Is it really that difficult?

[Gerardo]

I have heard countless times about how BPs should be switched from mice to rats as soon as possible. Otherwise it might be real tough later on. I have only one source of live food in my area and they are not too consistent with their rats. This means that almost every week my snakes have to eat mice or rats and sometimes both. Ive never noticed them have any issues switching back and forth. How common is it for them to get stuck on one food item?

[kylearmbar]

I've never personally had any trouble, I've had some trouble with frozen thawed though. One of my first snakes all I could get when I first got her was mice, and she stayed on mice for awhile. I got some more snakes and started ordering rats online. now everyone eats them but she won't touch a frozen thawed one, only live, pain in the butt because around here live is over twice as expensive as frozen, also I need to make a trip to get a live rat just for her.

[Gerardo]

Ive only tried feeding frozen like 3 times and only out of necessity. Had no luck at all. All i feed is live and they dont seem to mind if its rats or mice. They have a very good food response. Just made me curious because Even my 1200 gram male has been eating like this since ive had him. (He was about 400 grams)

[alan12013]

I just bought a 2 year old female that ate 2 small live mice every other week. I put a thawed small rat in the tank on day 2 and left the room, it was gone within an hour. I might just be lucky but that's my experience so far.

[John1982]

I have no problem switching from norwegians to ASFs and back again. Bred gerbils for a while and fed those without having any issues going back to norwegians. Bred mice for a bit and had no issues going back to norwegians from those either. I now breed norwegians and ASFs but my balls mostly get the norwegians. When a male is done for the season or a female has just dropped a clutch I'll often feed them several ASFs as they seem to get them back on food the best before switching them back to their norwegian staple - never had a problem. Fasting animals will often take an ASF but depending on my supply(my soft furs are mostly for the colubrids and tegus) I'll usually just let them skip a few meals before having them back on norwegians without a worry.

[rlditmars]

We just had a female in the last clutch that would take mice, live or F/T, but would turn her nose up at any rat. Sold her as a mouser.

[DVirginiana]

We've got the same issue with availability of local live feeders. The only place open now only sell adult mice and adult rats, so my BP has to have mice till she's big enough to eat the smaller adult rats... The time or two we managed to get her rat pups though, she took them just fine.

[Gerardo]

It just made me wonder if its a common problem? Like i said i feed 4 snakes this way without issue.(5th one has been off feed for a while) and i have fed 4 previous BPs like that and also didnt have a problem switching them.