Input from experienced live feeders, please

[BrandiR]

My BP weighs 210g right now. I feed live mice once a week. I always offer two, sometimes she eats both and sometimes only one.
I know that the time is going to come where one or two mice isn't going to cut it. Obviously, I'm going to have to move up to rats eventually.

Here's the thing- I'm really scared of them. I'm not scared for myself. I'm scared for my snake.

I always watch her feed start to finish, as in I do not take my eyes off of her. I'm confident that she's safe with mice. But rats are just bigger, and meaner, and have bigger teeth!

I would have no problem reaching in and grabbing a rat if there were a problem. That's not the kind of scared that I am. I guess I just want some reassurance that it will likely be fine

I know a lot of people are adamantly opposed to live feeding, and I respect that position. But I'd really like to hear from people who do feed live rats. Am I getting all worked up over nothing? Are there things I should watch for or pay close attention to?

[AKA Reptiles]

Start offering live rat pups or rat fuzzys. Even if you leave them in the tub over night they pose no risk to the snake. Once you start feeding rats that are weaned then I would start knocki g them out prior to offering. I started my babies off on rat fuzzys last night and it went fine. Anything old enough to fend for itself (so to speak) I would pre kill before offering.

[Sama]

The photos you see of really messed up snakes, the rat was in there a while. You can reduce the possibly of damage just be being there and being observant, do not leave a live rat unsupervised and be aware of what a nervous rat looks like and you are well on your way to preventing damage to your snake. Make sure the rat is well fed and have a pencil or something similar to block or put in their mouth after they get stuck and you are about as safe as you can be. You will learn pretty quick what a nervous or curious rat looks like, then you can bonk them as needed, usually works for me.

[eatgoodfood]

I feed only live, mice, ASF, rats depending on the animal. I have many that wont eat with the bin open and many that take before you even close te bin. I usually throw the rodent in the bin close and move on to the next snake. I pull all thei feeding cards, one so i can record and two so I know who got fed and to check. I have one femalee tha I have to leave the rat for about 10minutes before she will take it. I have never had an issue with a snake getting unjured. I never put a feeding card back on a bin untill I "clear" it so to speak and I know no live feeders are in there.

[BrandiR]

So, do rats know the snake is a threat? The mice don't seem to.
As far as pre-killing goes, I can't do it. If it came down to rat or snake and I had to make a grab or a knock to the head, I have no doubt that I could and would. But I really don't think I have it in me to pre-kill the rats with premeditation. I don't think it's wrong, I just don't think I could do it. If I try live rats and I can't get comfortable, I'll go to f/t. But I find that even grosser than live for some reason!

[Sama]

Generally a tap on the head will get a rat that is to curious or defensive to back off. Once in a while you do pick one up that knows there is something wrong with the scaly thing in the corner, I have had a few bury my snakes in bedding. I haven't found pre-killing to be required, just as I said, an occasional bonk on the head with a pencil or ruler, or hairbrush, whatever I have handy.

[eatgoodfood]

I dont know if the rats know the snake is a threat or not, I usually find un-eaten rats cowering in a corner looking scared, but I am unsure if that is due to me ripping them out of their nice warm pile of other rats and throwing them into a new place or not. I find that mice will run around the bins more often than rats, which usually "hide" in the corners, usually between the water dish and the bin. I would say when you switch to rats, just keep an eye out, and as someone else posted make sure they are hydrated and well fed. The only time I have ever observed a rat or mouse, any rodent, biting one of my snakes is while they were constricting it, and I can usually get a pen or feeding tongs in the teeth, sometimes not, but I have yet to see any injuries due to it.

[Pyrate81]

Been feeding live for 10 years and have only had one incident where a rat seemed aware of what was going to happen and was aggressive at defending itself. Snake is fine and the couple of small scratches shed out, I intervened before there was a real fight. No incidences with my ball python thus far and have had him for a year. He was 3 yrs old when I got him and the previous owner was feeding him mice. Second time I fed him, he was moved to small rats. First small rat I put in there he gobbled right up and is now up to medium rats with no problems.

Most times I observe the rat to be either curious or scared and cower in the corner. So the animals are either nose-to-nose before the snake strikes or he waits for the rat to pass his hide. Petey is a very efficient or lazy hunter. My rat snake actively hunts but sometimes stays in his hide and waits. My king and milk snakes actively begin hunting once the rat is dropped in.

Had a few instances where the animals seem to "make friends". They'll sleep in the hide together and leave each other to their own agenda. Either the rat will be gone when I get home from work the next day or I take it out and throw it in the holding tank until the following week.

Sama and AKA Reptiles have good advice. Be observant and start on rat fuzzies. Knowing your snake's habits and how it acts around its prey will help. Eventually you will know the nuances of how rats act as well. I have confidence in my snakes' abilities to hunt prey items(although my milk snake needs a major lesson in constricting) so I have little to no worries when I throw rats in with them.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Your snake will know what to do.
As stated, most of the problems you see on the net are from people leaving rats or larger mice in for too long.
I have a couple that will not touch the rat if the lights are on so I have to cover their tubs. If I dont hear the strike after about 10-15 min I will check on them.

[mskeebster]

I know how you feel about being antsy feeding live rats versus mice. They're a lot bigger and very much more vocal - the bruxing ( teeth chattering ) definitely makes me feel at edge especially when they do it in the feeding bin with my snakes. I started mine on barely weanlings, working my way up to a small rat. My routine: always be present, always have tongs in hand - ready to bop the rat on head or to uses it to keep them from gnawing at the snake once they're constricted. Also, rats don't smell like rats do and some say that plays into how eager the snake will strike. But From personal experience, my mouser will not eat a rat if it doesn't smell like a mouse. My ratter doesn't care. If you do have a problem feeding a rat to a promising mouser and only have rats to feed, try scenting your feeder rat with aspen scented with mice. Just take some aspen the mice have used and rub it on feeder rat. Again, this is just what I do and it works for my snakes. In the end, your snakes will tell you what it wants to eat, when it wants to and how. But part of the hobby is being patient. Good luck!