Does a color of a rat/mouse matter

[WizzySRT10]

I have been wondering this for a while. I tried feeding my snake an all white rat and all he'd do is smell wouldn't strike or anything. A friend of mine has the same problem with all black rats. I was wondering if anyone has ever studied why this may be. I heard somewhere that the snake will remeber what color the rat was if they ever have been bitten. Or is this just a wives tale?

[simplechamp]

I've only had limited experience feeding since I only have one BP, but she does not seem to respond differently to varying rodent colors. I think they rely more on smell and heat sensing than visually inspecting the color of the rodent.

[anendeloflorien]

Color does not matter one bit. Like simplechamp said balls rely on their sense of smell and their heat sensing ability more than anything when stalking their prey. Shouldn't matter whether they're white, black, gray, tan etc..... Hell if you think they're being picky based on color just turn off all the lights and put the rat in there the snake will still find the rat just fine

[Melicious]

Maybe the colored ones smell differently. ^_^ My kids turn their noses up at the white rats.

[dsmalex97]

Well I have deffinately heard of snakes not taking certain color rodents, but it's very very rare I believe. But it does occur.

[Pandora]

Some people will argue that it does matter but I can't see how seeing as snakes don't need their eyes to see, as it's pretty much all done through their heat pits and sense of smell.

[snakelady]

My balls will take a rodent no matter the color.
But I did notice when I switched rodent suppliers the mice/rats smelled different (I use f/t). I could even smell the difference in a whole bag.
One of my females took awhile to come around to the new rodent smell and eat the ones from that group.
You may try heating them up a little warmer. That might help.

[starmom]

I have only 13 ball pythons but two of them seem to have a color preference tending to prefer white rats over dark rats.

The axanthic will not take a dark colored rat. Period. If offered a hooded rat, she will refuse. Turn the rat around (to have the white body facing her) and she will attack and consume. I also have a female pastel who does the same thing.

I have performed this little experiment over and over and over and the axanthic is absolutely consistent with refusing a dark headed rat. Is this conclusive? Nope- I'm not in a lab controlling every variable but the one being tested.
Is this suggestive? To me it sure is!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

My feeders range from black to albino to beige (whether it is mice or rats), I feed a few prey each month (over 150 preys I would say) and I can tell you my snakes are equal opportunity eater (color does not matter)

[STORMS]

I have 2 that will ONLY take solid white prey. I have even turned off all the lights in the room just leaving the red heat bulb on when feeding and the darker colored prey would go untouched - they will come out for a up close & personal smelling session and then retreat back to their hides. Stick in a white rodent - sniff & BAM it's gone with a quickness! Its weird, but what can you do? I now buy only white prey for those two - my third snake could care less about color - it will take whatever I offer.

So I guess depending on the snake....color does matter