Just remember that getting live rats of a certain size isn't always easy so make very sure you have a steady supplier before you consider a switch. Lots of folks go to rats then find much to their dismay that the local pet store doesn't always have rat pups or weans or whatever each week. Not a problem if you feed f/t but it can be a real hassle if you feed live.

If you do decide to switch the snake over to rats, especially live rats, don't jump up too much in prey size. Start with rat pups which are about equal in size to an adult mouse, then go from there. That gives the snake time to adjust and gives you time to judge how well this snake hunts. You don't want to ever toss in a live rat with a snake until you know for sure the snake is able to make the switch easily from a much smaller mouse. I like to make any switches with the snakes in a slow, measured and cautious manner.