Any other mousers out there?

[FireBri]

I have a 4 yo female ball named Nala. She is a dedicated mouse eater. I have tried in the past to get her on rats, but have only been successful on about 2-3 occasions before she went off feed until I got her back to mice. She is a healthy girl, and during the last few months in particular, she has been eating very well. I'm up to 3 jumbo mice per week from Big Cheese, and she seems very content, so I'm reluctant to change her feedings. Anyone else out there have any thoughts on my mouse-loving girl?

[Evenstar]

My 3 year old girl, Ella, is a mouser too. She did eat a small rat once last year, but never since and I've tried a few times. I don't want to get too persistant in trying with her because she's sensitive and will back off eating if feels she been traumatized, lol.

She eats 2 large or 1 jumbo f/t mouse every 7-10 days. Doesn't sound like much, but she holds her weight extremely well and is right about at 2000 grams.

Other than the fact that multiple mice each week can get somewhat expensive, there is no reason a BP can't thrive on mice. I wouldn't worry about having a mouser unless you're concerned about the cost factor. But if she's your only snake, or the only one on mice, it shouldn't be too bad. Personally, I'd rather fork over the $$ for mice and have Ella EAT when I feed her!

[loonunit]

Hah! My 2007 het lavender albino female ate mice right up until she laid her first clutch. Very frustrating, having to feed her 5-6 mice at time to get her up to breeding weight. When she got hungry again after the eggs hatched, I was able to switch her over to rats.

Switching always works best when they're really hungry. And it works best if you're not desperately trying to put weight on them. I switch by offering one mouse (which I know they'll take), followed by one same-sized or slightly larger rat. I find they're always much less picky about the 2nd food item. But sometimes they'll still refuse. Here's the trick: if they refuse a rat as a 2nd helping, I *don't* offer any more mice.

So I'm not starving them, but I am letting them get a little hungrier every week, until they finally break down and take that rat. That's why this doesn't work if you're really trying to put on weight.

Once they start taking rats as a 2nd helping for a few weeks in row, they'll generally accept it right off the bat as the first thing offered.

- - - Updated - - -

(But yeah, I hatched a lavender albino from a dedicated mouser last year. And the sire was a mouser at the time, too. So up until a few months ago, when the visual lavender got big enough to start taking small rats on his own, he was a snake that was completely made of mice. Every single molecule in that little lavender albino came from a mouse at some point or another.)

[RobNJ]

I have a few that strictly eat mice/ASF's...either/or is fine by them, won't touch rats...really doesn't bother me all that much. They maintain nice weights, and are as thick as my rat eaters, and I actually believe that they tend to go off feed less often.

[BillinIndiana]

We probably have a mouser in the making.. We just bought our 1st BP or any snake and the vendor sold us a whole bag of fuzzy mice.. We're up to feeding her at least three at a time. I'm going to try a rat as soon as I get a chance to get a rat pup.. Our BP only weighs 118g right now

[lk_holla]

Constantine is a mouser. She will pretty much only eat a rat if she thinks its the last thing she'll ever eat, and then I have to put it in her hide and turn the lights off so she can eat it in secret. Mice on the other hand... you'd think I were feeding a pit viper by how much she loves those things. I got tired of throwing away money by (not) feeding rats, so I just gave in with the mice. Lilu on the other hand attacks anything in her cage so she's not much of an issue.

[S.I.R.]

Generally, when we have a "mouser", I rub a F/T mouse all over a rat pup and then place it in the BPs tub. Usually works on the first time. For older BPs that we occasionally get that are mousers, if the above trick does not work, I generally hold of food for a couple of weeks and let them get hungry and then put in a rat. I know that my technique may sound a bit harsh, but sometimes tough love is needed.

[I-KandyReptiles]

3/5 of my balls are mousers. Doesn't bother me any, although it would be cheaper on my wallet if they took rats

[Royal Hijinx]

I only have one mouser, and while it is a pain to feed her 3 at a time, she is growing well.

[FoxReptiles]

I have a dedicated mouser and it doesn't help that she's incredibly shy. 90% of the time she will only eat a single mouse and only if left in her enclosure over night. =(