Rats vs. Mice?

[BPSnape]

I've seen a couple of threads now where people either advise trying to get a snake onto rat pups or fuzzies rather than feeding mice, or some variant of that conversation. Is there any reason to do other than size for snakes where a mouse isn't enough? I am sure with a finicky eater it's easier to get one big meal in them rather than two, but is there any nutritional reason to feed a rat as opposed to a couple of mice? It could be an availability thing too, as it seems to come up in a lot of the f/t conversations.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

The reasonning behind it is that most people prefer to feed rats in the long term (the convinience to feed one prey vs multiple).

And based on that the sooner you attempt to switch the easier it will be.

Yes there is a difference in nutritional value however it is minimal, and gram per gram of prey it is all the same, what is different is the number of preys that need to be offered down the road.

Ultimately feed what works for YOU not others, if mice are easier, more readily available, cheaper or your snake preference , there is nothing wrong with feeding mice.

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[JoshSloane]

If your bp will readily take rats at a young age I would stick with that as soon as you can. Regardless of nutritional value, getting them on rats early will prevent you from having an adult bp that needs multiple mice at a sitting to become satiated. Much easier to move up rat sizes than to increase the number of mice you feed.

I have had boas that become fixated on mice. Once I got them to accept a rat, they never saw a mouse again.

[Izzys Keeper]

I make it a point to try to feed both rats and mice, live as well as frozen thawed. I don't always get feeders from the same place so it's good to know I can feed different things in a pinch

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[JoshSloane]

I make it a point to try to feed both rats and mice, live as well as frozen thawed. I don't always get feeders from the same place so it's good to know I can feed different things in a pinch

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That's cool if your snakes will take that. Never bad to have options for feeders.

[Izzys Keeper]

Yea I've been pretty successful with almost all of them. But all their breeding schedules are so offset that I never know when one of them are going to go off feed. I usually only defrost/buy enough rats for about half the collection at a time for that reason. No leftover rats

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[Reptile Frenzy]

Rats = less to feed
Mice = more to feed

As far as feeding... i have switch several adults from mice to rats before so it can be done.

[JoshSloane]

Rats = less to feed
Mice = more to feed

As far as feeding... i have switch several adults from mice to rats before so it can be done.

Definitely can be done for sure! Just saying that you do yourself a favor switching early on. Run less of a risk of having a picky eater down the road.

[DVirginiana]

Some snakes will become fixated on a particular food item, but mine will take anything that moves. I feed live... Anyone have any thoughts as to whether they are more likely to get fixated on the smell of mice/rats in particular if you do f/t? I just ask because I wonder if the stimulus of having a live rodent running around is enough to override any scent fixation they might have.

[EL-Ziggy]

I feed my snakes a varied diet of mice, rats and chicks. Only one of them seems to have a preference for mice. The others will usually eat anything I give them.