ASFs, Mice, and Rats.....Oh my!!!

I really don't understand why some people have collections that won't take rats, but, will take ASFs and mice. I have about 30 snakes that are all on rats. Why is it that others have 5 snakes and can't get them all to take rats? My personal opion is that people are giving thier snakes the choice of what they want to eat, therefor, making it harder on themselves to find feeders for thier collections. The only time I have used a mouse was to get a picky eater to start eating and then quickly switched them over to rats. Post your insights on this.

Some snakes will not eat Rats, period. Im sure you could get them to, but do you really want to wait a full year before/if they take one? I had a tiny little ball go almost a year without eating, and she finally did once I got ahold of some asfs.

As long as the snake is not jepordy I would rather wait till the snake takes a rat. I had few snakes do that to me recently. I held off for a few months and they finally took a rat. Remember I'm in Cali. and ASFs are illegal. Do I risk freedom for a snake? Nope, I'll wait for the snake to take rat.

So a War of Wills, so to speak?


I have an animal that will not eat rats. Period. I held out on her for more than a year.

After that, I couldn't see myself being so cruel to an animal that should be able to feed. So, I gave in.

Does this make me a sucker? No.

Should I have held out longer? I don't think so.

Its not as cut and dry as you make it seem.

Sometimes its in the benefit of both sides to give in. This way the animal eats and you dont have to stress that it will starve. :gj:

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Originally Posted by LadyOhh

So a War of Wills, so to speak?


I have an animal that will not eat rats. Period. I held out on her for more than a year.

After that, I couldn't see myself being so cruel to an animal that should be able to feed. So, I gave in.

Does this make me a sucker? No.

Should I have held out longer? I don't think so.

Its not as cut and dry as you make it seem.

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Is it a wild caught snake? I guess as aquire more snakes I will eventually will find a mouse eater, but, luckily I don't have this problem right now. *Knocks on wood*

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what are ASFs? i know most of the terms in the bp community, but there are a few like this one that i still don't know.

African soft furred rats.

Ah ok :)

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

Is it a wild caught snake?

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Nope.

CBB, but started on Mice.

Never switched over.

Again, not as cut and dry as you would think.

Plus, I don't know many WC that imprint on mice..

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Originally Posted by LadyOhh

Nope.

CBB, but started on Mice.

Never switched over.

Again, not as cut and dry as you would think.

Plus, I don't know many WC that imprint on mice..

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Interesting. How old is he/she? That's why I have offer nothing but rat pinks to my babies. I'm sure I will eventually have a few that won't take rats though, personally I dont think I would keep it around to be honest.

Try having a 16 foot python that wont take a rabbit. That will give you a headache

I always try to get all of my snakes feeding on rats. For the most part, I've had no problems.. but I have had a few who will not take a rat period. They would starve to death before ever touching a rat. Making a snake go 6+ months with out eating because you'd rather try to wait the snake out in hopes that it will get hungry enough and take a rat. Think again. Not so easy and seems cruel knowing if you throw a mouse in that snakes tub, it will eat it.

I say feed your snakes whatever works for them. Might be a bit harder to find or cost a but more, but IMO... my snakes are well worth the headache and the extra expense.

My 3 BPs are on rats. They will eat mice as well if I offer them. But I usualy get them rats.

Anyways I was bored this morning and I was cleaning the ASF's weanling tubs. I realised some of them are starting to get big. So I tried to feed an ASF to my less than 1/2 year old pastel, which is a pig, and he would not attack it. 1hr had pass and nothing. He would sit there and stare at it but nothing else.

I've never seen him do that other than when he is in shed. I took the ASF out.

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Originally Posted by twistedtails

Interesting. How old is he/she?

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4 years old.