Rats vs mice

[cchardwick]

I breed my own rats, mice, and African soft furs and buy a few frozen mice and rats to supplement when I run low. I basically feed what I have available, I think the change is good for the snake. Not sure the nutritional differences is that big of a deal to a snake long term.

I usually do all fresh kill, I usually always start with FK mice for hatchlings or if they get picky and won't eat I'll switch up to live rat pups as long as the eyes are closed. I have yet to have a snake that will eat only one type of rodent besides my small Arizona Mountain king snakes that will only take small live pinky mice, but my balls always switch it up. I did have one that would only take live at first, then he eventually transitioned to fresh kill. Once you get them on fresh killed they take it almost every time.

My snakes usually turn up their nose at frozen thawed and I only use them sparingly when I run out of the appropriate size live rodents. I go through at least 80-100 rodents a month from extra small pinky mice all the way up to large rats, so I burn through them pretty fast. I would think that once the ball python gets big enough you would have to use only rats, otherwise you would be using a lot of adult mice. I find it amazing how big of a rat a small snake can pound down, usually within a year or so they can eat several large adult mice in one sitting, better to use a medium rat instead. I couldn't imagine feeding mice to a full size adult ball python, it would take at least half a dozen just to give him a good meal.

I just weighted my largest ball python, she weights 2320 grams (5.11 pounds). She can for sure eat a jumbo rat! I'm actually feeding her smaller rats right now because she is pretty hefty and I'm going into the breeding season.

For picky eaters I usually start with rats, then I'll try a FK mouse, then if they are really picky I'll try a FK ASF rat. If they don't want any of them I'll try again the next week, but I'm sure they can do fine on any type of rodent. Personally I'd keep it mixed up just so if you ever sell the snake or can only get one type of rodent they will be used to just about anything. There's nothing more frustrating than getting a snake that only ever ate live and takes a long time to transition. In fact most snakes that take a variety of meals will sell quicker and for more money. I actually prefer to buy snakes that are used to frozen thawed, a live only snake is a pretty hard sell. I've also seen ASF only snakes, very hard to sell those because ASF are on the lacy act and sometimes impossible to get live.