Best way for switching to F/T

[evan385]

What's the best way to switch a ball python who has only eaten live mice, and one live small rat, to F/T or at least rats? My rats had babies, they're rat pups now. Opened their eyes and are moving about. This is what i've been waiting for because he has went right past them every time without taking notice. Last night I offered him a rat pup, it moved around for a bit then stopped against the glass. He seemed interested and like he would strike if it wasn't up against the glass. He even tried to nudge him away from the glass so he could strike. But after that he paid it no attention. Do I really have to wait another week for them to be weaned and active before he will eat? I know it's not a breeding strike because he's less than one year old and only about 180 grams (underweight for two feet I know, he as malnourished when I got him.)

[akjadlnfkjfdkladf]

If you're dead set on switching to rats know that feeding a single mouse will reset any progress you make.

Try simply waiting the snake out, offer rats once a week, sometimes hunger takes over and the snake will snap and eat a rat. It should be easy from there.

If you're trying frozen you can scent the rat with a mouse, and try leaving the scented rat in the enclosure all night if it's not taken immediately.

For switching to f/t try fresh killed first, or heat the rat up with a blow-dryer and use tongs to make it dance around.

There are a lot more tricks out there

[Annarose15]

If you have access to it, get a bag of fresh, dirty mouse bedding. Let the pup crawl around in it for thirty seconds or so, and then put it in with the BP (yucky, yes). I only had to do that once to get a picky eater switched, but it could take more time than that.

I normally advocate tough love, but it sounds like your guy doesn't need to be missing meals yet, so this can help trick him into thinking they're mice until he's used to the rat smell meaning food, also.

[evan385]

I just want him to eat. If I had a way to get out to Knoxville to buy live mice from Critter Barn I would. But rat pups is all I have. If it's just that he prefers mice why would he take a small rat? I figure maybe it just has to be alert and active for him to be interested.

[akjadlnfkjfdkladf]

I just want him to eat. If I had a way to get out to Knoxville to buy live mice from Critter Barn I would. But rat pups is all I have. If it's just that he prefers mice why would he take a small rat? I figure maybe it just has to be alert and active for him to be interested.

Different scent. This is why I suggested rubbing a mouse onto the rat. Order frozen mice from rodentpro if you want to give it a shot

[evan385]

Different scent. This is why I suggested rubbing a mouse onto the rat. Order frozen mice from rodentpro if you want to give it a shot

I'm saying he did take a small rat. Could this have been a one time thing and he still prefers mice?