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how to get my BP to switch from mice to rats?

S

sunshinegeckos

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I just got my 2nd BP and he has been eating mice but id like to switch him to rats. I tried putting one in and he waanted nothing to do with it. I tried scenting the rat to smell like mouse nothing....any tips?
 
They should be pretty easy to switch at that size. When I want to switch one of mine I try to keep the rat size and color as close to the mouse size and color as I can. Since he's small try a live one if he's not already on them and before you give it to him either put it in with a mouse or some really dirty mouse bedding for an hour that way it looks the same and smells the same, I haven't had one be able to tell the difference yet. I also put the food near their cage for a half hour so they smell it and are good and hungry. That way they go for it fast and don't think about what it is to much. Leave him alone for two weeks if it doesn't work the first time and try again. Making sure his temps are nice and toasty to helps get them to eat.
 
I find the feeding habits of ball pythons the biggest challenge to keeping them. I may have taken the easy way out, as I started breeding my own rats, mice, and ASF's. I've converted a few mousers to rats, but have a few left to go. The ones that absolutely kill me are the ones who will take rats a few times and then suddenly decide they want to go back on mice. In my experience, a ball that eats mice only is much easier to convert to ASF's than to rats, though I don't know if that's a reasonable option for you.

It really is just persistence and determination on your part. Some say scenting works, while others will recommend using size/color recognition tactics...I don't disagree, but I'm not entirely convinced either. I was talking about this with a local hobbyist last week actually and his suggestion was to feed the snake a mouse, but much smaller than it's normal size, and as it's close to swallowing the mouse, use feeder tongs to follow it with a f/t/prekilled rat of equal size- in a manner so that the snake just continues swallowing the rat. Repeat a few times and you should be good.

He swears by this method, I have my reservations as I have yet to attempt it.
 
I've used that method with a jungle carpet before that was started on mice and for years would act like rats were poison. I gave him a mouse, waited until he was most of the way done with it and stuffed a small rat pup down after it, after three times he was taking rats on his own but I still had to trick him to get him to take larger food for a long time. But that method would probably be way to extreme for a little bp and asf's are inconvenient and expensive for most ppl. I just got an asf/mouse eater on rats in a week or two using the same size and scented method and keeping her on the warm side. She's eating small-medium rats like a champ right now. Babies are easy to change over just keep trying and they'll get it.
 
All suggestions so far have worked at times for me, but I have 1 or 2 that will not switch to rats no matter what I do. I can get them to take an ASF at times even a rat once or twice, but then it's nothing but mice again. Some will make the switch easily, some the hard way and some won't do it at all.
 
I take a mouse sized rat and put it in a 5 quart container with 2 mice for about 5 or 10 minutes to get the "mouse" scent and then put the rat in with the snake,this has worked for me 3 times and after 3 to 4 times of doing this the snakes are all eating rats unscented.
 
I',ve converted several BP's eating live,f/t mice over to f/t rats. Hatchlings to adult. Yes it is a process. Some just take the rats no problem, with others it's a challange.

With adults I've had my best luck waiting until they get back on feed. Usually they take a rat no problem, some times its a couple of weeks trying but they have always come over.

Some times its shear will power, not giving in to give them a mouse. They will eventually get hungry and start eating rats.

Younger ones that are tough to to convert? I heavily sent a rat with a mouse. Give them a smaller than usual mouse and then follow up after they fully swallow with the scented rat ( i let them take it on their own and never assist feed it.) when it works. do it a few times and they are soon taking just scented rats and from there it's easy.
 
I have had a few baby/sub-adult BP's do the same thing. This is what I do and it has worked for not only switching to rats, but for ones that do not like F/T.


For live feedings:

1. for two feedings put a mouse in a closed small box or tubble wear that the snake cannot see into, but smell the mouses scent. Place the boxed mouse in the with the snake and do not open it for about 20 minutes. Let the snake look around for the mouse and then open it. Snake will eat the mouse and be happy.
2. After two weeks use the same box, but put a mouse and a small rat pup (if you can) in the box together. open in 20 minutes, if he eats both great if not no worries.
3. in the next feeding use the same box, but do not place the mouse in, just the rat. Leave the box again for 20 minutes, and open. By now your snake sould already recognize the box as dinner and still smells the mouse sent that is left on the box, and will assume the first thing that pops out of the box is going to be a mouse. At the same time the box helps implant the rat scent into the snakes memory with the assumption that it is food the animal likes. If the snake takes great! if not, go back a step.
4. If you get to this step your snake has taken a live rat pup or small rat. Continue the box but this time reduce the time to 10 minutes. If the animal takes keep reducing time if it does not take it go back a step. If your snake does take soon as the box is opened reduce the time to 5 minutes, then to putting the box in opened right away, and finally no box at all. If it is not comfortable with no box go back a step and just keep trying at the next feeding.

What I have noticed is juevenile snakes are a little skiddish with rats and take time to mature into eating a rat. Just be patient but the above technique has worked well for me.

Never tried from F/T mice to F/T Rat, just havent had that problem with my F/T eaters. But if you want my strategy to get a live eater to F/T let me know.
Hope that helps!
 
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