Eating habits and age

[padiente]

Can a balls eating habits change as they get older and go from not being picky at all and always eating, to being slow to eat and all picky? I have had my baby for a year and suddenly after 3 or 4 (2 ft) rats he has decided he didn't want to eat a little over a week after the last feeding, which he has always done. He was doing the "i'm hungry" thing and smelling of the rat, but it seemed like he suddenly didn't know what to do with it. He kept looking for food that he knew was there, but it was as if he couldn't find it. He has a great feeding responce and knows he is going to get a meal when he is put in the feeing box. He knew this time, but he couldn't find the food (the rat) he just kept searching, would sniff the rat, and move on to searching again. Whats the deal?

[Smulkin]

You betcha - the only constant is the ability for things to change in a heartbeat.

[padiente]

Well, crap. I went out last week and comitted $30 to frozen rats on my meager college budget only to find now that, even after all the succsess we have always had with feeding, that he may not eat them. I tried to feed him friday, should I try again tonight? Can I re-thaw the one I tried to feeed him last week or do I have to chuck it? If I can re-thaw it, how many times can a rat be frozen and thawed and frozen and thawed again if he doesn't eat?

[Smulkin]

Never regret having a stock of rats - you will go through them all yet. I would only thaw/refreeze once or freezer burn and crystallization will set in and on the second or third thaw your mouse will be more like a puddle of rodent. One thing you shoud try though is making sure the thawed rat is really good and hot - with the head being hotter than the rest of the body before attempting to feed it. THis seems to be the clincher in getting that strike on in a lot of instances - a nice bright thermal target.