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Is it Really That Difficult .....
... switching Coastals from mice to rats?
I have read some threads about how difficult it is.
I had no problem.
I had recently acquired two, two year Coastal Carpet Pythons. One of them had only been fed mice. The original owner said that she would not switch over.
Even though the seller said that they were ready to be fed, I waited a week to let them get settled.
Offered the female a rat and she refused. Thus, I gave it to the male along with another.
I waited one more week. This time I bought some mice and thawed one in the fridge in the same Baggie as the rat.
I offered the mouse and she hit it hard and slammed it down!

I followed up with a rat and she repeated the same moves!


So far, rats are no big deal, fortunately.
Last edited by Reinz; 09-14-2015 at 03:08 PM.
The one thing I found that you can count on about Balls is that they are consistent about their inconsistentcy.
1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
Mack The Knife, 2013
Lizzy, 2010
Etta, 2013
1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
Esmarelda , 2014
Sundance, 2012
2.0 Common BI Boas, Punch, 2005; Butch, age?
0.1 Normal Ball Python, Elvira, 2001
0.1 Olive (Aussie) Python, Olivia, 2017
Please excuse the spelling in my posts. Auto-Correct is my worst enema.
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Registered User
Re: Is it Really That Difficult .....
its not coastals that are difficult, its pure jungles.
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I've only raised 2 jungles from hatchlings but neither of them were hard to switch. Out of the 12 jungles I hatched this year 6 took f/t rat pinks as their first meals, the rest live mice. I won't be switching the mousers to rats for 6 months or so but we'll see how it goes when the time comes.
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Re: Is it Really That Difficult .....
 Originally Posted by loxocemus
its not coastals that are difficult, its pure jungles.
Yes, I have heard that a Mouser Jungle is much harder to switch.
The one thing I found that you can count on about Balls is that they are consistent about their inconsistentcy.
1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
Mack The Knife, 2013
Lizzy, 2010
Etta, 2013
1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
Esmarelda , 2014
Sundance, 2012
2.0 Common BI Boas, Punch, 2005; Butch, age?
0.1 Normal Ball Python, Elvira, 2001
0.1 Olive (Aussie) Python, Olivia, 2017
Please excuse the spelling in my posts. Auto-Correct is my worst enema.
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Most carpets, including jungles, will readily switch, so no it's not that hard. However, there is a small number that will be quite stubborn and some that will never make the switch. My first carpet was a pure coastal bought as a hatchling and she never took a rat. I've also had a couple of jungles and IJs that simply could not be converted. It's an individual snake thing, not really a species thing. I've kept dozens of carpets over the past 20+ years and I'd say nearly 90% of them took rats without issue.
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The Following User Says Thank You to DennisM For This Useful Post:
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Re: Is it Really That Difficult .....
My yearling coastal has been taking f/t rats without issues after being raised on mice by the breeder. I'm hoping the jungle hatchling will transition easily also. I'll probably stick with mice for a month or two before attempting the switch.
Last edited by EL-Ziggy; 09-14-2015 at 09:06 PM.
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Re: Is it Really That Difficult .....
 Originally Posted by Reinz
Yes, I have heard that a Mouser Jungle is much harder to switch. 
my experience has been that there is no such thing as a "mouser". more correctly they are "non raters". every carpet I've ever had that wouldn't take rats was more than happy to take chicken, quail, guinea pig and rabbit.
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The Following User Says Thank You to DennisM For This Useful Post:
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How hard is the switch from live to frozen usually? My carpet has eaten live rats and mice but I can't get her to even look at frozen.
6.13 Ball pythons
1.0 Hypo Jungle Boa
0.1 Irian Jaya Jaguar Carpet
Instagram: MetropolisReptiles
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Re: Is it Really That Difficult .....
 Originally Posted by BumbleB
How hard is the switch from live to frozen usually? My carpet has eaten live rats and mice but I can't get her to even look at frozen.
I've never had a problem with that. make sure the meal is thoroughly warmed up to live animal temps, about 100 degrees. if they still refuse give them a few weeks with no feedings and try again. carpets are greedy eaters.
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My coastal is a pain in the butt. She refuses a lot, and then will eat a lot. I can't quite gauge her cycle but she has taken some enormous meals. I had no issue switching to rats, as I never fed mice. I've also used quail and chicks along with live and frozen.
She likes live more, but if I cycle her with long intervals between meals she will eat frozen readily.
The issue I have is with a royal python that refuses F/T always and even live at times. She has eaten once in the last year but is in great shape.
Any guesses as to why royal pythons are some of the longest living snakes on the planet?
The answer just might be the way they regulate their food intake.
I know she'll eat eventually, but the boring factor is about a "10" with her.
As carpets grow, they tend to smash about anything you offer.
There are a number of ways to convert them to rats from mice, but a lot of people don't really know just how much a carpet can take. They are known for eating giant meals, and they are not sensitive like boa constrictors so you can offer rats a lot earlier than you may think.
The waiting game is something that works well, but I'd not recommend it for a neonate or very young snake.
Of course every snake is an individual and I believe people when they say they have tried and tried and can't get it done.
Sometimes it is what it is LOL!
Last edited by Gio; 09-14-2015 at 09:55 PM.
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