What kind of feeders?? Poll

For your balls, what do all of us feed?
Mice, rats, African Soft fur, Ect?
Grrr. Admin, can someone please add the poll?
Thanks

Hi,


Are those options ok - sing out and I'll change them to whatever you prefer.


dr del

Jake...You must really like these feeder polls. LOL:D


I breed rats, ASF and mice. I feed rats to everyone, ASF to hatchlings (to get them started then switch to rats) and mice to 2 WC that will only eat mice.

Mice
Rats
ASF
Other

Hi,


Changed for you - would the 3 people who voted for the removed option care to vote again? ( if you can - let me know if you can't).


dr del

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,


Changed for you - would the 3 people who voted for the removed option care to vote again? ( if you can - let me know if you can't).


dr del

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I can't vote again...it won't let me.

Also, since I feed a mixture removing this option limits how I can vote. :confused:

Rats all the way...

Rats only.... :salute:

I feed my balls whatever they want ... some eat mice, but majority take rats.

Hope this helps.

-adam

Right now all my snakes are on mice. If my ball pythons are content to stay on mice, then that is what they will eat unless they require a larger prey size down the road. If I end up getting a snake that refuses to eat mice, then it will get rats. As long as they eat I am happy. Mice, rat, doesn't make any difference to me.

Is there any proven benefit on feeding one vs. the other? Right now my boy's on hopper mice since I don't think he really can't handle anything else yet.

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Originally Posted by BigCeC43

Is there any proven benefit on feeding one vs. the other? Right now my boy's on hopper mice since I don't think he really can't handle anything else yet.

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A lot of people will tell you that there is, but in my experience, it makes no difference.

Hope this helps.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

A lot of people will tell you that there is, but in my experience, it makes no difference.

Hope this helps.

-adam

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He's right I have a male that has put on as much weight eating three mice a week and one that takes small rats.

I know with boas, in most cases rats make them gain a lot more mass than mice.

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

He's right I have a male that has put on as much weight eating three mice a week and one that takes small rats.

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Thanks Adam, with your experience that's plenty of help.
Freakie, does that mean 3 mice in one feeding, or a large meal of 2 and then a small mid-week snack of 1.

I feed whatever works for them, some eat rats other mice so I feed both.

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Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

I know with boas, in most cases rats make them gain a lot more mass than mice.

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Gram for gram it's all the same ... people think that rats put size on quicker, but if you actually feed the equivalent by gram weight when it comes to mice vs. rats it makes no difference.

For me, it's not about how much "more mass" that I can put on an animal ... it's about making sure that their needs are met ... mice can meet their needs just as well as rats, it just might take a few more of them.

I believe in feeding animals what they prefer to eat and what is most convenient for the keeper.

Of course, I don't keep boas so I'm only speaking about ball pythons.

Hope this helps.

-adam

You should have both on the poll. I prefer rats because thats what I breed. but my hatchlings start on hopper mice and then I try to switch to rat pinks.

I think the only benefit is rats are larger so you need less. One small rat is like 2 or 3 mice, which is cheaper and easier. But otherwise the same.

Rats are easier to breed than mice fo sho!

Mostly rats, which is my preference, but a few do mice.

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I believe in feeding animals what they prefer to eat and what is most convenient for the keeper.

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Agreed

I feed mice to the weelittle ones, rats to the biguns and gerbils to the stubborn ones. So I need a combination catergory :)

Its a boa thing. Boas fed soley on mice seem to grow more slender than boas grown on equal size rats, just like bunnies are said to make boas get more length than extra girth

Hmmm, I've gotta check the other pet store that I buy feeder mice at, I think they may have rats. One of the two stores only has "pet rats," I think it'd be a little akward if I was going there on a weekly basis to buy a new pet rat, lol. If not... it's good to know my BP can get by on mice if needed (once he's a big boy that is).

I just hate the idea of having to feed all of the mice a huge ball will eat. A single rat is a much better deal if you ask me

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Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

I just hate the idea of having to feed all of the mice a huge ball will eat. A single rat is a much better deal if you ask me

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If I can get Rats I'll give it a shot once my BP's large enough. I'm new to all of this so it's definetly worth a try.

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Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

I just hate the idea of having to feed all of the mice a huge ball will eat. A single rat is a much better deal if you ask me

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Doesn't make any difference at all to me, but I could see how it could be a hassle for some. That's why feeding whatever is most convenient for the keeper is something that I always advocate. There are many many ways to keep these animals ... each person should figure out what works best for them and their collection. :sweeet:

Hope this helps.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Doesn't make any difference at all to me, but I could see how it could be a hassle for some. That's why feeding whatever is most convenient for the keeper is something that I always advocate. There are many many ways to keep these animals ... each person should figure out what works best for them and their collection. :sweeet:

Hope this helps.

