Nutrition Rats vs. Mice

Okay so a co-worker told me today that if possible I should try feeding Tanveer f/t rat pups instead of f/t adult mice. She said that rats provided better nutrients for Ball Pythons:confused: .

I was just glad that he was eating again after 4 1/2 months. He is back on a good eating streak with 3 successful feedings now! He took 2 F/T adult mice for me again last night with no problem:D I figured as long as he was eating again that I was doing good. He is an adult and over 1100 grams.

1. Any truth to the rats vs. mice nutrition thing?

2. Last night after he ate his second f/t mouse I waited for 30 minutes or so and then went in his terrarium to spot clean, clean his water dish etc.. Well, when he first heard me slide the lid again he came out and looked at me like he was waiting for a 3rd mouse LOL. He gave up when he realized that I was just cleaning and went back in his hide. However, is he just being a pig now, or should I feed him more then 2? LOL

Thanks for any input:banana:

I should probably add that before fasting he was eating 1 medium f/t rat every 14 days. I decided to downsize to adult f/t mice and that is when he started eating again.

i have always heard rats are more nutritious than mice

There's been a lot of speculation about mice vs. rats in the % of fat in their bodies--but nothing really solid right now. Most of the argument comes when feeding live, rat pups are safer than adult mice.

=/

I guess it's a personal preference. =3

I was just wondering the same thing, Aldous always seems like he wants a third, I'm feeding him two adult mice each week... also wondering if I should move to a small rat

The good thing about rats is they can go to rats and stay on them forever. No need for mice IMO unless you have a small hatchling.

You can also only feed only one rat compared to multiple mice, that seems to make feeding easier.

Also, I have always heard rats are more nutritious than mice too!

I prefer rats because they get bigger and you don't have to feed multiples, but on those occasions when I have to feed live, I will go with younger rats rather than larger mice. And normally I will only feed one. It doesn't hurt them to eat light for a couple of weeks until the new shipment of F/T's come in...


Rob

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Originally Posted by Vypyrz

I prefer rats because they get bigger and you don't have to feed multiples, but on those occasions when I have to feed live, I will go with younger rats rather than larger mice. And normally I will only feed one. It doesn't hurt them to eat light for a couple of weeks until the new shipment of F/T's come in...

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x2. I don't feed balls but I recently started breeding rats to feed all my growing milks cause they go through mice so quickly.

I suspect it's just that people overestimate the weight of mice. If you put them on a scale against rat pups, I think the pups are actually heavier--so you're actually feeding the BP more when you feed it a rat that looks the same size as an adult mouse.

In terms of nutrition, the adult mice have fully calcified bones, so they are probably more nutritious--it just takes more of them to make a meal!

I prefer rats. Much easier. And mice are nasty, quick, and a pain in the ...

There has been no study done on the nutritional REQUIREMENTS of ball pythons. So, to say that one is more nutritional than the other cannot be said definitively. They may only need the amount of calcium offered in a mouse and anything more would be expelled as waste. No one knows for sure.

Feed what your animal feeds on consistently and don't over-stress yourself. There are healthy thriving ratters in people's collections, and healthy thriving mousers in people's collections.

If your animal is eating and mice are easier for you - feed mice. If your animal is eating and rats are easier for you - feed rats.

Mouse, domestic (Mus domesticus) - Neonatal, <3 g: 64.2% Crude Protein, 17.0% Crude Fat.
Mouse, domestic (Mus domesticus) - Juvenile, 3-10 g: 44.2% Crude Protein, 30.1% Crude Fat.
Mouse, domestic (Mus domesticus) - Adult or >10 g: 55.8% Crude Protein, 23.6% Crude Fat.

Rat (Rattus norvegicus) - Neonatal, <10 g: 57.9% Crude Protein, 23.7% Crude Fat.
Rat (Rattus norvegicus) - Juvenile, 10-50 g: 56.1% Crude Protein, 27.5% Crude Fat.
Rat (Rattus norvegicus) - Adult or >50 g: 61.8% Crude Protein, 32.6% Crude Fat.


