feed switch

[latesam]

i'm trying to feed my BP rats now instead of mice, but have had a difficult time getting Curly to eat. I'm too afraid to really leave the Rat in the cage
the rat seems melow enough, but i'm sure that could change in a flash.
Feeding in a seperate container he only shows curiosity.
I do feed live, and don't really feel like swithcing to Froz or freashly killd
his appitite has grown so he takes about 2 mice every week-10 days
any suggestions?

[vinnimac]

My first bp I had up to three mice a feeding before I switched her to rats. Maybe your snake doesn't feel up to tackling a larger food item? Hard to say. You could try to scent the rat with some used mouse bedding, so it would smell more like a mouse.

[Adam_Wysocki]

i'm trying to feed my BP rats now instead of mice, but have had a difficult time getting Curly to eat.

That's common. Ball pythons have a way of "imprinting" on one type of prey and ignoring all others. Try skipping a feeding or two ... it won't hurt your snake at all and it will make him extra hungry to maybe try a rat.

I'm too afraid to really leave the Rat in the cage

Why? Unless the rat is STARVING, it will ignore your snake for an hour. Make sure your snake has a place to hide (which he should have anyway) and the two will avoid each other if your snake is not hungry. After an hour, just remove the rat if it's not eaten. Works for me every week!

the rat seems melow enough, but i'm sure that could change in a flash.

Over the years, I've found mice to be generally much more aggressive than rats. Like I said above, unless your rat is starving, it couldn't care less about your snake if left in for only an hour. Make sure your snake has a hide box to retreat to.

Feeding in a seperate container he only shows curiosity.

Sometimes the stress of moving to a seperate unfamiliar box without substrate, heat, or a nice safe hide stresses a ball python causing them to totally lose interest in food. Nothing wrong with feeding in the cage.

I do feed live, and don't really feel like swithcing to Froz or freashly killd
his appitite has grown so he takes about 2 mice every week-10 days
any suggestions?

What's wrong with 2 mice a week? I have a couple of adult males that eat 2 large mice a week and have been doing so for years. Why do you feel that you have to switch to rats at all?

-adam

[latesam]

good point... i have a set up to keep mice in...i dunno why i felt i needed to switch, i guess bc i read something about switching from mice to rats after your snake gets bigger....i might just stick with what works...besides two mice are cheeper then one rat for some reason...if i'm not mistaken

[gozetec02]

I agree with Adam. My female rarely takes a rat. And has been downing 2 or 3 large mice every feeding time. I just recently got her to take rats after refusing for 4 weeks. I tried a black rat and that did the trick.