fustrated....

[Emily Hubbard]

i cant believe rats and mice smell different, how is that? i mean a mouse grows up to be a rat, its the same body?? i dont get it.

Uh, no. That is like saying a lion grows up to be a tiger. No. Your BP has identified mice as prey and not rats. Happens, especially with BPs. You can keep trying, but he may never switch.

[FrankieCarbone]

so if mice and rats are 2 different animals, then why does he even show any interest in the rat? if they are 2 different animals, why would he even come out of his hide in hunt mode at the smell of rats? For example, i like chicken, but hate cornish game hen, i wont even bother at eating or tasting cornish hen, but i will destroy some kfc....

[Annageckos]

A cornish game hen is the same exact thing as regular chicken. They are the same breed. The only difference is the age it is slaughtered.

Most snakes will eat more then just one type of animal. Rats, mice, african soft furred rats, gerbils, hamsters. They are all prey even though they are different species. I had a ball python years ago that would eat anything. I fed him mice, rats, gerbils and dwarf hamsters. I am a little confused about your question. "so if mice and rats are 2 different animals, then why does he even show any interest in the rat?"

[FrankieCarbone]

ok here another example

i dislike turkey, but love chicken, i would never show INTEREST in turkey, but i will in chicken. So, if you fry up a turkey leg im not going to come out of my room to see whats cookin, but if you are roasting a chicken i will, get the comparison? Thats what im trying to understand, why would my BP even show interest in a prey he dosent like? Why does he even come out of the hide at the scent of a rat when he knows he dosent like rats?

[Mike41793]

ok here another example

i dislike turkey, but love chicken, i would never show INTEREST in turkey, but i will in chicken. So, if you fry up a turkey leg im not going to come out of my room to see whats cookin, but if you are roasting a chicken i will, get the comparison? Thats what im trying to understand, why would my BP even show interest in a prey he dosent like? Why does he even come out of the hide at the scent of a rat when he knows he dosent like rats?

You said that your snakes ate rats before so he prolly comes out when he smells the rat, realizes that he doesnt really like the rats anymore and prefers mice instead. It would be like if u smelle something cooking and came into the kitchen only to realize that what u smelled was actually turkey and not chicken. You couldnt smell exactly what it was before but you realized once u got into the kitchen. I really dont know how acute a bp's sense of smell is exactly so maybe he just smells/senses rodent and comes running out but then realizes its a rat so he goes back inside. You said tht his queu is taking out the water dish so he prolly sees you do that, gets ready, then realizes its not what he really wants and goes back inside.
This is just my 2 cents, im not claiming to be a know it all lol.

[FrankieCarbone]

Actually that makes pretty good sense....

[FrankieCarbone]

tried again today, same thing, showed extreme interest but not strike, and this was a mouse like before, not a small rat. Dammit im VERY fustrated. Now i know why my mother used to get so mad at me when i was smaller and did;t want to eat the food she made.

I was so mad i screamed at him, loud, when i took the mouse out (when i knew it wasent gonna happen) i just turned at him and yelled "DAMMMITTT!!!!

I know BP's goes off feed, but whats the deal with him showing interest? I mean in the past when he has refused, he did not show ANY interest, is;t that what a general refusal consists off? Introducing the prey, and them not even looking at it? Is it wrong that he shows soo much interest but just looks at it?

[Skittles1101]

Oh my gosh....first thing...relax!!!

Your ball is 820 grams, that means he is at breeding size...it's breeding season! I have ALL my adult males off feed at the moment. All of them! They do this, it's normal, and getting pissed every time he refuses is going to drive you mad.

Just try offering every 2 weeks as to not waste mice/rats, if he takes it, GREAT. If not? Then try again next time. As long as he's not losing a crazy amount of weight, it's normal, and should be expected this time of year!

Take a deep breath lol.

[FrankieCarbone]

i know i know, but i just cant help it, it just really gets me mad and FUSTRATED, i can feel my hair fallin of as we speak

i guess its a good thing, shows how much a really care about him, even though alot of my friends think i need help for caring so much for a "snake"....

[Skittles1101]

It's frustrating but it's normal. Even my garbage disposal male normal turns his head to a fat rat right now...