Mice vs. rats ?

[JibbaJabba]

To a new keeper, live rats can be intimidating - they were to me, when I first made the switch from mice to rats.

In my experience, rats are far more calm than mice, any day of the week, and appropriately sized, are no more dangerous than mice.

I feed live exclusively (except for my albino ball python - but I feed him f/t for aesthetic reasons), and have done so for at least five years, with only a handful of insignificant scratches in all that time.

Do you let the rat walk freely in the cage or do you hold it until the snake grabs it ?

except for my albino ball python - but I feed him f/t for aesthetic reasons.

Aesthetic reasons ?

[rabernet]

Do you let the rat walk freely in the cage or do you hold it until the snake grabs it ?



Aesthetic reasons ?

I let the rat walk freely.

Aesthetic, because minor scratches show up on albinos that don't show up on snakes with melanin. Because I don't want to see scratches on my albino - he gets fed f/t.

[JibbaJabba]

I let the rat walk freely.

Aesthetic, because minor scratches show up on albinos that don't show up on snakes with melanin. Because I don't want to see scratches on my albino - he gets fed f/t.

Ah I see .. wouldn't wanna see anything on my BEL either ...

[JibbaJabba]

Well mice ARE dangerous lol .. I fed my king snake today with a mouse which was a tad too big so he needed a few attempts .. and the mouse jumped away and got wedged between viv wall and waterbowl and couldn't get out ..

So I tried to free the mouse and bang, mouse got ME...



It was ME drawing blood lol

But my King got it eventually ... pfff .. little gitt

[BuckeyeBalls]

Yea just be ready when the snake grabs the rat and the rat starts to bite just grab its head or mouse (with something) i normally just stick a pencil in the mouth IF it starts to try to bite which is rare

[Nuzum1978]

Use a couple of smaller rats and just give them free run in the enclosure. If you hold onto the rat you may stress it out which could lead to it biting your snake.

[JibbaJabba]

Use a couple of smaller rats and just give them free run in the enclosure. If you hold onto the rat you may stress it out which could lead to it biting your snake.

That is an idea too ..... I'd be just too afraid not being able to get the rat away quickly enough if it start biting

[rabernet]

That is an idea too ..... I'd be just too afraid not being able to get the rat away quickly enough if it start biting

Domesticated rats that are well fed and well hydrated don't run up to your snake and attack it. Most times they'll sniff it, then go sit in a corner and start to groom themselves. They don't see the snake as a danger to them until it's too late. .

[GoingPostal]

I've never fed rats but never seen an "aggressive" mouse either, mine usually wander around the cage until they get eaten and don't fight much at all. It's not like the prey no matter what you are feeding seem to realize the snake is a threat or even notice the snake much, as long as your snake is a good aggressive eater there isn't much risk either way, just always supervise in case.

[mommanessy247]

ok all this answered my question on the difference between rats & mice.