How long with no food?

[Mppeasle]

So im in the process of switching my roughly 6mo old Ball Python from mice to rats.. with mice he never missed a meal he ate every week as long as ive had him.. now that ive been offering rats he wants nothing to do with it, its been a little over two weeks since hes eaten.. if he continues to do so, how long before I should consider giving him a mouse again.. ive read a lot of the tricks about making them smell like mice etc.. but ive chosen to go the route of eventually he will be hungry enough to take it... but how long is too long?

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[Mppeasle]

Also he is still very healthy looking and acting.. I know they can go quite some time without food, but would like to hear advise

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[Bogertophis]

Really depends on the health (& body weight) of each individual snake. One thing to keep in mind: you didn't mention how often you're trying to get him to eat a rat, but offering more than once every 5-7 days
tends to work against you, as it stresses the snake. Personally, I'd get some "used" mouse shavings from a local pet store & use it to scent the rats so they smell more like mice.

[EL-Ziggy]

I'd keep offering food every 2-3 weeks until he eats. If he insists on being stubborn I'd give it a good 3-4 months before I offered another small mouse. Then start the process over again.

[Mppeasle]

Really depends on the health (& body weight) of each individual snake. One thing to keep in mind: you didn't mention how often you're trying to get him to eat a rat, but offering more than once every 5-7 days
tends to work against you, as it stresses the snake. Personally, I'd get some "used" mouse shavings from a local pet store & use it to scent the rats so they smell more like mice.

Offered the 20th, offered again the 25th, and now havent yet offered the 3rd time.

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[Mppeasle]

I'd keep offering food every 2-3 weeks until he eats. If he insists on being stubborn I'd give it a good 3-4 months before I offered another small mouse. Then start the process over again.

Sounds good, thank you!

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[Mppeasle]

Really depends on the health (& body weight) of each individual snake. One thing to keep in mind: you didn't mention how often you're trying to get him to eat a rat, but offering more than once every 5-7 days
tends to work against you, as it stresses the snake. Personally, I'd get some "used" mouse shavings from a local pet store & use it to scent the rats so they smell more like mice.

Also I do frozen thawed, so im not sure the shavings trick would do much

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[Craiga 01453]

Since the animal is still so young I would focus on keeping it eating for now. I tend to use the "tough love" approach and wait them out as well, but not when they're only 6 months old.

[Mppeasle]

Since the animal is still so young I would focus on keeping it eating for now. I tend to use the "tough love" approach and wait them out as well, but not when they're only 6 months old.

Ive always heard the sooner the better, becauae the longer you wait the more they wont want to switch..

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[Mppeasle]

Since the animal is still so young I would focus on keeping it eating for now. I tend to use the "tough love" approach and wait them out as well, but not when they're only 6 months old.

Also 6mo is just my best educated guess.. hes about 260grams and 5-8 months is what id guess from the info I have

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