Refusing to eat

[mikesmelly]

So I bought my girl from BHB reptiles and they said she was feeding on small mice. I decided to try switching her to rats but when I tried feeding her she refused. She even acted afraid of the little rat! Should I get mice and try feeding her that instead? Only reason I decided to try to make the switch was I read that rats are better for snakes.

[Albert Clark]

So I bought my girl from BHB reptiles and they said she was feeding on small mice. I decided to try switching her to rats but when I tried feeding her she refused. She even acted afraid of the little rat! Should I get mice and try feeding her that instead? Only reason I decided to try to make the switch was I read that rats are better for snakes.

It happens and rats are better for bp's. It probably will take some time but I would stick with the rats. Were you feeding live? Was BHB feeding live?

[200xth]

I read that rats are better for snakes.

Rats are not better than mice nutritionally.

They are simply more convenient because they are larger.

[Mr. Misha]

If she's feeding on small mice, what size rat did you try to give her? Like 200sx already said, rats aren't any more nutritional than rats.

I'd feed her mice til she reaches large mice and then i'd swich her over to small rats.

[Albert Clark]

Rats are not better than mice nutritionally.

They are simply more convenient because they are larger.

There are definite nutritional advantages to feeding rats as opposed to mice in bp's. It's more than convenience also. First the size, of course adult rats are larger so the advantage begins there. Since the snake digestive system is inherently adapted to handle mainly one appropriately sized meal as opposed to 3 or 4 to make up for the one. Secondly, the crude protein , crude fat, calcium percentage and ash % of rats outweigh mice. Last, the gross energy of every kilocalorie per gram is more in rats than mice when referencing adult animals.

[200xth]

There are definite nutritional advantages to feeding rats as opposed to mice in bp's. It's more than convenience also. First the size, of course adult rats are larger so the advantage begins there. Since the snake digestive system is inherently adapted to handle mainly one appropriately sized meal as opposed to 3 or 4 to make up for the one. Secondly, the crude protein , crude fat, calcium percentage and ash % of rats outweigh mice. Last, the gross energy of every kilocalorie per gram is more in rats than mice when referencing adult animals.

The larger rat size was the convenience factor I was referring to.

The snake digestive system is inherently adapted to handle whatever it can get. One 100g rat is not inherently better than two 50g rats.

The differences in percentages of those values are statistically meaningless between rats and mice.

There is no study showing what the requirements for ball pythons are. Without knowing the requirements, how can you say which is better, ie why is the ash % of rats over mice better?

Tons of BP's refuse to eat rats and are fed solely mice. Tons of BP's eating mice are just as healthy as the ones that eat rats.

[Albert Clark]

The larger rat size was the convenience factor I was referring to.

The snake digestive system is inherently adapted to handle whatever it can get. One 100g rat is not inherently better than two 50g rats.

The differences in percentages of those values are statistically meaningless between rats and mice.

There is no study showing what the requirements for ball pythons are. Without knowing the requirements, how can you say which is better, ie why is the ash % of rats over mice better?

Tons of BP's refuse to eat rats and are fed solely mice. Tons of BP's eating mice are just as healthy as the ones that eat rats.

Respectfully, It is written about the capability of the the bp and larger constrictors including retics, anacondas digestive system being made to handle one appropriate sized meal over many inappropriately sized ones. The differences cant be meaningless when the op question was which is better. Of course there are studies showing the requirements of bp's and most are inclusive of classes of reptiles and are weight based. When you compare mice to rats gram for gram there are nutritional differences and the rat is above the mouse. The ash percentage is better over mice bc a low ash content can be harmful and deprive an animal of essential minerals like calcium and manganese. I know bp's can thrive on mice but would you agree a bp on mice for its life is going to be a lot smaller than a bp raised on rats? This is just the little research I have found. Everyone can choose what they want to feed their animals, I am just putting a IMO out here for people to see. Thanks... Bp's who are on mice can be and should be transitioned over to rats as a process. It can be done , I've done it and most people should do it.

[200xth]

Of course there are studies showing the requirements of bp's

Can you link to one of them, please?

I know bp's can thrive on mice but would you agree a bp on mice for its life is going to be a lot smaller than a bp raised on rats?

No, I don't.

[Albert Clark]

Can you link to one of them, please? www.angelfire.com Feeding and nutrition of reptiles by Edward M. Craft. quote "As stated the information contained in this book are current at the time of it's printing. Much of this information is the result of recent veterinary and scientific studies on the nutritional needs of reptiles.

No, I don't.

O.k. then we can agree to disagree. NP.

[bondo]

Balls are much easier to deal with when they are on rats. I have had some mousers in the past that would not eat more then one at a feeding. So one mouse every other or third day. Took forever to one of my girls to size. Once she got to size and laid she finally swapped to rats and became an awesome eater. Male mousers aren't as big of a pain. They are easy to maintain with their smaller size instead of trying to get weight on them. I don't know how anyone can say a mouser would not be smaller then a rat eater. I have many girls over 25000. I even have a girl over 4000. How many mice would they need to eat a week to maintain? How many mice would it take to get weight back on after laying?