Question on mice eating females

[mjmendoza]

I was just wondering if anyone else has a mice eating female that you have converted into rat eating female. I currently have a 2 year old female that prefers mice over rats. She hasn't eaten in a week so today I tried feeding her a small rat but she didn't take it. What else can in try to get her to eat rats. Thanks

[Skittles1101]

I always put a mouse in the same bag as the rat to scent it, thaw them out together. I recently just converted my mouser to rats, thank god! It's worked like a charm for me, thawing them out together makes the scent much stronger...

[loonunit]

When I really want to push a point like that (you WILL eat f/t, you WILL eat rats), it usually involves some sneaky stuff like that? But mostly it involves out-waiting the snake. Basically, I wait until July or August, when they're really, really hungry, and then I simply won't feed them if they won't eat rats. (You WILL eat rats, because there are no mice in the house. No rat = no meal.)

This is hard with females, because I desperately want them to eat and gain weight before October. And sometimes going through this means they won't be ready to breed in the autumn if we go through the hassle of switching to rats, when they would have been borderline if I left them on a mouse diet.

... so now I have a 1300 gram het lavender female who finally eats f/t and gave me 5 good eggs. But she gives even live rats the evil eye and won't bite.

[PitOnTheProwl]

I have a dinker that will only eat live mice
She has to be left alone and in the dark
She will only eat two a week

It is kind of crazy because she is just over 700g and will not look at any size rat. I even put a hopper rat in with my mice overnight and it didnt work
I have only gotten one rat in her and it was when I caught her in the final swallow of a mouse, I had a pre-killed hopper and stuck his nose in her mouth while she was open. I was worried she would gurge it but she didnt. She did smarten up and will freeze if there is any movent around her tub

[LotsaBalls]

I have a two year old female Mojave that eats live mice. She has taken live small rats a few times. But will usually skip the next week then. She will take a mouse sometimes two a week. Maybe I should find some mutant giant mice?

[mjmendoza]

When I put the rat in she looked like she was going to strike right at it. She got closer to it and finally backed away from it. Thought I was going to have a successful rat feed but I guess not. She about 875 grams on empty. You guys think I can stick to huge mice if she takes them everytime I offer.

[fluffpuffgerbil]

Gee, I hope this won't be the issue with my female. However, she's a hatchling. Whether she will be when I find rats IDK.
I can't find any live rats of the right size around here, so she's eating mice. Right now she's already eating small adult mice. Need some rats! Can't find them.

Anyway, I hope she'll eat rats for you. :3
GL!

[Maixx]

I always put a mouse in the same bag as the rat to scent it, thaw them out together. I recently just converted my mouser to rats, thank god! It's worked like a charm for me, thawing them out together makes the scent much stronger...

This worked for my male, only thing I do different is to wash the rat first to try remove as much rat smell as possibly before senting.

My female is extremely picky, and will only take mice. While she is young I plan on feeding her what she will take and later once her growth slows down I'll try again to get her on rats again.

[angllady2]

I have a couple of mouse eaters. Yes, they are a PITA. However, after several long and difficult struggles, I let them eat what they want as long as they eat.

To my advantage, my mousers will happily eat 4 or 5 mice if I let them. Yes it's a nuisance, but for me as long as they are eating regularly that's what matters.

I have a real grab bag of spoiled brats right now, most eat rats, although over half of my rat eaters only eat smaller than ideal rats. A few are dedicated mousers. One only eats gerbils, two only eat hamsters. It is a little easier for me since I breed most of my own food, but then again juggling that many different feeders is a job in itself.

Maybe someday I'll out my foot down and stop being such a pushover for my snakes. But for now they just walk all over me, or should I say slither.

Gale

[zach_24_90]

i actually have two that jsut started switching the last two feeds.. they check it out for a while first then decide its ok.. sometimes it takes putting it in there a couple times but at least they are taking it... i just feel lucky to have to switch in a month haha. good luck everybody