My 3-year old Ball Python won't eat Rats.. only Mice.

well maybe I will just keep trying to feed the rats and see what happens. I think maybe I should let the thawed rat sit outside the cage for like 20 minutes before feeding so he starts smelling it. I just don't think he likes the smell of rats though. I already tried putting a mouse in the bag with the rat and thawing them together.. this didn't work.. he still wouldn't take the rat.

I really don't wanna have to cut open the skull of a mouse that's just gross..

is there any 'mouse' scent that they make which you can spray onto the rat?

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Originally Posted by grim reaper in NY

One thing to keep in mind, and it's been stated on this forum in numerous posts. Rats have much more protein for our pets than mice do. Rats are the preferred food for our snakes when it comes to nutritional value.

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Just because I like to be contrary - it's also been stated on this forum in numerous posts that since there have been no studies on the the nutritional REQUIREMENTS of ball pythons, no one can say definitively that mice or rats are better for you ball python. They may only require the exact nutritional values of a mouse, and everything over that from a rat is just waste.

There are many, many happy, healthy mousers living in people's homes all over the country!

I have a 3 year old 4' female and I can't get mine to switch to rats either but she eats three medium sized mice the size of a normal rat. I have tried introducing live rats, frozen rats and have had to take them all back to the store because she wont eat them. Oh well I guess she is just a mouser for life unless anyone has any good tips on how to get her to switch other than whats listed above.:snake:

how do you get her to eat 3 mice? do you feed one right after the other? see once mine eats one mouse, he seems to not want to attack anymore.. so is it a timing issue of how you need to get multiple mice down their throats?

I agree with trying a smaller rat with this snake---try a weanling. Of course meals of mice are fine. At least he 'll eat f/t!

The best trick is to put some mouse bedding in the enclosure with the rat, that way he smells mouse. The only reason a rat would have more protien is because they are bigger. Larger rodent = more protein, its about size not species.

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Originally Posted by grim reaper in NY

Rats have much more protein for our pets than mice do.

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True however there is no study on nutritional REQUIERMENT of BP.

Can YOU show me a study showing that rats are better, if so how many animals were included in that study and for how long?

The bottom line is that until proven otherwise there is no prey better than the other (more convenient for the owner yes but better…no), gram per gram it is all the same, it all comes down to feed what works for the animal and is convenient for the owner.

If the animal has nothing to do with rats there is absolutely nothing wrong to feed him mice.

I have a few that will only eat mice and they are doing fine.

Mine generally eats 3 adult mice every 7 or 8 days. Sometimes Dakota will only take two. I wait til the 1st one disappears before dangling the second one and so on. It doesn't seem to be a problem and he grows quite well. Seems happy and content.