Yummy yummy mice in tummy! lol

[ntrent1]

Here's some pics of monty gulping down some poor lil' frozen mice!

Here's the first mousie


And the second mousie!



And check this out, he looks sorta like a king cobra here! lol

[Bighill_Reptiles]

I would try and get him onto rats asap or you will be feeding him 5 or 6 mice at a time soon ,good feeder tho even in shed looks nice and healthy

[ntrent1]

really? you think a small rat might do?

[Het4Something]

u dont even have to jump to a small rat... a rat pup will do, just so he gets the smell/taste of rat.

[piranhaking]

as long as the small rat isnt bigger around that he is at his largest point then it should be fine. The only issue i see that might come up is if it is used to smaller prey items, it might not take a larger one as readily, so you may need to start with smaller ones and work up to it. Also, sometimes they may go a little while with out eating during the transition, but thats nothing to worry about as long as it doesnt go on too long. There are people around here that can give you alot more info on that than i can though.

[SatanicIntention]

And why should you switch to rats? It would probably make this snake go on a fast if it were fed anything larger than a rat pup/wean. This is an adult male Ball, who only needs, at the most, 2 adult mice per week to maintain his body weight. I only feed mice to the Balls, and one of my girls who I got in at 780g in April or May, gained 1000 grams in those few months. She's now 1770 empty.

If he eats mice readily(obviously he does), and they are easy for you to get on a regular basis, then keep doing what you're doing. Some of my snakes look at rats like they are the plague and a half. Throw a live mouse in there and it's on like Donkey Kong.

Don't fix what ain't broke.

[Ginevive]

Looking at the snake; he looks to be of a fine weight and build.. I would say that the mouse diet is fine for him then. Personally, I can't stand mice, but I believe that there comes a point in every topic where you need to take it in the context of "to each, their own." As long as the snake is not underweight, and the keeper can afford the food, and no other health risks are happening, I don't see anything wrong w/ mice as feeders.
Congrats on feeding f/t' my snakes act like it's a throw pillow or something unless it's live!

[tigerlily]

And why should you switch to rats? It would probably make this snake go on a fast if it were fed anything larger than a rat pup/wean. This is an adult male Ball, who only needs, at the most, 2 adult mice per week to maintain his body weight. I only feed mice to the Balls, and one of my girls who I got in at 780g in April or May, gained 1000 grams in those few months. She's now 1770 empty.

If he eats mice readily(obviously he does), and they are easy for you to get on a regular basis, then keep doing what you're doing. Some of my snakes look at rats like they are the plague and a half. Throw a live mouse in there and it's on like Donkey Kong.

Don't fix what ain't broke.

I completely agree with Becky! There's no reason you have to switch. If feeding mice works for you and your snake, then go for it.

[Bighill_Reptiles]

try and dissect a adult mouse and a rat of the same size the rat will have 20% more bone and muscle mass so a 3" mouse and a 3" rat the rat will be at least 20% heaver hence more food intake .you have a 3000 gram ball how many mice to keep it well fed ?? where only one rat just my 0.02 worth

[tigerlily]

try and dissect a adult mouse and a rat of the same size the rat will have 20% more bone and muscle mass so a 3" mouse and a 3" rat the rat will be at least 20% heaver hence more food intake .you have a 3000 gram ball how many mice to keep it well fed ?? where only one rat just my 0.02 worth

You actually pulled out the bones and muscle to measured them?

No one has said that you can't switch or that it may be easier to feed fewer prey items, but it's NOT necessary. It may be easier to come by mice, in that particular area or other reasons why they have chosen to stick with mice. You can achieve feed either rats or mice with the same results. All you have to do is weigh the prey items, if you are that concerned about exact measurements.