-adam

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Good point. Snake keeping definately isn't a one-size fits all. Different things work better for different people and different snakes. What's most important is that the animal is healthy and that it's convenient for the keeper, too. If you have some crazy regime that you can't keep up with or is a hassle (i.e. having to thaw 15 mice to feed 3 snakes) then you'll quickly lose interest. So yeah, do what's best for you and keep the snakes happy and healthy.

Your poll didn't have a choice of rats and mice. Mine eat either one and thrive on both. Some have a preference, but most will take either one.

With my boa, I see no need to feed her 4-5 xxxl rats when I can just feed her one 2-2.5 rabbit. Younger rabbits(and other feeders) are just meaty, and not as fatty, so she's getting alot more out of a meal than if she ate only rats or guinea pigs. She's about 7.5-7.75ft(maybe 8 now, I can't properly measure her), 25lbs or so and far from fat. She's nice and square with some fat reserves up high near her spine, and her neck is nice and slender. I'd rather spend $3.50 for a rabbit than $2 apiece for those giant, elderly rats.

As for the Ball Pythons, either prey item works equally well. I see awesome growth with mice, so I will continue to use those until I'm dead and gone(and someone else is cursed with my snakes, heh). I can house them easier and if I don't use some one week, I know they aren't going to outgrow my snakes.

But anyway, whatever your Ball Pythons will eat and whatever is easily accessible by you, is what you should feed the snake.

my BP's wont eat rats so i have to feed them mice

6/8 of mine eat rats, the other 2 haven't eaten for me yet but I am trying them on mice at this second.

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Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

6/8 of mine eat rats, the other 2 haven't eaten for me yet but I am trying them on mice at this second.

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I hope they take for you.... I really dont like feeding mice to my snakes, i try and stick to rats..

Some eat mice and some eat rats

All rats here now :) I despise mice and their smell. I was feeding my hatchlings on them but now all have graduated to rat fuzzies and I am a happy person. Until I realize that I am feeding off all my baby rats and have to buy mediums/larges from the pet store to feed my larger snakes.. but such is life :)
I do a round of mouse feedings on the babies that are sold/being sold, though. In case their buyers want to feed mice, I figure that it makes them able to eat both. But my keepers only get rats.

Rats! I Feed All My Bp's Rats As Well.

Right now its mice but I have couple pairs of rats set up to breed.. So it will be rats! :D

I feed just about everybody rats. I've got a few that want Asf's but I can usually trick them into taking rats too.

I started a colony of Asf's a long time ago but I've pretty lucky at getting most of the picky feeders to eat rats. Another thing I learned this year was most hatchlings will take rats as well, with a little patience. In all reality I pretty much only need a few Asf/mice and I mainly use those for senting.

rats rule!

What I prefer is that they all eat f/t rats.

Of course, what I prefer is not necessarily what they prefer, but we are working on that. lol...

I'm feeding African soft fur rats as well as some "common" rats. Didn't vote as I couldn't choose 2 but I am feeding more asf rats as that is what I primarily raise.

I have 2 that will only eat ASF, 3 that eat rats, 5 that eat only mice. and my 2 Nicaraguan boas cant eat anything bigger than mice right now

Being new to this - I notice that folks are talking about feeding multiple mice. I've only been feeding our bp one a week. Is it possible that it's not enough? How does one know? He's about 2 years old.

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Originally Posted by cheryls

Being new to this - I notice that folks are talking about feeding multiple mice. I've only been feeding our bp one a week. Is it possible that it's not enough? How does one know? He's about 2 years old.

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As long as he is at a healthy body weight for his age, its probably fine. I've got a girl that would eat three or four small adult mice a week if I'd let her, and shes only about 7 months. At two years, your male could easily be eating two mice per feeding, or small to medium rats depending on his body weight.

I feed mice, ASF, and rats depending on what the snake will eat. I'd rather raise and feed rats (I really hate raising mice) so I try to get all mine on rats, but some are stubborn.

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Originally Posted by drew5337

As long as he is at a healthy body weight for his age, its probably fine. I've got a girl that would eat three or four small adult mice a week if I'd let her, and shes only about 7 months. At two years, your male could easily be eating two mice per feeding, or small to medium rats depending on his body weight.

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Does it depend on the age, or length? How can I figure out the healthy weight for my BP? The reason I'm asking is because I'm not sure how old he is.