I am trying to change one of my ball pythons from mice to rats. she has been regularly eating a full size live mouse once per week. She is the ONLY snake that refuses to eat f / t. Would love it if she started eating f / t rats like everyone else, but at this point I would be happy if she at least ate live rats.

7 days ago on normal feed night, i offered a live pinky rat in the cooler (where I always feed my snakes) she showed absolutely no interest at all. Didn't offer anything else.

3 nights ago I tried feeding a very small live rat, the same size as an adult mouse in the cooler. again no interest. Didn't offer anything else.

Tonight I tried feeding her a live fuzzy rat that could barely walk. I rubbed a mouse all over the rat. This time i put the rat right outside her hide in the cage and left it there for an hour. Again, not intersted... But I could tell by her movement that she is getting hungry. Didn't offer anything else.

She is a healthy weight and has not lost any weight. How long should I do this tough love thing? How long should I keep telling her, eat the rat, or eat NOTHING!?? Will most balls convert if you stick to it? she has gone 2 weeks without food so far. Should i give it another month? less? more?

I know you are all wondering... I prefer rats because I am breeding rats now, and want everything to eat the same thing if possible. I also believe that rats are more healthy to eat then mice (i know there are lots that might disagree, this is just my preference.) If it doesn't work, I will feed her a mice every week for the next 30 years... But first I want to try my hardest to convert her!

Mike