which is better?

[wolfy-hound]

I don't care for mice. I especially would not want to have to feed a decent sized BP on just mice. You'd have to grow several mice for a longer period of time in order to feed a decent sized meal. Then you may run into a snake who only wants one feeder and then doesn't want to eat a second... so you have fed a tiny meal and it won't eat again until a week later(or whatever period of time you feed on).

Rats come in all sizes, from pinkies for small hatchlings, to mediums for large females. They grow to a larger size before they become able to "fight back". A adult mouse is capable of fighting the snake... a 'crawler' rat baby is not.

ASF take longer to grow to the 'adult' size. They seem to grow quickly to the 'weanling' stage... then they slow down getting to a decent feeder size. They never grow big enough to be a decent meal for a large BP... so you'd be back to growing more than one for each full meal, with the attendant issues of a snake potentially refusing to eat more than one rodent.

As far as personalities... mice seem stupid and flighty... asf are flighty and sometimes mean... domestic rats are smart and personable and easy to work with. That's what I've gotten from my own mice/asf/rats. I like being able to reach into a bin and scoop up a rat without chasing it around and trying to grab fifty times as it dodges. I can clean 4 rat bins to a single asf, because the little buggers will leap out of almost every container if the lid is cracked open to put more asf in. They wriggle free and leap for freedom at every opportunity. I can put rats into a open bin or bucket and rarely will one even leap to sit on the top edge... almost never will one actually jump out of the container entirely.

Other people have different experiences with their animals, of course. But this is what I've experienced myself.

[carlisleishere]

I prefer ASF to other feeders because my snakes like them and they tend to maintain weight better. It seemed like when I fed ASF my snakes didn't poop as much and they appeared to hold onto every gram put into their bodies. However, rats are more convenient and if you ever have to sell a snake it'll be easier to sell one that's on rats. As far as ASF being crack to snakes, I didn't find that at all. All of my snakes switched readily between ASF and rats (I alternated rat one week, next two weeks ASF, etc). Just remember that it's your personal choice and every snake is different. ASF were easy to breed, although they do take a while to grow to a decent size ( my largest was 120 grams). If you breed for disposition they aren't too bad. You just have to remember that these animals weren't really intended for the pet trade, so most of them are pretty 'wild'. Good luck.

[jess6905]

Thanks guys! I decided on rats for now, and am attempting to get my one girl to make the switch. Hopefully she will make the switch soon. If she doesn't I'll reconsider asf's for her. I'm not too concerned about her getting stuck on them as she won't be going anywhere. My daughter picked her out at our first show last fall when she was only 18 months old.

[QueenOfKing]

From what you say you have, I suggest rats. But breed them AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE! The stench is overwhelming from 2 pet rats. Also, in your problem with your mouser,try finding a white rat live or frozen. If it's alive, gas it with Co2. Mouse or rat shouldn't matter. Color however, has been known to cause some picky eaters to go off feed. it might be to small to eat a rat. Try a small white rat first. Maybe a rat pup or weanling.

[Annarose15]

From what you say you have, I suggest rats. But breed them AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE! The stench is overwhelming from 2 pet rats. Also, in your problem with your mouser,try finding a white rat live or frozen. If it's alive, gas it with Co2. Mouse or rat shouldn't matter. Color however, has been known to cause some picky eaters to go off feed. it might be to small to eat a rat. Try a small white rat first. Maybe a rat pup or weanling.

None of these statements are true. 1) Rats do not have to reek if they are cared for and cleaned frequently and properly. I have repeatedly been in a room filled with hundreds of rats and at least a dozen mice, where the only smell was the wood shavings, because everything was cleaned at least weekly. 2) Mice have a distinctly different scent than rats, which is more likely to affect an animal that hunts primarily by scent and heat than color. 3) In addition, a BP hatchling would have to be excruciatingly small to not be able to take a rat. I fed my hatchlings (smallest was 54g) rat fuzzies as their first meal two days ago, with no issue.