Switching from mice to rats?

[Ash]

My extremely finicky eater normal female has been off the feed for a long time. She ate a BIG rat about a month ago and I thought it was over, but she's been refusing ever since. I gave her a small mouse recently because my sister brought it to me (I wasn't expecting it), and the snake ate that with vigor. Now she's refusing rats again. Did I spoil her? Is it usually hard to switch back?

Is it going to be really hard to get her to eat rats again? This is a giant pain because I've been breeding rats for her and now she doesn't seem to want them. I don't want to have to start buying mice again.

[dr del]

Hi,

It's a tricky decision and I suspect there will be lots of different advice.

Personally I'd start feeding her small rats instead of larger ones to try and prevent triggering a fast.

But, in the short term, if she will eat mice I would try and establish a good regular feeding regime with those first for 4 or 5 feedings then try a small or weaner rat and see if she takes that.

Getting her eating regularly would be a better starting point I feel as you can scent rats with mouse bedding etc fairly easily.


dr del

[saber2th]

I'm in the same boat! I just picked up a 1006g female that was feed two lg. mice a week due to lack of rats. She will take FT mice with no problem, but put in a 56g rat. She just smells it and nothing! I will try rats that have been just weaned and try to sent them.

thanks,

Dave