People who won't feed their snakes rats....

[Argentra]

...I feed them because I only feed live and they only get SO big, unlike rats. I can also keep more of them in a smaller area. I also prefer to vary the amount the snakes get each time so they aren't always expecting 2 or 3 or however many they get.

Also, I have pet rats and I'm not about to bring unquarantined rats into my house. It would be like bringing plague-infested fleas into my house and hoping I don't catch it and die.

Well said, Becky. And two major reasons I won't do rats as well. Also, since I have two (three in spring) corn snakes who will never have to eat rats, it's so much easier to just keep everyone on mice. If someday Nagini converts to FT, then I would consider switching her to rats. But I do not want to bring in other rats from multiple sources that might affect my three pets.
Of course, for me there is also the emotional aspect...even though I have no problem seeing the line between pet and prey. I just love rats.

[Ginevive]

Also, I have pet rats and I'm not about to bring unquarantined rats into my house. It would be like bringing plague-infested fleas into my house and hoping I don't catch it and die.

I am a curious person.. so I am just wondering. Would unquaranted mice be less dangerous to your pet rats, than unquarantined mice? I am just wondering.. I apologise if I am missing something here.

[MarkS]

I love to bite.

and I leave marks!

I hate it when people leave me... :

A lot of people won't feed rats because rats are just more personable then mice. So the cuteness factor comes into play.

I also have a colony of rats that are the gentlest of creatures, I've never been bitten myself, even when I've had to stick my fingers in their mouth to shave down some crooked teeth. However one of them DID bite one of my snakes inside the mouth once when it was grabbed. They WILL defend themselves if they can no matter how gentle they are otherwise.

I do have some balls that will eat only mice, however every snake that I have that will take a rat will also take mice with no problems and I can switch back and forth any time I feel like it. Sometimes I've had too many mice and will feed them off to my usual rat eaters and have never had trouble getting any of them to take mice. It doesn't always work the other way around so I've always assumed that mice just taste better.

Mark

[frankykeno]

We feed rats here, both regular ones and ASF's. The ASF's fill the role that mice might for another keeper in that they don't outgrow the snake's needs due to their smaller size but have the advantage of no smell as mice have.

For me, there's never been a moral issue with both keeping rats as pets or naming and spoiling my adult breeder rats, while just as easily feeding off their offspring. The adults that are a permanent part of the colony are one thing, their offspring is another - born to be fed off and never named, they are cared for properly of course but not handled or bonded with. For us it works, even the kids know that some rats get names and stay, other rats do not get names and are intended for the snake's dinner.

Personally I think rats are a fantastic creation of nature. A great pet, a great prey animal, easy to keep....my favorite rodent.

[nixer]

We feed rats here, both regular ones and ASF's. The ASF's fill the role that mice might for another keeper in that they don't outgrow the snake's needs due to their smaller size but have the advantage of no smell as mice have.

For me, there's never been a moral issue with both keeping rats as pets or naming and spoiling my adult breeder rats, while just as easily feeding off their offspring. The adults that are a permanent part of the colony are one thing, their offspring is another - born to be fed off and never named, they are cared for properly of course but not handled or bonded with. For us it works, even the kids know that some rats get names and stay, other rats do not get names and are intended for the snake's dinner.

Personally I think rats are a fantastic creation of nature. A great pet, a great prey animal, easy to keep....my favorite rodent.

another thing about asf rats they dont need a/c to breed. they like it warm and breed better in warm areas and they dont get the odor. plus nice litter sizes compared to mice.

[SatanicIntention]

I am a curious person.. so I am just wondering. Would unquaranted mice be less dangerous to your pet rats, than unquarantined mice? I am just wondering.. I apologise if I am missing something here.

I haven't had any problems bringing in unquarantined mice, especially if they are from a reputable source. Unquarantined rats, however, have caused alot of heartache. I once lost about 10 rats in a week because I brought in 3 babies from PETSMART of all places. They were carrying Strep. pneumoniae, and while they were immune to it, my rats were not. I lost alot of my heart-rats then, and now I quarantine over a month just in case. I don't take those risks anymore. I'm still surprised my 3 dwarf girls weren't affected at all.

[SarahMB]

For me, it's pretty much the same reasons others have listed. Rats make great pets, so I wouldn't be comfortable feeding them off. Mice are easy to breed, stay small, and bite. I don't like them at all.

We had a rescue burm once, for a month. We fed it a rat and the thing bit a huge hole in the poor snake. It wasn't left in the bin, it wasn't unsupervised, the snake just happened to grab the rat in a position that the rat could still bite, and did.

I've seen mice grabbed the same way that sit and chew on the snake while dying and never leave a mark. So, it's the best choice for me

[Ginevive]

I don't want to be a pill, but mice can make great pets too I had a pet mouse in high school, and she was as tame as any rat pet that I have had. She would walk from my hand, across my arm, back and down the other arm, and repeat.
But in my opinion, whatever works well for every individual, is fine. Snakes' health does not suffer for being fed on mice, so I see no problemo.
Sorry about what happened to your rats, Becky; that is a real tragedy
I for one cannot stand the smell of mouse urine. Just sayin'

[mischevious21]

I feed mice and rats, and I have two pet rats (And I'm picking up three soft furred rats tomorrow ), and I'm actuly thinking about switching to rats completely (rat pups instead of mice). As much as I love rats, it doesnt reqlly hurt me too much to see a rat that I'm not attached to go... But I can understand some people on why they wont feed rats- if rats were like dogs to me- then I probably wouldent either. lol.

[stangs13]

i understand...I am just making it clear that not everybody feels that way and the whole myth about rats eatin the snakes eys out and stuff is crap.

If the rat is left in there too long it may. but of course...It is a scavenger looking for a food/water source.

Which is why you should always monitor your feedings.

I have pics to prove that rats can eat snakes eyes out. But I agree with you 100%