Rat Pups or Mice? Which do you prefer?

[adam_degel]

rats grow pretty quickly, you can always buy a small tank and feed the rats until they get to the right size.. you can offer her 2 smaller ones, thats not a big deal either

[illini4x4]

Mine is currently on mice and seems to be doing fine. I may eventually try to switch over to rats...we'll see how it goes.

[Teresa]

Found this info on rodent pro:
Pro% Fat Ash Gross engery
55.8 23.6 11.8 5.25 Adult Mouse

56.1 27.5 14.8 5.55 Juvie Rat

Hope this helps. I feed a rat pup avg weight of 10% of the body weight of my snake or a little more 1 per snake a week.

[stargazed85]

rats grow pretty quickly, you can always buy a small tank and feed the rats until they get to the right size.. you can offer her 2 smaller ones, thats not a big deal either

Her next feeding is on Friday. I will offer her 2 rat pups. Thanks

[singingtothewheat]

Since you say that she eats live I would definitely feed the one with the least ability to bite. I'd think that would be the rat pup. I'd really try to get her on prekilled if not frozen thawed. It doesn't take a very big mouse or especially rat to put a bite on your ball python. Of course you NEVER feed anything live without watching it continuously.

[jason79]

I prefer rats if you feed rats all the time you don't have to worry about swapping over when they get big and need 4 or more mice each week. I have had snakes that ate both then decided they didn't want rats for a little while but they are all back on rats now and I'm sticking with it. The fact that I breed rats and not mice kinda sways my opinion though.

[Mike Schultz]

Rat fed snakes grow a lot faster than mouse fed snakes! Even if fed the same size rodents.

[Toronto Python Gurus]

why feed them mice when you will have to start feeding them rats at some point when they get too big for mice. It's easier to do the switch at a younger age then when they get older with my experience. Plus rat fed snakes grow faster

[771subliminal]

Rat fed snakes grow a lot faster than mouse fed snakes! Even if fed the same size rodents.

depends on the snake i have a 08 that grows like a weed and a 06 that will do anything but gain weight and they are eating the exact same thing

[Bruceweb]

I feed mice, they seem to do well. have been trying to switch some of the bigger ones over to rats but not going to good..mice it is I think
Patiently sitting here waiting to see if the pewter is actually going to eat the rat..struck coiled but not done much else lol! my ghost doesnt care he eats any thing, wish they were all like him