Well. This happened...

[Cheesenugget]

So... We have added a new addition to my pet collection: a feeder rat.

Long story short, my almost 3 year old male ball python had been fasting on and off last year. Skipped 6 months in the early part of the year, ate 2 meals and stopped eating for 2-3 months, ate 2 meals... Prior to the first fasting in Feb, he ate weekly like clockwork. Husbandry remained the same and confirmed numerous times at hot spot 88-90F, cool end 77-80F, snug identical hides, downsized his tub, he is in a minimal foot traffic and dark area in my room, etc. Bugger barely lost weight, active at night, just doing his thing other than eating when I want him to (Sigh ball pythons...). He was eating f/t small rats. Heating technique was the same: warm water, blow dryer, thawing it on his tub, go go go...

So I did a thing. I heard from some breeders that live feeding can somehow kick start their appetite. He was losing weight but not over 10% and not looking of concern.

First rat was a small, small rat. Banana was not showing interest before I dumped it in his tub. Usually if he is hungry, his little head will poke out. Dropped it in, he took it. Fed live the 2nd week too. I hate feeding live, especially rats. It is heart wrenching in addition to having to watch it happen as well. Idk, I'm a wuss.

Third feeding this past weekend, Banana was rearing to go. He was out, staring directly at his new rat which is housed next to him. I rubbed the f/t small rat (it was the proper feeding size for him anyway) in the live rat's tank. Heat it up real good and offered, not expecting him to take it except he did. Yay.. Okay, now I have a live rat. Offered the live rat to the boa who also had stopped eating awhile ago.

Scruffy the Dumerils boa is a wuss. He warning nipped the rat. Rat is okay, no injuries.

The boa was my back up plan should the ball python refuse food. Yea... I'm glad the rat don't have to be killed but now I'm stuck with him. Never kept pet rats before, rescued a lab rat once years ago and rehomed him but I never kept him for more than a day. He seems friendly, does not bite, skittish but curious.

Plan C was to keep him for another week and feed him off. That plan fell apart real quick because husband fell in love with him and gave him a name.

Anyone in the south FL is interested in a pet rat...? Can't feed him off now, husband gave him a name. Has this ever happened to anyone before? I feel conflicted by all this. I want to keep snakes as pets, but by keeping snakes, I have to purchase and promote the killing of rats like him.

Sorry for the rambling. I could not post this in the rat forums in fear they will tear me apart in there lol. And I'm not expecting too much sympathy in most snake forums either... Most people including family barely understands why I keep reptiles, much less dealing with rodent prey.

Pics to follow once I get tapatalk to work again on my phone.

P.S. when I placed the rat into my boa's tub, it was making a very distinct high pitch squeak while it was wandering around his tub. The noise stopped after I put him back into his tank. I thought that was interesting behavior to watch.