rodent it's being fed. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UltimatePythons

I think if you are going to be feeding it rats though it is a good idea to have the seller try and get the snake to take a rat before purchasing it. That away there is no doubt.

---

That was my point...
Everytime I buy a ball, my first question is "what is it eating?"
It's up to the individual whether or not to buy a picky snake. Personally, I've got enough "picky" eaters... I only buy them if they're eating rats.