Will BP's refuse specific varieties of rats?

[Nuzum1978]

Tonight I tried feeding. I had the rat in the cage for about 20-25 mins. and my ball didn't seem to recognize it as prey. I say that b/c my gf told me she was exhibiting her normal hunting behavior this evening, but as she was stalking the rat around her tank she kept creeping and creeping until she eventually bumped the rat w/ her head. When the rat would jump b/c she startled it she would coil back, wait until the rat settled down again, and then start creeping up on it again. Truth be told, it looked like she was trying to cozy up to it.

Normally, she makes her kill almost immediately and has a powerful feeding response when she has a scent of the prey. She has never refused. I thought maybe the rat was a little too active for her to feel confident to attack so I placed the rat's food bowl in the snake tank to give the rat a focal point. We've used the bowl w/ previous rats and our pet mice. When I placed that bowl in w/ them it seemed like her feeding response increased, but she still did not strike at the rat.

I can't imagine it is my husbandry considering that I just made an upgrade to an UTH w/ a Johnson thermostat that has been everything it was cracked up to be by the users of this forum. High side: 90-91 Cools side: 79-82 Humidity: 50-60% range It's been 11 days since her last feeding. She normally eats every seven, but her last one was a biggun' so I figured on 10 or so.

Are there just some varieties of rat that bp's won't recognize as prey? Or is there some reason that rat's just don't smell "right"?

[NightLad]

Are there just some varieties of rat that bp's won't recognize as prey? Or is there some reason that rat's just don't smell "right"?

It’s more than just smell; some BPs are downright racist. I know of a BP belonging to a University Professor who won't eat anything other than black rats. I know another guy who has a BP who won't eat anything but white females. It won't touch males. Some won't touch F/T and only want live. Some won't go for rats at all and will only take mice. Others are very picky about the size of their prey. Temperature can also play a factor; too hot or cold and they won't want it.

Finding out your BPs 'quirks' is part of the (frustrating) fun, I guess.

[JeffFlanagan]

I just made an upgrade to an UTH w/ a Johnson thermostat that has been everything it was cracked up to be by the users of this forum. High side: 90-91 Cools side: 79-82 Humidity: 50-60% range It's been 11 days since her last feeding. She normally eats every seven, but her last one was a biggun' so I figured on 10 or so.

You may have answered your own question. She's last had a larger than usual meal and you've changed conditions in the enclosure. Any change in environment can put a BP off of food for weeks, and she may not even be hungry yet.