Mouse Appetizer Trick for Picky Eaters

[Pancake's Momma]

I recently found a helpful trick for feeding my picky ball python.
Ever since I bought my bp Pancake last fall, she has been an utter pain to feed. The person who sold her to me that she was a picky eater, but that was apparently an understatement. In the months that I've had her, she's never eaten more than once a month, and often would go 2 months before I could get her to eat (after hours of trying). Then, this spring, she stopped eating her rats altogether. From what I could tell she was scared of them, since she would strike at them, but never latch on. She did look hungry however, so I don't think she was on a hunger strike. After 4 months of trying different sized/colored rats (live and frozen) with no luck, I finally caved and bought her some mice instead, and WOW, her reaction was almost frightening.
The first mouse wasn't even in the tank for 10 seconds before she had it wrapped in her coils, and immediately after finishing it she went into extreme hunting mode, searching the tank and me for more. The next two mice were eaten just as quickly. I had never seen Pancake so eager about anything in my life, and realized that mice were something I knew she would eat. However I didn't want to feed her a ton of mice all the time if I could help it, so a few days ago I decided to try something. I purchased a single mouse, and a small rat of the same color. When I had tried feeding her a couple rats like this before, she had no interest in them whatsoever. However I hoped that by activating her feeding response with the mouse, she would be more inclined to eat the rat.
Once I had both rodents, I fed Pancake the mouse first, which she ate with just as much vigor as the previous feeding. Then I put in the rat, and before it was even able to touch the bottom of her tank she had struck and curled around it. I'd never had such easy feedings before, and it felt so much better than the agonizing hours it took to get her to eat before.

So, at least in this case, using a mouse as an appetizer seemed to work. Idk who else has tried this on their pythons, but for those with really picky eaters, this may be something you'd want to try.

[Bogertophis]

Yup, feeding a snake on the prey they're familiar with & LIKE sure helps. They DO have personal preferences. You can feed a mouse first as an appetizer, or
some ppl use dirty mouse litter (usually free by request @ pet store) to "scent" the rat right before you offer it. Another way is to thaw the rat in with a mouse.

This also works for snakes that you want to switch over to another food: wait until your snake can easily consume 2 smaller prey items that together do NOT total
an excessive meal. Offer the small item of the "usual" preferred prey first, & once the snake swallows that, have ready & offer immediately the other prey item,
while the snake is pumped up in "feeding mode". After you succeed a few times doing this, the snake often accepts the "new" prey when offered on it's own.

[giltyler]

Very nice trick.
I will be transitioning to rats soon for my baby and will remember the tactic if needed.

[mdb730]

I have a mouser and the mouse appetizer trick does not work on her. I have to put a white rat in a brown bag with dirty mouse bedding and basically shake and bake until the rat is scent is covered.

[Sirus Uno]

I will be trying this on feed day. I have 2 big girls on strike. Tili hit the 1000g wall at 850g and Harleen, at 1435g, is just not having it. Hopefully this will set it off!

[Pancake's Momma]

I will be trying this on feed day. I have 2 big girls on strike. Tili hit the 1000g wall at 850g and Harleen, at 1435g, is just not having it. Hopefully this will set it off!

Do let me know if does! I'm curious how well it works on other snakes! ^^

[piedlover79]

I've got a male snake that has been a mouse eater for years now, I'll give this a try!

[Bogertophis]

You might also try using dirty litter from gerbils or hamsters (usually free for the asking from a pet store) to scent the "usual" prey & inspire a feeding response-
some snakes (BPs & others) really like those too. Don't ask me how I know...

[Pancake's Momma]

Update! It's been about a week since Pancake last ate and she is already acting hungry again. She gets excited and looks for food any time I move something on the shelf below her, and looks to me like I have food for her. I tried feeding her the rats I bought at the expo this weekend, and while she seemed excited about being fed, she didn't seem interested in the rats themselves. So today I bought her a mouse and fed her that, then fed her one of the two small rats. She didn't seem to like the darker one as much, though that may be due to it's frantic behavior. Additionally she didn't immediately strike the white one, however she did end up eating it. Until now I had never been able to get her to eat more than every month or two, and now she is eating only a week after her previous feed. I think the mice have unlocked some inner ferocity in her.

[Bogertophis]

Hey, whatever works, eh?