Source: http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp

I don't know if it's true or not either, but have been wondering the same thing myself. My boss at the pet store says that rats are more nutritious than mice because their organs are bigger, but I don't know if he's right or not. :confused:

My snakes seem to grow better on rats than on mice. I have no science to back anything up, but all of my snakes take rats, even the baby ones so I keep them on it and they do fine. I used to feed mice and rats, but I noticed that the snakes on rats seemed to be more hardy than the ones on mice so I switched them all over. It works for me so that is what I do.

I heard that feeding one rat as opposed to two mice there is less hair and bone per amount of protein and fat so there is less waste... and my bp has been pooping less since i switched to rats

Check this out

http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/zoo/Who...nal02May29.pdf

I don't remember where I found it, this forum, another or a google search, but here is a study of different food types.

Interesting. Yea all I know is rats have more fat.

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Originally Posted by BuddhaLuv

2. Last night after he ate his second f/t mouse I waited for 30 minutes or so and then went in his terrarium to spot clean, clean his water dish etc.. Well, when he first heard me slide the lid again he came out and looked at me like he was waiting for a 3rd mouse LOL. He gave up when he realized that I was just cleaning and went back in his hide. However, is he just being a pig now, or should I feed him more then 2? LOL

Thanks for any input:banana:

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One other member and I were wondering if one of you could address this question above?

Tanveer is over 1100 grams. I am currently feeding 2 adult f/t mice every 7 days. After reading some of the posts (thank you to all) I may attempt small f/t rats again. I am just afraid it will cause him to go on strike again and not eat:weirdface

How big are the mice that you're feeding; what's the total weight of the prey items? My girl is 1100 g and was eating between 4 and 5 mice (~120-130 g) before I switched her over to F/T rats a few weeks ago. She's a late 2007. Two adults sounds like a small meal to me, but I'm fairly new to BPs.

My girl is now eating a single F/T rat (~80 g) every week. I'm trying to get her to eat two, but she just won't do it.

Rats do have more fat! Also it is cheaper to buy one rat then several mice and the mice only increase as the snake grows! It is less stress on the bp to eat once than several times in a row!

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Originally Posted by branson

How big are the mice that you're feeding; what's the total weight of the prey items? My girl is 1100 g and was eating between 4 and 5 mice (~120-130 g) before I switched her over to F/T rats a few weeks ago. She's a late 2007. Two adults sounds like a small meal to me, but I'm fairly new to BPs.

My girl is now eating a single F/T rat (~80 g) every week. I'm trying to get her to eat two, but she just won't do it.

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Uh oh, if you were feeding 4 to 5 then I am definately not feeding enough! I haven't been able to weigh them but I can tell you that they are quite small compared to the small-med f/t rat I was feeding previously. Not sure what the average adult mouse weighs;)

Well damn, just when I thought for sure I had everything figured out LOL. I guess I will try and feed a small f/t rat on Tuesday (feeding day). Sigh.... I will let ya'll know how that goes. I just hope he takes it because he wouldn't when fasting.

Thanks for the input Branson! He is my first BP and I have only had him since April.

BuddhaLuv,

This is also my first BP and I've only had her for a little over a year. I'd see what other keepers have to say before I made any changes if I were you. We're pretty much in the same boat :)

-- B

Well this thread answered some of my questions and the PDF file I downloaded answered a lot THANKS for the link on the file.:) Now I will see if my Babies will eat a small Rat or a rat pup thats after I drive 160 miles to buy the right Rats their are none available in Klamath Falls were I live only big Rats. I can now see the benefits of the Frozen Prey so I will get some ordered but I will be prepared with live just in case they will not eat the Frozen as I have one snake that I had to bring back to a healthy state so I don't want to get her on a no eating binge.:)

here is a Link I found helpful. http://www.afrma.org/bc_nutritreqrats.htm;)