food change

[da_gleadless]

Hi,

I'm trying to change my BP's food from large mice to small rats as she is in need of a definate upscaling in food.
When I offer her the Rats she seems slightly curious then kinda decides she's not interested and hides. If i leave the rat overnight nothing happens!

When I offer her normal food (large mice) she snaps my hand right off!

Whats the best way to change her eating habits, do i need to introdue a mousie scent to the rat or starve her for a while?

[frankykeno]

Just to check, you aren't leaving live prey in overnight...correct?

Personally I go with the "tough love" approach. No mice, no smell of mice in the snake room. As long as we're talking about a good sized, healthy snake I just skip a couple of feedings so they are good and hungry then offer the new prey type. Sometimes it takes a few weeks but most switch over for me.

Just a couple of things to remember though. Make sure the new prey (rat) isn't significantly bigger than the old mouse prey. If you aren't sure, err on the side of caution and go smaller. You can always work up in rat size once she's comfortable with eating rats. Some will never switch. While not all ball pythons are prey specific hunters, some are. I have some here that would rather starve then not get what they like to eat. Most of mine are not that picky but a few are and I just have to deal with that fact of life.

There are a number of tricks you can use - pre-scenting, rubbing the rat with used mouse bedding (scent transfer), putting a little pile of used mouse bedding in the corner of the snake's enclosure before the rat goes in (another type of scent confusion I guess you'd call it). I'm sure a few members will weigh in here with the methods they've used successfully.

[da_gleadless]

[QUOTE=frankykeno;991004]Just to check, you aren't leaving live prey in overnight...correct?QUOTE]

Generally no, she strike feeds without fail, though I tried her with a rat overnight once ... is this a Problem?

The difference in size is appreciable, though not ridiculous. I go for the smallest rat i can find which is suitable to her size

[frankykeno]

If the prey is live I would not leave it in overnight unless it is so young it can do no harm to your snake. That would mean a prey item that is either at the pinky or fuzzy stage of life and has little to no erupted teeth yet.

[nixer]

i would probally skip a week before trying to go to a rat. so that way it will be really hungry and not just eating it out of habit

[Kaorte]

I would try again in 7 days, and keep repeating til she eats. It is like feeding kids broccolli, they refuse to eat it for a while but they eventually get hungry

I wouldn't leave a live rat in there overnight, ever. I am not trying to scare you out of live feeding, I think live is fine when you do it right. When you do it SUPERVISED. Expecially with a rat. They can inflict a lot of damage on your snake.
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=80904

[mooingtricycle]

This is from live prey left unattended by an irresponsible keeper. I got this snake back, after trading the animal. Shes not leaving my possession ever again.

[da_gleadless]

Hi Guys,

Sorry I may have misled you... I would'nt dream of leaving live prey in.. I feed her frozen/thawed food :

Thanks for the advice

[Lateralus_Love]

rubbing the rat with used mouse bedding (scent transfer), putting a little pile of used mouse bedding in the corner of the snake's enclosure before the rat goes in (another type of scent confusion I guess you'd call it). I'm sure a few members will weigh in here with the methods they've used successfully.

Both of these methods are what I do when I get a snake that was fed on mice. I usually do both at the same time lol, rub the rat with bedding as well as leave a little in the tub.

Also, small rats are heaps bigger than large adult mice, and this could be another reason she's not interested. I would go with weaned rats.

[llovelace]

Yes try weanling rats or rat fuzzies to start