I have an '09 female Mojave that has always been a picky eater. She got to a point where she would only eat a rat about once every three weeks to a month.

I became frusterated with this, so began offering her gerbils because I do have a source for them. She had been eating the gerbils every week for about 6 weeks and is sitting right now at about 1400g.

She has now decided to take a break from the gerbils as well, but she is getting close to the size I want her to be to breed this year.

My questions is... has anyone attempted to change a females type of food immidiately after laying a clutch?

I am asking because I have noticed females that I have bred in the past are always CHOW HOUNDS for the first few months after laying a clutch of eggs. I was thinking about breeding this female who is hooked on gerbils, and trying to get her back on rats by offering them as her first food source after she lays (IF she breeds and lays this year at all). I am hoping this might work due to how vigorous my other females are about eating after laying a clutch, although they had all been rat eaters all their lives (with me anyways). Theu always look like they would eat ANYTHING put in front of them

Has anyone tried this with any success?